Hello all!

I’m brand new to the forums and this is my very first post.

Fortunately, I came across this website during my search for an informed route to take from Denver down towards The 4 Corners Monument and eventually out west through Monument Valley and the Northern Rim of the Grand Canyon! From what I’ve read, you all seem very helpful so I’ve come to you for guidance.

I’m from CT. I’ll be leaving my city at the end of May and my destination is San Diego. My route is already set all the way to Denver but, since I’ll be riding my motorcycle the entire way, I’m concerned that some of the passes from Denver to 4 Corners are too long! I need to make it to a new town/place to sleep each day (since I can’t sleep on my bike haha). Cost is of slight concern as well, I’m moving and I’m trying to save as much as possible on this trip! I wouldn’t mind staying in motels/hostels as long as I have a place to safely rest for the night. Any advice, tips or recommendations you all have would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks for taking the time to read my post!

Instead of going into Denver, you might want to turn off onto US 24 in Limon and go to Colorado Springs. There should be lodging there because of the Olympic complex there. Go south from Colorado Springs on I-25 to Walsenburg and take US 160 west. The pass west of Walsenburg is over 9400' elevation. You may want to detour over to see the Great Sand Dunes NP and Preserve after the pass. US 160 will take you through Durango. Mesa Verde NP is much more interesting than the 4 Corners (Indian tourist trap) IMO.
I have seen the small teardrop trailers pulled by motorcycles depending on the HP of the motorcycle.

Desert motorcycle riding
I have about 75,000 miles on a M/C. On/off road.
Riding in the desert is different than in the mid-west/east because of very low humidity.

Definitely have a faring - bigger the better - to deflect hot air away from your body.
Think water. Drink by habit (hourly), not by thirst.
And, Interstate riding is work/dangerous if you don't have a heavy touring bike
I have a 1400 cc Yamaha - still not comfortable at high speeds and 18-wheelers.
- try rural roads and enjoy riding.

I have not worn one, but never rode 500+ mile ride across the desert either.
Google: Motorcycle cooling vests.

Remember, a M/C is at the bottom of the food chain.

Vaga

This sounds great! Makes much more sense that riding directly from Denver, thank you!

My bike is on the smaller side; Duke 390

But! I downloaded an app called Roadtrippers with routes programmed specifically for motorcyclists for the safest trips possible. I’ll compare those with the advice I get here to make it all work. Thanks a lot for the heads up! As far as water goes, my motorcycle bookbag comes ready with a sleeve for hydration packs, all I need is to buy a solid one and I’m good to go.

No experience but good luck!

Thank you!

Have you thought about skipping the Grand Canyon and just heading south after Monument Valley along 191 past Chaco Canyon and down the Devil's Highway (originally 666) to pick interstate 8 into San Diego? You would end up avoiding Los Angeles congestion and that is a beautiful drive, and all my motorcycle friends love that drive!

Don't miss south rim Grand Canyon. If you follow Odie's advice, you will not be going south from Monument Valley but back tracking a distance to the east to a far less interesting attraction at Chaco Canyon. Chaco canyon, while it's interesting if you enjoy Indian ruins, Mesa Verde is a much better example of ruins and it's right on your way from Durango to Monument Valley.

Don't plan on staying at Monument Valley overnight. Lodging is limited and overpriced and is most likely booked. After leaving Monument Valley, your next stop is Kayenta which will have more reasonable lodging. You should be able to drive from Kayenta to GC, enjoy views at all pullouts on the rim and reach Flagstaff in the afternoon. I recommend taking 180 into Flag. It is a nice Backroads drive. Flagstaff will have plentiful lodging at reasonable prices.

When leaving Flag, take Highway 89a through Oak Creek Canyon to Sedona. Continue on 89a through Cottonwood and the old mining town/ current art colony of Jerome into Prescott, the original Arizona state Capitol. Then take Highway 69 to I-17. This way you avoid many miles of less scenic and hectic freeway travel. Then head south on I-17 to Phx and your last main leg into SD.

Indeed Bailey is correct. I meant to say Canyon de Chelly, not Chaco Canyon.

Odie I thought that might be what you meant. Even so, it was is still several hours extra driving and, IMO, is not as spectacular as GC although it is beautiful.

I would not skip Grand Canyon and I would want to see the south rim on this trip.

There is a section of rt 66 that you pick up a bit west of Kingman AZ, off I-40 that goes up over the mt. and through the town of Oatman. We've always seen motorcycles in Oatman, also burros wandering in the street.

Any time you are on the smallish roads you need to be aware of animals on/near the road. There are "open range" areas where cattle and horses are not fenced in.

I am a huge fan of the Grand Canyon, been there a few times myself and would probably never turn down an opportunity to go back but that was my thought, there is always the opportunity to go back-it's not going anywhere. The OP talked about going to the north rim, from there the only logical way to San Diego would be through Vegas and on to Los Angeles-a miserable, boring drive sure to be filled with traffic. He was also talking about budget and he will surely eat up money on gas spent in traffic (though I suppose he could be one of those riders that goes between lanes) as well as the Grand Canyon isn't known for having cheap accommodations. Was just giving another idea for less hectic, more scenic (besides the Canyon), easier and probably cheaper way to SD.

bailey 123 is right - motels are verrrrry expensive especially the Navajo View.

However, Gouldings excellent/superb campground has cabins It is about 6 miles from MV
https://www.gouldings.com/campground/
435-359-0047
Reserve NOW

IF you have your own tent, there are two Navajo camping sites.
The one north, en route to Monument Valley, is run by Mark and Jenny that charge $20 per night. Dry camping but showers toilet available. 928 246-1635

Vaga

Hello, I am Macross's husband. She asked me to offer an opinion as I am a long distance motorcyclist and have been on many of those roads. I ride a Yamaha FJR 1300 for LD work.

