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seeligdan
Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2011
Posts: 74
Location: central france
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 Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2016 12:30 pm Post subject: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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Hello,
Don't know if I'm posting in the right place but here it is. I'm coming with my 67' S042 from Holland to do the Airhead parts Treffen down the West Coast. After that's done, I want to head out to the desert and do some serious driving.. I'll hit Zion/Joshua tree/Bryce/Monument Valley/Bonneville but I'm looking for ideas for those amazing drives on dirt roads that you see in all the magazines. Have no idea where those are specifically.. Anybody with routes/ideas/highway #s, that would be great. I've got lots of time so I can cover lots of ground.
Driving tips when it's 110 degrees would be handy as well. 1600 DP totally stock/ recently serviced/all seals checked and in place. |
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Red Fau Veh
Samba Member
Joined: September 07, 2012
Posts: 3037
Location: Prescott Az.
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2016 12:41 pm Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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See the Grand Canyon and drive route 66. 
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seeligdan
Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2011
Posts: 74
Location: central france
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2016 1:27 pm Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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| Thanks for that. I hiked to the bottom and back up of the canyon on New years day 2003. Man that was cold. Would like to see it again. Route 66 sounds interesting but is it not really touristy? |
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Braukuche
Samba Member
Joined: September 03, 2004
Posts: 10998
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2016 1:53 pm Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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Canyonlands has some incredible dirt roads that you can do in a bus. You access it from north of Moab off of Potash.
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silkvw
Samba Member
Joined: July 06, 2008
Posts: 453
Location: Elgin, TX
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2016 7:57 pm Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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If you work your way south, Big Bend State Park in Texas is beautiful, and has high clearance 4 wheel drive roads if you need a challenge.
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EmpiGT
Samba Member
Joined: January 27, 2005
Posts: 2597
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2016 8:03 pm Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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| I can show you some really scenic dirt roads in Arkansas, but problem with dirt roads is you will spend a day driving them and really not go far on your route. |
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joe cool
Samba Member
Joined: August 20, 2006
Posts: 1259
Location: Yolo County CA
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2016 11:31 pm Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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Flint Trail, Maze District, Canyonlands NP
Read the beginning of Edward Abbey's Desert Solitaire for more |
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williamM
Samba Member
Joined: August 07, 2008
Posts: 4333
Location: southwest Arizona
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| Posted: Mon Jun 27, 2016 11:38 pm Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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If you want to test your driving skills- follow the train tracks from 40 to 62 in AZ- sugar sand road and rattle snakes big dried salt lake --
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seeligdan
Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2011
Posts: 74
Location: central france
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2016 12:18 am Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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Awesome stuff. Canyon lands Shafer trail looks really good. Not sure how much serious off roading I can do as I am doing this on my own and my big knob mud tires are still here in Holland. Rolling on a set of new Hankook Ra018s.
If anybody wants to meet up somewhere and drive around, I'd certainly be up for that. Middle of August. |
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seeligdan
Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2011
Posts: 74
Location: central france
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2016 12:22 am Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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| joe cool wrote: |
Flint Trail, Maze District, Canyonlands NP
Read the beginning of Edward Abbey's Desert Solitaire for more |
I read that the Flint trail is only for 4 wheel drive vehicles. Done some heavy mud driving in the forests of Belgium but this might be a whole other animal. |
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AS350driver
Samba Member
Joined: April 17, 2016
Posts: 1340
Location: Tucson
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2016 2:04 am Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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The Bradshaw Trail is doable in a bus, is in California relatively close to where you're cruising, and will give you a good feel for the stark, lonely, remote, so ugly it is beautiful Southwest desert. If that's what you're looking for, then this is the real deal.
It is NOT touristy, especially in July and August. Please please be prepared for the desert if you decide on it, though. In late July and August you're looking at 90F at night and 110-117 in the heat of the day, and little to no water available along the way. On the upside, there might be an average of 1 to 2 vehicles a day passing by if you break down, and I-10 would be a night's walk for a healthy fit person with plenty of water. Walking out would be an extreme move, though, and is not recommended.
Make no mistake, it is dangerous territory if you're not prepared and don't use some common sense.
The good things about it are, it is 70 miles of graded dirt road, with only a few sandy spots that should present no problem for a split bus with heavy duty tires. You can go as slow as you want or make 30-40 mph along some sections. You can control how much or little time you want to spend. Also, there is little chance of getting lost as it is a big, identifiable road and well marked with signs and information stands.
Basically, it goes from Blythe, California on the Colorado river/Arizona state line, and runs to almost the coast at Oceanside, California. Originally in the 1870's or so, it went from La Paz, Arizona, the capital at the time, to Oceanside north of San Diego.
http://www.desertusa.com/desert-trails/bradshaw-trail.html
http://www.blm.gov/ca/st/en/fo/palmsprings/bradshaw.html |
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Viking Funeral
Samba Member
Joined: January 01, 2007
Posts: 60
Location: Under the bus at the moment
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2016 2:22 am Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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| joe cool wrote: |
Flint Trail, Maze District, Canyonlands NP
Read the beginning of Edward Abbey's Desert Solitaire for more |
Joe Cool:
I've always wondered about the wisdom of driving my '60 panel camper to The Maze & from your photo it looks like that terrain might just be a little too hairy for the 56 year-old bus that I've devoted 30 years of my life to. (It's what I did instead of raising a family.) Nonetheless, I would still like to hear some more details about that trip & how your suspension held up.
Seeligdan:
Southern Utah really is the best place for what you're describing. Absolutely everything south of I-70 in Utah is spectacular. In fact, even the scenery you'll be able to see from your car on I-70, which is a 4-lane divided highway, is spectacular -- even when you're driving through it at high speed. (For the 106 mile stretch with no services of any kind on I-70 between Salina & Green River, Utah I would strongly recommend The Doors. And your bus will gain an extra 4 mph, GPS verified.)
But before you get too far into Utah -- Consider visiting the NORTH Rim of the Grand Canyon this trip. It's a whole lot less crowded than the South Rim & is relatively close to your other destinations.
Also, on your way from the west coast stop in Las Vegas for 2 nights, I mean unless you're a gambler. The people-watching opportunities in Vegas are by far the best in America.
It sounds like you're already planning to start at Zion & Bryce in the Southwest corner of Utah, so just continue from there & work your way east to Moab. Ninety percent of that route is through public land, administered by the Bureau of Land Management, so "dispersed camping" is free virtually everywhere except at the National Parks, where you should plan to make camping reservations as far in advance as possible.
When you do eventually get to Moab, (where you'll discover that 20% of the people eating in the restaurants are also from Europe) go to Arches NP first. You won't want to camp there because the campsites are just horrible concrete slabs (as they are in The Needles section of Canyonlands too), but plan to spend at least 6 hours wandering around. Your goal is to be at the very north end of Arches NP 45 minutes before sundown so you can begin your slow 15-20 mph cruise to the south exit while the sun is setting. That way you'll get to drive through the light streaming sideways from your right as it hits all the red rock formations & continuously changes all the colors in the rock as the light changes. It's incredible. Choose your music ahead of time.
Next day take a drive out to the elevated Dead Horse Point State Park for a quick peek over the edge into the distance before going a few more miles to the Island In The Sky section of Canyonlands NP. