Forget Moab, Gateway, CO., is best new OHV area!!

Forget <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Moab</st1lace></st1:country-region>. The new best area for motorcycling is the high mesa above and around Gateway. Yes it's more out of the way, but that's the point. You will find hundreds of miles of trails all around Gateway, low and high, which you, your wife, your kids, friends and buddies will have a GREAT time on. Here's a link to high resolution PDF maps and trails in the Gateway area.

http://www.blm.gov/co/st/en/fo/gjfo/...ecreation.html

(dial up be very aware!)

These are VERY good maps (If I do say so myself <?xml:namespace prefix = v ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" /><v:shapetype id=_x0000_t75 stroked="f" filled="f" path="m@4@5l@4@11@9@11@9@5xe" oreferrelative="t" o:spt="75" coordsize="21600,21600"><v:stroke joinstyle="miter"></v:stroke><v:formulas><v:f eqn="if lineDrawn pixelLineWidth 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 1 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum 0 0 @1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @2 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @3 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @0 0 1"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @6 1 2"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelWidth"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @8 21600 0"></v:f><v:f eqn="prod @7 21600 pixelHeight"></v:f><v:f eqn="sum @10 21600 0"></v:f></v:formulas><vath o:connecttype="rect" gradientshapeok="t" o:extrusionok="f"></vath><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o:lock aspectratio="t" v:ext="edit"></o:lock></v:shapetype><v:shape id=_x0000_i1025 style="WIDTH: 18.75pt; HEIGHT: 13.5pt" alt="0" type="#_x0000_t75"><v:imagedata o:href="http://s3.amazonaws.com/advrider/thumb.gif" src="file:///C:\Temp\msohtml1\01\clip_image001.gif"></v:imagedata></v:shape>) to navigate with and will help you have a wonderful time in GATEWAY, CO.

BUT, be very prepared. Take friends with you if you can and don't go with out maps. It is very easy to get lost. BUT you'll find the roads and vistas amazing, I KNOW.

Moab BLM is very anti-OHV and their LEOs (Law Enforcement cop) likes to harass OHVs. Gateway has a (as in ONE) VERY high quality resort, restaurant, outfitter, and store. If primitive camping is your thing you will NOT be disappointed. Give it a shot if you&#8217;re adventurous enough.

Of course the high mesas are snowed out during the winter so maybe Monticello or Naturita areas will be the best new winter riding areas... sure is not like Moab but then again... it's not like Moab.

To hell with Moab.
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where is Gateway?

That's why it's good riding

thanks for the help

South of Grand Junction, and it's beautiful! I've only mtn biked there.

Cloud9, do you know if the trails are shared with mtn bikers? For what it's worth. For what it's worth, as a serious cyclist, 99.9% of mountain bikers are not the problem. I've never minded sharing a trail with dirt bikes, ATV's are a different story!

So I guess this is a "boycott" of Moab, till they remove the LEO problem.
Were they Federal, State, or Local?

Currently all trails are opened to every one. GJ BLM is working on their RMP so that's going to change a little bit. There are guided Mtn bike (MB) tours from Telluride to Gateway and then <?xml:namespace prefix = u1 /><u1:country-region u2:st="on"><u1lace u2:st="on"><?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comffice:smarttags" /><st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1lace w:st="on">Moab (during the summer)</u1lace></u1:country-region></st1lace></st1:country-region>. I've had mixed contact with MB riders. One time the tour guide gave us some self-righteous attitude about how holy he was because he used "peddle power". I wondered if he was using pedal power for his support vehicles? Mostly, everyone's OK. Show respect, get respect. I was an MB&#8217;r for twenty plus years but I tired of so many "me only" hypocrites and moved to motorcycles. I see a lot more terrain, carry my own support, have great rides and don't have to waste time with the &#8220;Holier than Thou&#8221; crowd. But as you say... MOST MB riders want the same as us... a good day&#8217;s ride without hassles.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>
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The area in general does not lend well to MBs mainly because of access, heat during the summer, and distance. Unless you bring or have support (i.e. drive your vehicle up there and camp for support or have your support brought for you) the distances are large and the trails many. Not that some MB riders won't be self contained, but there's very limited water sources, very large distances and a hell of alot of trails. I also think for MOST MB riders this is not the type of terrain or trail system they're looking to ride.<o></o>
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The area lends best to motorcycles but also to some extent ATVs and 4WD. It's MAINLY about exploring and camping. Lots of history to find, it's like an open living museum and needs to stay that way (leave what you see for the next explorer to find). 4WDs other than for camping support are really too slow unless you're up there for a week and like tooling around in a jeep... Then it'd be fun... I think. <o></o>BUT on the other hand there are some kick ass 4X4 trails too... if you know where to find them.

Overall, I think the best way to explore this area is on a motorcycle, the most effective, efficient, lowest motorized impact way to see this country. Whether you primitive camp or use Gateway Resorts (which is excellent choice... maybe do both) there's just too much missed otherwise because of how remote this place is. It just takes too long to get there... and that's the beauty of it.<o></o>

Did you make them? Do they have the road and trail data posted online for download?

