| Overnight Motorcycle Camping trip
on the Burr Trail between Boulder, Utah and Lake Powell, March 30 and 31, 2004. Route: Over grand Mesa from Cedaredge, Colorado, west on I-70 beyond Green River, Southwest on State Highway 24 through Hanksville to Torry, over Boulder Mountain on State Highway 12 to Boulder town then east and south on the Burr Trail towards Lake Powell. Camping on BLM land about 50 miles down trail. Crossed from Bull Frog Basin to Halls Crossing by ferry the next morning. Traveled east on State Highway 276 to 95. Further east a few miles to 261, then south across the high plateau to a 4-mile graded road out to Muley Point and a grand view of Monument Valley. Home through Bluff, Blanding, Monticello in Utah and Dove Creek, Naturita, Gateway, Whitewater, Delta in Colorado. Vehicle: 2004 Suzuki V-Strom 650. Total distance: 790 miles. Verle Nelson
Cedaredge, Colorado |
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I like to camp on rock. Utah Slick rock is my preferred surface but any rock will do if traversable by motorcycle. This spot off the Burr Trail was a little rough but the DL650 did well enough. The best path down to my camp site and back up to the road is pretty much in the center of this picture. |
| Away from the road, private but not totally isolated. Three vehicles used the road nearby in the 15 hours I was there: one at sunset, one after dark and another just after sunrise. |
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(Click on picture for enlargement.) | The desert is beautiful in the early morning. This is just a few miles from where I camped on the descent towards Lake Powell. |
| I'm headed south towards Monument Valley. Crossing Lake Powell by ferry boat saves 40 to 50 miles. |
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Monument valley is always impressive but relatively few people see it from the vantage point of Muley Point. They could. A graded road makes it accessible to any vehicle. This road is not graveled and there is some soft sand which may vary with the seasons. From the point of a high plateau you have a grand view of the monuments in the distance but not as distant as my camera makes them appear. |
| Below Muley Point the San Juan River winds through more of the goosenecks that inspired Goosenecks State Park just south and a little east. |
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