That's right I'm looking for a dirt path across the great state of Idaho, from north to south, I could be convinced to cross part of Montana then Idaho and into Nevada.

The Idea is come up with a dirt road route all the way to mexico :D

:grinpimp:

I like where this could go. :evil:

I like where this could go. :evil:


:confused: you think......? :laughing::laughing:


:D

I don't know about Idaho, but you can do it through Oregon. OBDR (http://www.oohva.org/Back%20Country/BCDRmain.html). It was an actual BLM and USFS marked trail, until environmental groups took them to court forcing them to redo environmental studies over the entire trail. The stupid thing was they has just done some leg work and connected existing roads and trails, then marked it. It's was probably one of the cheaper and better put together off road projects, as well as one of the larger, but alas ruined by narrow minded people.

I don't know about Idaho, but you can do it through Oregon. OBDR (http://www.oohva.org/Back%20Country/BCDRmain.html). It was an actual BLM and USFS marked trail, until environmental groups took them to court forcing them to redo environmental studies over the entire trail. The stupid thing was they has just done some leg work and connected existing roads and trails, then marked it. It's was probably one of the cheaper and better put together off road projects, as well as one of the larger, but alas ruined by narrow minded people.


So you are saying that the routes and sections on the map are closed ?

:confused:

So you are saying that the routes and sections on the map are closed ?

:confused:

Nope, they are open roads, always have been. They just aren't considered an official trail by any official federal body and are unmarked as such. Their previous markings, like USFS road 4620 are still there. People were smart enough to get ahold of the original maps, which are distributed through the link above. The roads are there, even some sign markers still exist on the route, but the entire route is not an official trail. It's just a combination of a bunch of existing road's legal to drive on.

Nope, they are open roads, always have been. They just aren't considered an official trail by any official federal body and are unmarked as such. Their previous markings, like USFS road 4620 are still there. People were smart enough to get ahold of the original maps, which are distributed through the link above. The roads are there, even some sign markers still exist on the route, but the entire route is not an official trail. It's just a combination of a bunch of existing road's legal to drive on.

Perfect, it just might have to work that way instead of down thru Idaho or Montana to nevada then onto AZ.....

:D

Hey, Rich! It can't be technically done through my section of the State. There are too many large bodies of water to cross, such as the Kootenai River, the Clark Fork River, The Pend Oreille river, the Coeur Dalene River and the Clearwater River. If you were to skirt Northern ID, you might be able to do it.

Hey, Rich! It can't be technically done through my section of the State. There are too many large bodies of water to cross, such as the Kootenai River, the Clark Fork River, The Pend Oreille river, the Coeur Dalene River and the Clearwater River. If you were to skirt Northern ID, you might be able to do it.


Some paved roads and bridges will be ok, trying for 95% or more dirt roads....

This inter I will pre-run all the southern stuff - then spring / summer run the northern sections....

next fall put it all together for a "little" drive :D

Sounds like a great project. As long as you're not too picky about some bridges and paved sections. I know a route from the Coeur Dalene drainage north to Canada. PBB member crewchief lives in the Coeur Dalene drainage area and he probably knows that area real well.

idaho is tough cuz there's only 1 road south hwy95...a ton of roads were closed some time ago when the frank church wilderness was established and that pretty much makes up the entire central section of the state. washington through oregon might work or montana through idaho falls maybe. the panhandle won't work.

I can help you out south of I80 in NV!

This might help.

I know there are roads north down to murray, but I don't know them.
Murray to Wallace (Dirt or Paved, or Both. You have options)
Wallace to Avery (Dirt)
Avery to Clarkia (Mostly Dirt)
Clarkia to Elk River (Paved Road)
Elk River to Orofino (dirtroad Mostly)
After that I don't know.

i've driven clarkia to orofino all dirt....so that is there for sure. then orofino over to weippe and on down to kooski...but sooner or later you have to take us95 south

That Idaho Gazetteer book has some real good topo maps in it for the entire state.I use that thing all the time when I'm driving around.

What about dirt roads all the way to Alaska?

What about dirt roads all the way to Alaska?


Now there's an Adventurous Idea.... I like it, but first we need to do mexico to canada :laughing::laughing:

:D

But that does not mean we can't get started on the route :smokin:

That Idaho Gazetteer book has some real good topo maps in it for the entire state.I use that thing all the time when I'm driving around.

I actually have one I've been studying :D

I got a route I'm working on that connects from the clearwater river in idaho all the way to canada. The only paved roads you hit are just crossings basically then back to dirt. Haven't looked for any further south of clearwater but I bet it's doable.

Get google earth.

If I can help you through Southern Oregon, please feel free to contact me (I have people). :D

Alan Paulson
Region 6 Director
Pacific Northwest 4 Wheel Drive association

I got a route I'm working on that connects from the clearwater river in idaho all the way to canada. The only paved roads you hit are just crossings basically then back to dirt. Haven't looked for any further south of clearwater but I bet it's doable.