The Limon cutoff to Colorado springs is a good tip, but be advised Limon is big on speed traps. The SL drops to 35 IIRC and believe me, they're right on it. A good rule of thumb anywhere in the US is that speeds are stricter i small towns especially if they have their own police force - which of course there's no way to know before hand - so I just make sure when in town limits I pay attention to posted limits. That said, you'll find out west the speed limits are higher on the back roads; many places are 75 in Colorado and beyond. That also means you burn more fuel, so know your range. Towns are farther apart and in some places not uncommon to have 60-80 miles between stations. I'm sure you have more range than that, but if you're halfway through a tank and go past a station, you may not. A lot of the guess work for distance is easier to figure with modern gps/waypoints, but it's food for thought.

Some of the best roads I've personally been on in that neck of the woods have been found sorta by accident. On the high passes, note the weather as I've rerouted more than once due to mudslides and there are only so many ways to get over the mountains. You'll be heading SW via Salida maybe? Not as bad down that direction and very beautiful IMO.

As others have said, hotels are expensive in and around the tourist areas. My old back doesn't do well camping anymore, but if you have a compact setup, it may be an option for you. I usually try and find some place well away, then get up early to get to and explore a popular area during the day. In many places (like the Grand Canyon), even if you're willing to spend the money, there's no rooms to be had in the high season.

I have 2 gps units on my bike, but I still like a paper map at night for planning, or even during the day when I have a decision/crossroad facing you . It gives me a better sense of the area and the best way to get where I'm gong especially in a situation like yours where the sights along the way are just as important as the destination.

For general long distance advice, one of the best groups to read advice is here:

Iron Butt Association - "Worlds Toughest Riders"

If there's anything else you would like to ask, do it.

Odie, Bailey, Emalloy, Rvvagbond, Macross’s husband you guys are the best! I honestly didn’t expect this much feedback! Can’t tell you how much I appreciate all of this help...

For the sake of saving you all from a long response, I’ve consolidated your posts a bit and hit the main points:

YES! I have considered it. I was lucky enough to take a road trip (with a car) a few years back and the GC (S Rim) was one of my stops. I8 into San Diego was the route I took post visit so, I’d like to take the N Rim route this time past 4Cs (which I missed last time).

Yes absolutely, I’ve heard great things and I’ve made it a point to stop and explore!

This is great advice. I’d imagine there would be some livestock to deal with so having that confirmation helps.

I am indeed a lane splitter (since it is legal in CA) but, I won’t be doing so during my trip. I’ll have saddle bags and other gear that would make it unsafe to do so. Plus the extra weight would make my bike more difficult to maneuver in an emergency situation.

This is incredible information, thank you. I’ve been reading up a lot on long distance motorcycle trips and one of the few tips that resonate from author to author is the necessity of paper maps. I’ll definitely be picking one up for each of the areas I plan to travel. I’ll also have a spare fuel sleeve (just in case) to use when faced with long stretches between gas stations. My fuel range is about 200 miles but, that’s a mix of street and highway riding (here locally). I could probably hit 250 miles with a light load all highway but, with the added weight of the gear I’ll be taking, I’ll probably come closer to 175 all highway. Either way, I have a low-impact drive from CT to IL and I’ll be using that first day on the road to gauge my range and apply that data to my route post Iowa.

—

I realized I should’ve been more specific about my intentions stops-wise. A good friend lives in Vegas and my sister lives in Anaheim so, I’d like to add those stops before making my final approach to SD. Ideally, I’d hit Monument Valley and Antelope Canyon post 4 Corners (since those are all close by) and then head west along the N Rim of the GC towards Vegas. I see there’s a pass across the Colorado River through Marble Canyon that would take me to Fredonia and eventually, Vegas. Is anyone familiar with it? I’m just not 100% sure what road conditions will be like during the time I plan on riding through. I know there a lot of dirt roads that might be impassable in certain conditions.

Geez this post turned out to be a long one, thanks for reading! I’ll be compiling a detailed route and posting it soon! Thanks again for all the help and feedback!

The road you are speaking of is Hwy 89A and it is paved. Just before you cross the bridge over the Colorado, there is a parking lot to your right. At the end of the parking lot is the original bridge which is now a pedestrian bridge. Often you will see the protected California Condors flying overhead and nesting with young in the cliffs on each side of the river. A bit further down the road, on the left hand side of the road, there is a nice viewpoint looking south and there is a sign explaining the release of the California Condor in this area, Vermillion Cliffs, when they were on the brink of extinction. To see the north rim, turn left at the Jacobs Lake turnoff further down 89A.

There is a cheap motel at Marble Canyon if you are in need of lodging but I wouldn't wait too long to try to reserve something since it is often used for the CO River rafters since it is near a put in at Lees Ferry.

Weather should be no problem in late May or later except it may be a bit warm along your route especially in Page. the snows have passed and monsoon season has not yet arrived.

I love the idea of it. I would love to try it, its going to be really interesting.

Re Bailey motels
Vermilion Cliffs Bar and Grill 928 355 2231 (Best selection of beers. Log ceiling is original)
Marble Canyon Lodge 928 355 2225 (biggest and most modern ( this does not imply it is modern)
Cliff Dweller Lodge and Restaurant 928 355 2261 ( I always stop and eat here)
All are on the internet

At the west end of the bridge the road turn right to historic Lees Ferry that has access to the river where you can swim (54-56 F)
At the end of the road and to the left, there is some petrified wood - do not take any.
The road is very scenic with huge boulders.
Absolutely do the Lonely Dell piorneer home tour - about one hour

vaga