Getting there- Central CA to Bozeman

jstrube · Feb 25, 2015

Alright trip planners... I can leave Saturday before the rally, want to be there Wed afternoon or so. What interesting path can I take to get there?

Want to keep mileage reasonable, so no stringing 500 mile days together. Maybe see some sights, some twisty roads... Stay off the interstates... Camp along the way.

GO!

Return trip will be direct, bomber run, need to get back to work.

story · Feb 25, 2015

I'm heading out that same day but I'm looking at getting there sort of fast to help out, then take my time coming back.
If I were leaving from Atwater my route would be. 140 out of Merced to Yosemite, cut over to 120 and over the top to 395 north to Reno, a little I 80E then 95 to Boise, I 84 to Mountain Home, then 20 by Craters of the Moon to Idaho Falls and on to West Yellowstone. Go into Yellowstone and connect to 212 and over the top of Bear Tooth pass and into Billings.
I'm planning on hitting 212 Bear Tooth pass on my way there and Craters of the Moon on my way back.
Once you get beyond Nevada there are lots of options.
Maybe we'll see you there.

David13 · Feb 26, 2015

I will have to look at the time on this.
I like 140 to 120 but then 167 to 359 to Hawthorne then north on 95, then 80 north to Winnemucca.
From Winnemuca I would head further north on 95 then thru' the edge of Oregon and into the Boise area.
From Boise, north on 55 and up to 95 again, north to Grangeville, then 13 to 12 to Missoula.
Then 80 south to Bozeman or Livingston and south to west Yellowstone or thereabouts, and onto 212 east to Billlngs over Beartooth pass.
I don't know how long that would take.
I would spend some nights along the way there, somewhere, some optional place.
This is a somewhat convoluted route, and to me, that is the idea.
It looks like 1500 miles. 5 300 mile days. That would work for me.
dc

jstrube · Feb 26, 2015

Yeah, that is the problem with living here, you have to cross through the boring parts of Nevada to do about anything. I almost thought about going over by way of Million Dollar Hwy, but that would probably be way out of the way. Thanks for all the suggestions, keep them coming! I almost thought about going up the CA coast, then over inward.

akbeemer · Feb 26, 2015

jstrube said:
Yeah, that is the problem with living here, you have to cross through the boring parts of Nevada to do about anything. I almost thought about going over by way of Million Dollar Hwy, but that would probably be way out of the way. Thanks for all the suggestions, keep them coming! I almost thought about going up the CA coast, then over inward.

Ha, we live in Montana and are planning a ride over your way in September. Will be making much the same ride as you only in reverse. Probably cross to the coast in OR then make our way to the Monterey area (I was born there and later lived there for a few years). Not sure of our route home.

jstrube · Feb 27, 2015

Well, as you figure it out, post it up! I am a terrible trip planner unless I really know the area.

nakwakto00 · Feb 28, 2015

From Winnemucca get off US 95 and take OR 205 past Steens Mt & Frenchglen - stunning high desert scenery. Then up to John Day, Or and over to Baker City, Or via Oregon's Little Tail of tge Dragon. Lots of great twisties & curves. Then go through Hells Canyon to Enterprise, Or and then to Clarkston, Wa. Again, great scenery, curves and twisties to be had.. From there join up on to US 12 over Lolo Pass. The rest of the way is good to Billings as others mentioned. On the route I suggest above there's plenty of great and scenic camping to be had. From Winnemucca to Burns watch your gas - it's pretty remote. There's gas stations but they don't take plastic only cash.

Don't bore yourself with the major highways - there's more to see off of them.

robert.leitgeb · Mar 2, 2015

jstrube said:
Yeah, that is the problem with living here, you have to cross through the boring parts of Nevada to do about anything. I almost thought about going over by way of Million Dollar Hwy, but that would probably be way out of the way. Thanks for all the suggestions, keep them coming! I almost thought about going up the CA coast, then over inward.