Get google earth.

You'd have to drive on Hwy 200 a bit because there's no road going over the Cabinet Mts. anymore. A couple of years ago there was a huge road washout and it never got repaired and probably never will.

You'd have to drive on Hwy 200 a bit because there's no road going over the Cabinet Mts. anymore. A couple of years ago there was a huge road washout and it never got repaired and probably never will.

Can't you go from clearwater up to hoodoo pass?

I've got GPS tracks from Canada to Mexico down the great divide primarily on dirt/gravel, Montana/Idaho/Wyoming/Colorado/New Mexico. I also have the Oregon Backcountry Discovery Routes...all of them. I also have the Trans America Trail from Oklahoma to the Oregon coast. I just did all of that in September on my motorcycle:grinpimp:, read about it here: http://www.advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=509682


Shoot me a PM with an e-mail address and I'll share a few files for the great divide.

:smokin:

this sounds awsome, i'll do some looking too

You should also talk to the Forest service or someone of the like. They have some very nice maps available by section of the state that lists all of the forest service roads, gates, locations and so on.... They would be great to look over and get you in to some very nice areas up in my neck of the woods (Sandpoint, Bonners Ferry)

oregons very do-able just completed my personal little run a few weeks back. 6 days, started at smith river california ended at sweet home oregon. all following a ten dollar map you can buy at any oregon ranger station, that marks and shows ANY path through the dirt in oregon.

You should actually start in Canada then

The Alberta Forestry Trunk Road starts 800 miles north of the border.

Dirt and gravel most of the way

Big,

I've actually been planning on doing the same thing for a couple of years. I have it figured out from from the south to the Clearwater a couple of different ways and have driven most of those roads. Spectacular to say the least. Some of the roads are only open for a few months per year. Give me a call when you have a chance and we can discuss.

I don't have anything in a file, just ink on topos.

Shawn

Big,

I've actually been planning on doing the same thing for a couple of years. I have it figured out from from the south to the Clearwater a couple of different ways and have driven most of those roads. Spectacular to say the least. Some of the roads are only open for a few months per year. Give me a call when you have a chance and we can discuss.

I don't have anything in a file, just ink on topos.

Shawn

Pm me your phone number...

I have driven some of the Idaho stuff before this last storm and at the begenning of the storm :D

Found alot on the maps that looks like it "should be open" was closed with lock gates and no Trespassing signs :shaking: also found a bridge was not there as it showed on the map... :laughing:

Half the fun is going to be pre-running the whole thing :D

I'll call next week after I get back from the Tucson PUSU event

Thanks

i know there is a trail that run east and west but norht and south i dont know but if you get a forest service map it would make life a wole lot easieror also there is gps if you have a garmin with the loaded map system then it shows trails roads skidding trails the down side you dont know if they still exisit

You may want to look at the Idaho Centennial Trail. Most of it is not open to motorized vehicles, but the portion south of the snake river has a lot of two tracks open to vehicles. You might be able to use some of this trail, but certainly not all of it. Might be good for some ideas or to fill in some sections of your journey.

There is a map at the following link and an explaination of the trail, etc.

http://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/recreation/centennial_trail_map.aspx

You may want to look at the Idaho Centennial Trail. Most of it is not open to motorized vehicles, but the portion south of the snake river has a lot of two tracks open to vehicles. You might be able to use some of this trail, but certainly not all of it. Might be good for some ideas or to fill in some sections of your journey.

There is a map at the following link and an explaination of the trail, etc.

http://parksandrecreation.idaho.gov/recreation/centennial_trail_map.aspx

The centennial trail is a paved walking/biking trail in North Idaho. No motorized travel, and did I mention it is paved.......

Edit: I looked at the map, seems a little different then what is typically called "the centennial trail" As you mentioned may be some connections in southern Idaho.

Big,

PM'd ya my email and phone #.

Sorry you didn't make the 1K this year. We had a great time. Shaffer radioed me if he should pass a militar convoy when we were going back to Ensenada after the night at Mike's Sky Ranch. I asked him WWLD. We all knew, ha!:smokin:

A route similar to what you all are talking about was covered in National Geographic Adventure magazine, sometime in the spring of 2005. I'll try to find the article but basically a couple in a TJ made it from Canada to Mexico with very little pavement.

Edit: found the link, guess it was 2004.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0408/excerpt1.html

A route similar to what you all are talking about was covered in National Geographic Adventure magazine, sometime in the spring of 2005. I'll try to find the article but basically a couple in a TJ made it from Canada to Mexico with very little pavement.

Edit: found the link, guess it was 2004.
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/adventure/0408/excerpt1.html

After following a couple of links I found the following article also; which has a link to the full Adventure Magazine article. It's a crappy scanned article but it's better than nothing.

http://www.mex2can.com/

Thats a good article and a proven route, I'll have to try that as well as the one I have mapped, come on spring....