The grid on the map appears to be UTM zone 12 North if folks want to use that with their GPS units.

It's not just the Federal BLM LEOs. The Moab BLM Field Office it self promotes this discrimination (though it can't admit it). They have decided to be extremely biased and work to, as said, pro-actively close what ever they can, piece by piece, as quickly as they can from motorized users. They choose instead to support the AANs in the delusional fantasy that they're "saving" the planet. Like the planet, which has been around for 4-5 billion years, NEEDS us to save it&#8230; right.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

Why yes... I did. And thank you for noticing. They were a semi-hurry up project while working for the BLM and are not perfect but are the best maps you can currently get for the Gateway area and are high resolution topos all things considered.

In the Legend of the maps, which have some graphical issue, you'll note that the coordinate system is UTM NAD83 12 North.

As far as downloads you'd have to get with GJ BLM to see what they have currently available, I'm not sure any more.

I'll second what Cloud9 has said... and you can get to Moab from there to...

The resort's convience store is the bomb. Anything you might have forgotten they have. I have primitive camped just above gateway and been able to run into "town" for stuff. The roads were REALLY muddy last spring... its about an hour from GJ on the street. I never did find a way, but I think that is should be possible to get out of gateway headed north and get up to Glade Park somehow????

If the weather sucks they have an awesome auto musuem.

If your S.O. doesn't ride, they can spa it up whilst you explore.

Nucla/Naturita are not my cup of tea, but they do have a few more general stores.

There is now cell service in Gateway courtesy of the resort.

The legend didn't appear for me. I am using Ubuntu and it doesn't recognize the fonts. The topos and trails came out great though.



Moab is the best everyone should go straight there and ride all the famous trails again and again. California is great too, everyone should move there and vacation in Moab and Las Vegas.

Excellent points! And yes you can get to Glade Park via Sheep Creek Road. There is a lot of excellent riding up there too including Granite Creek, Steamboat Mesa, the Dolores River crossing, and others.

...and thanks much for sharing mate!

Hopefully I can get out to do a little riding with you in the new year Cloud9. I doubt I can keep up, now that you have such a "fly" new ride. My poor 'ol DR probably can't keep up with big red iron, and I know that the DR's pilot isn't half as capable...

Cheers and Happy Holidays man!

Great map, thanks!! looks like boat load of trails and old roads. Some of the stuff on the east side of 141 looks to be on the side/top of the uncompahgre plateau, correct? Are any of the trails signed?

I agree on staying clear of Moab, you get bent over on prices during the peak seasons and I've never gotten the feeling of being "welcome" there. If the jeeps and OHVs get run off and stop going to Moab, Moab will suffer. Anyone remember Moab in the late 70s? The town almost ceased to exist. I prefer Green River if I'm crossing the zion curtain, but staying in Colorado is even better.

Good job on helping with the setup of this area and the maps, Cloud9. Surely there is tons of riding around there and I have been salivating over the number of trails in the nearby region for a month or two. I definitely want to make a tour from Montrose down to Naturita, Gateway and then to the east edge of the La Sals and back to Telluride next summer. I am hoping that this area will be relatively rideable in mid to late May??

My riding year is going to be short this year. I just had my shoulder worked on so I'm off the bike till around June. After that so we'll have to get together for sure. I know you and the DR are more than capable. Beside, I just like getting out and exploring.

gee, you're right about on the east side of 141. There are a few connection to get you up to Divide Road and to infininety but the signing is rare on the BLM side, better on the Forest Service side.

Doc, I've been looking at Google Earth for the last couple of weeks thinking about doing a ride involving the VERY same towns. We'll have to get together and do a three day weekend ride like you mentioned

NOW for the good stuff! If one of you has a place where other FFs (inmates) can down load from, I'll send you the Gateway Inventory in a .kmz file which can be dragged and dropped into Google Earth and then every one can have a 3D layout of the routes we GPS'd around Gateway... this is really good stuff!! PM me your email address and I'll send it to you so you can post a link to it for others to down load it from a posting here.

I don't want to have to email this to everyone who might be interested, I don't have that kind of time. So only ask for it if you have place to link to where every one can copy&pasted or download from. (I think c&p will work?) I've already emailed it to a few people and so far no links have shown up. I'm more than happy for everyone to have these routes available for use and to view on google earth, but I don't want to sit in front of the computer emailing it. Thanks.... yffs

I rode from Naturita up to Gateway last August, and had fifty miles of paved twisties all to myself, in a gorgeous river canyon. When I got to Gateway, I turned West, and rode through John Brown Canyon, up and over the Manti-La Sal NF, and down into Moab. Gateway left me longing to go back and explore. I'm glad to hear that there are good trails to ride. I stuck to the main roads on that trip.

Here's a pic of the road through John Brown Canyon, looking East toward Gateway (which sits at the bottom).



Here's another from the other end of the same road, looking West toward Moab:

Have never really seem the big deal wiht moab. It is fun in a 4x4 but no real challenge on a bike. Its like riding on the jeep trails here around denver, get pretty boring. Its great to find out about another riding area and hopefully it is closer than moab. thanks