What about heading north through Redding- cut off at Weed to Klamath Falls, OR to Boise, ID- then on to Billings. Here is what I am considering. (though I may still do the 395 and then across Nevada on the 80- but the 80 is just mind bending)

https://www.google.com/maps/dir/Hanford,+CA/Redding,+CA/Klamath+Falls,+OR/Lakeview,+OR/Boise,+ID/Ennis,+MT/Billings,+Mt/@40.7430356,-124.2821844,5z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m44!4m43!1m5!1m1!1s0x8094c37b19af7a53:0x1b16a7e4c563f490!2m2!1d-119.6456844!2d36.3274502!1m5!1m1!1s0x54d291d63b4a202f:0x1f3358ec7b360f57!2m2!1d-122.3916754!2d40.5865396!1m5!1m1!1s0x54c8d45968f20ee3:0xf48d7ff528b99726!2m2!1d-121.7816704!2d42.224867!1m5!1m1!1s0x54c993d627bd940d:0x8ba8c95e38943b69!2m2!1d-120.345792!2d42.1887721!1m5!1m1!1s0x54aef172e947b49d:0x9a5b989b36679d9b!2m2!1d-116.2146068!2d43.6187102!1m5!1m1!1s0x535a9d823202ac4b:0xa10f665d7c2bcc6a!2m2!1d-111.7318796!2d45.3491133!1m5!1m1!1s0x53486f8888fa9d97:0x373556d4f179b550!2m2!1d-108.5006904!2d45.7832856!3e0

Visian · Mar 5, 2015

jstrube said:
Well, as you figure it out, post it up! I am a terrible trip planner unless I really know the area.

If you are good with a computer, try a new trip planning app called Furkot. As you plan it can show you interesting things nearby your route.

Ian

JPAC · Mar 16, 2015

Little Tail?

nakwakto00 said:
From Winnemucca get off US 95 and take OR 205 past Steens Mt & Frenchglen - stunning high desert scenery. Then up to John Day, Or and over to Baker City, Or via Oregon's Little Tail of tge Dragon. Lots of great twisties & curves. Then go through Hells Canyon to Enterprise, Or and then to Clarkston, Wa. Again, great scenery, curves and twisties to be had.. From there join up on to US 12 over Lolo Pass. The rest of the way is good to Billings as others mentioned. On the route I suggest above there's plenty of great and scenic camping to be had. From Winnemucca to Burns watch your gas - it's pretty remote. There's gas stations but they don't take plastic only cash.

Don't bore yourself with the major highways - there's more to see off of them.

nakwakto00 looks like were neighbors. what road is considered Oregon's Little Tail of the Dragon? Nice ride recomendations. Highway 12 Clarkston/Lewiston to Lolo is not to be missed if he is going to be in that area. Also I recomend 3 out of Enterprise, which becomes 129 at the border in Washington, there is a section of that called the Rattlesnake grade that is great and it ends up in Clarkston WA.

weschmann · Mar 18, 2015

Visian said:
If you are good with a computer, try a new trip planning app called Furkot. As you plan it can show you interesting things nearby your route.

Ian

Thanks for the App site. Looks like a useful tool.... I played around with it for a little while and plan on developing a complete route from St. Louis to Billings via a stop in Colorado the week before for a rally, and then move over to the Bozeman trail in Wyoming before heading over to Yellowstone and finally up to Billings. Looks like I'll have to do some specific homework to get all the stops correct......

nakwakto00 · Mar 19, 2015

Oregon's "Little Tail of the Dragon" is Oregon 245. It's a beautiful ride both in twisties and scenery. And yes, Oregon 3 out of Enterprise which turns into Washington 129 is a great road too. Again, lots of scenery and twisties.

Lolo (US 12) is so popular but another great little known route is the St Joe River Road out of St. Maries, Idaho. This remote and twisty gem is almost better than US 12 except you'll have ride about 12 miles of good gravel road from the Idaho border to just outside St. Regis, Montana. It's easily doable on a non-GS bike. Great scenery, good fishing, lots of camping, and twisties! Although there's lots of black tar snakes on the road.

Take Idaho 6 via White Pine Drive for even more scenic and twisty fun on your way to St. Maries. Same with Washington 272 on your way to Potlatch, Idaho.

JPAC · Mar 19, 2015

St Joe River Road

nakwakto00 said:
Oregon's "Little Tail of the Dragon" is Oregon 245. It's a beautiful ride both in twisties and scenery. And yes, Oregon 3 out of Enterprise which turns into Washington 129 is a great road too. Again, lots of scenery and twisties.

