Navajo Reservation Roads

In the Navajo Indian Reservation there are roads named BIA-18, BIA-594 etc.
Are these paved, dirt or gravel? How are they to ride on?

Many of the BIA roads are not paved. I have even had my 2610 take me to dirt roadheads when I selected "major" roads only while traveling in riural NM and AZ. Find a comprehensive resource tif you can, but don't assume all roads are paved.

>How are they to ride on?

Lots of fun, but be aware that some are by invitation only, like fishing on private land. ASK first.

>I have even had my 2610 take me to dirt roadheads when I selected "major" roads only while traveling in riural NM and AZ.

If it's the "only" road, doesn't that make it a "major" road? I'm sure it does for the people who live there.

dlearl said:

If it's the "only" road, doesn't that make it a "major" road? I'm sure it does for the people who live there.

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Darn Dlearl - I guess I need to learn to speak "computer!" Thanks for the insight. You are probably right - if it's the only road within 20 miles, that's where one will end up. You can tell I'm a city boy.

You need the Navajo map

Burnszilla said:

In the Navajo Indian Reservation there are roads named BIA-18, BIA-594 etc.
Are these paved, dirt or gravel? How are they to ride on?

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Stephen - I found that a number of the roads in the Navajo Indian reservation were not on the Rand McNally-style maps... or on my GPS. (Garmin V with Mapsource Roads and Recreation).

When riding through the area, it's advised that you stop and buy a Navajo Nation road map.

Even with the Navajo map, the roads can be confusing.... and poorly marked. Many times I found myself riding up a canyon to find some folks' house... sometimes with a mean dog or dogs.... and having to scramble a u-turn and gtf-outta there!

Pay close attention to your surroundings. If you notice the walls of a canyon starting to rise on both sides of the road, it is highly likely you're heading up a dead-end road.

Also, on one recent traverse north of the monuments, I started out east on a beautiful, wide, hard-packed dirt road and wound up riding the wall of a canyon on a fully-loaded GS, with long stretches of deep sand and rocks... and steep switchbacks, just to reach the US Hwy that I could see on my GPS what appeared to be just a half mile ahead. That can be quite stressful when you're out there alone.

Many of the roads are dirt and hard-packed... easy to ride on any bike. But, as in my description above, you may find yourself backtracking if you don't want a serious dual-sport ride.

The best thing to do, as suggested above, is stop and ask someone.

Ian

bumpy

You'll have a good time on the reservations. They are sad places,the roads are often terrible(fun on a R1200 I'm sure).
Make friends quiclky,buy drinks.

oak ya te hey= How ya doin (greeting) Navajo.
oak ya te hey she qus= I'm fine and good,(something like that) Navajo.

Gnome said:

Make friends quiclky,buy drinks.

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I read that alcohol and drugs are not allowed on the reservation. Do I buy a round of Shirley Temples?

I never had a problem having a drink on a reservation.

Put up a "no fishing" sign and what happens?