Utah Backcountry Discovery Route (UTBDR)

[Maddaddy]

Here is an interactive user map for the UTBDR.
Just like the WABDR Interactive map it is intended for riders to share information.

How to contribute:
1. Must have a Google account
2. click on this LINK
3. click "save to my places" on the upper left
4. click on edit to add or change data.

Need help? Click on the " interactive tutorial" link in Google Maps

Guidelines:
Be descriptive
Add the date of your post
Use appropriate icons (custom icons are 32x32 pixels)

example: FS 23 Blocked by Snow field 3' deep x 60'
(6/23/11) posted by Maddaddy

Don't delete post unless you confirm the change.

Note: Some post will expire with time.

Data is updated to the display map within 24 hrs. (post are not immediate).

[RickyBobby007]

Great work Greg! Thanks for doing this for both the BDRs. Hope to see you in June in Leavenworth.

[byways]

Great contribution! It's early yet, but in a couple of weeks I hope to check out a portion of the route that will be new to me. Shall report.

[moto-treks]

[dvwalker]

Thanks MadDaddy, will be following this thread

BackCountryCruizer and I will be taking a one-way trailer ride down from Portland to the southern start in Sept then riding back home the 2000mi route via UTBDR, Martin's T2 and a custom OR route we road a couple years ago. BackCountryCruizer will be riding his battle tested 690r, and I'm trying to decide whether or not to attempt this on my new untested ktm 350exc or ultra reliable and bullet proof wr250r???

[BackCountryCruizer]

I'm in and following the thread!
Hope to have some good info on side trips, what to watch for and what to bypass when we hit the UTBDR in September.

[pdxmarcus]

Hey UT ADVers:

I'd like to use parts of the southern UTBDR for a DS loop late this May. Specifically I'm looking at Medicine Hat to Green River. I imagine the La Sal leg will probably be out due to snow/elevation. What other sections might be out in early season?

Can any of you locals or UT experienced DSers recommend some worthy bypasses? We're on a KTM 950(lightly loaded) and a KLR 650

I'm thinking:
UTBDR to Moab(minus LaSal)
White Rim Loop
UTBDR to Green River
2-day loop of San Rafael Swell to Hanksville

[Easy-Z]

I'm not a local, but from what I've heard Utah in general didn't get much snow this year.

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=149&sid=134181

I think this trip would be amazing in late September. I can't do it this year, but maybe next.

[byways]

PDXMarcus:

I just spent a week based in Green River, taking day rides in the San Rafael Swell and portions of the UTBDR. In May, I would not expect to ride the Abajo Mtns, La Sals, or really anything above, say, 8,000 feet. In May, I would be confident in predicting some snow and much mud in the Abajo Mtns. especially. Which leaves a lot to ride! The San Rafael Swell and Book Cliffs certainly are clear.

Here is what I found at 8400 ft north of I-70 and just west of the UT/Colo line:



Very very soft, mucky mud. Below that, however, conditions were very good on the south-facing slopes, but muddy on north-facing slopes.

But here is what I found on the Book Cliffs segment of the UTBDR north of I-70 and just east of Green River (I apologize for the size ...):



Here is a segment of the UTBDR/Kokopelli's Trail (brace for sand):



Here is a spur off Reds Canyon Loop, which I recommend, in the San Rafael Swell (again, apologies for the oversized image):



September would indeed be good, but that is still monsoon season.

[SimpleSimon]

That is really beautiful country.

[pdxmarcus]

Originally Posted by byways

PDXMarcus:

I just spent a week based in Green River, taking day rides in the San Rafael Swell and portions of the UTBDR. In May, I would not expect to ride the Abajo Mtns, La Sals, or really anything above, say, 8,000 feet. In May, I would be confident in predicting some snow and much mud in the Abajo Mtns. especially. Which leaves a lot to ride! The San Rafael Swell and Book Cliffs certainly are clear.

Thanks byways(Tony) for the very detailed conditions report. That goes a long way towards helping us choose a route!

[Dances_With_Trees]

What's the latest anyone's attempted to ride the entire length of the UTBDR? I'm considering October, just haven't decided on early of later in the month. Thank you in advance.

[westcoasttrekker]

This ones on my bucket list.

[BackCountryCruizer]

Dale (WR250R) and I (KTM 690 R) just returned home last night from a 2300 mile 11 day ride starting at Mexican Hat and following the route north. Once we hit Pocatello Idaho we turned west to home. What an awesome ride. I put together a video of the first half of the first day this morning. I have another 9 or 10 hours of video to edit but will be posting as time allows. Did I mention what an awesome ride this was?

[dvwalker]

And big thanks to the Touratech and BDR team for the time, money and energy required to put this excellent route together. BackCountryCruize (Tom) and I have ridden all the BDR tracks (including unofficial OR) and this one by far exceeded our expectations. Looking forward to the next installment in a different state.

We found route had just the right mix of road/trail conditions (primitive, semi-improved, improved), which on an extended multi-day ride provides aging bodies an excellent workout but also bits of time to recover.

Note, as of 2012-9-17 construction has closed a portion of Lasal Mtn Loop approx 20mi east of Moab. The road crew is installing a new culvert so do not believe this will be an extended closure. There's a spur road workaround to the west but the last climb out may be more difficult for bigger bikes.

closed between these two waypoints:
N38.54631 W109.29118
N38.57736 W109.29222

map of the construction workaround (green planned route, red actual):