Lolo (US 12) is so popular but another great little known route is the St Joe River Road out of St. Maries, Idaho. This remote and twisty gem is almost better than US 12 except you'll have ride about 12 miles of good gravel road from the Idaho border to just outside St. Regis, Montana. It's easily doable on a non-GS bike. Great scenery, good fishing, lots of camping, and twisties! Although there's lots of black tar snakes on the road.

Take Idaho 6 via White Pine Drive for even more scenic and twisty fun on your way to St. Maries. Same with Washington 272 on your way to Potlatch, Idaho.

Thanks, I was already looking at St Joe River Road and doing a bit of research on it before this post. I had notice a squiggly line on the map and thought hey that look interesting, I wonder if it is paved? Hwy 12 has always been a favorite of mine, maybe I could fit them both in. How bad is the non paved section? No new GS in my immediate future

Great info, thanks again.

nakwakto00 · Mar 19, 2015

JPAC said:
How bad is the non paved section? No new GS in my immediate future Great info, thanks again.

Small graded gravel over a hard packed surface. It's better than a well cared for gravel driveway. It's wide too. A few steep sections where you might find a few really small washboards. We did it a couple of years ago and it rained. My wife and I used GS bikes (F800GS & G650GS) but we thought we could've easily done it on our RTs. I'd do it with my RT except I wouldn't like getting it so dirty.

Although you can get gas in Avery, I'd recommend getting gas in St. Maries. You can count on the gas station being open and having gas. Also if you drive it later in the afternoon there's fewer log trucks and less traffic. Those that you will see will be going to St. Maries, and they travel fast. Before light the next morning you will hear them working their way up the road.

Tin Can Flat is a great campground.

Enjoy!

DaveinCalgary · Mar 19, 2015

I rode the St Joe River Road last summer on my K1200GT. No trouble with the gravel section and no traffic at all.

everin · Mar 30, 2015

Route to Billings

I live in Lincoln, CA and plan on departing Friday, July 17. Looking to head over to Reno and take 395 north to Lakeview; then head over to Baker City and checkout Hells Canyon; up through Idaho to Lewiston and then cut over on Hwy 12 to Missoula and then I-90 to Billings. I'm in the early stages of planning daily mileage and places to camp (KOA's with hot showers preferred). I have no issue with putting in 350-500 mile days.

Last year I rode from Twin Falls, ID to Jarbidge, NV down to Elko and back to Lincoln in one day. An unforgettable ride, but I paid for it the next few days as I was very tired.

squiffynimrod · Mar 31, 2015

everin said:
I live in Lincoln, CA and plan on departing Friday, July 17. Looking to head over to Reno and take 395 north to Lakeview; then head over to Baker City and checkout Hells Canyon; up through Idaho to Lewiston and then cut over on Hwy 12 to Missoula and then I-90 to Billings. I'm in the early stages of planning daily mileage and places to camp (KOA's with hot showers preferred). I have no issue with putting in 350-500 mile days.

Last year I rode from Twin Falls, ID to Jarbidge, NV down to Elko and back to Lincoln in one day. An unforgettable ride, but I paid for it the next few days as I was very tired.

I can't comment on your route other than to say that Baker City OR is an awesome place.
You can stay here for a reasonable price http://bridgestreetinn.net/
and then walk here for some great brews and food http://www.barleybrownsbeer.com/.
Another great stop if you like architecture is http://geisergrand.com/. Check out the museum in the basement if they still have it.

story · Mar 31, 2015

everin said:
I live in Lincoln, CA and plan on departing Friday, July 17. Looking to head over to Reno and take 395 north to Lakeview; then head over to Baker City and checkout Hells Canyon; up through Idaho to Lewiston and then cut over on Hwy 12 to Missoula and then I-90 to Billings. I'm in the early stages of planning daily mileage and places to camp (KOA's with hot showers preferred). I have no issue with putting in 350-500 mile days.

Last year I rode from Twin Falls, ID to Jarbidge, NV down to Elko and back to Lincoln in one day. An unforgettable ride, but I paid for it the next few days as I was very tired.

Made that ride a few years ago only from Missoula home. Hwy 12 is gorgeous, Hells Canyon is hot, and 395 is high desert similar to Hwy 50 in Nevada. But then I like Hwy 50. Its a good ride.

jstrube · Jul 6, 2015

Any camping spots in Baker?

Getting there- Central CA to Bozeman

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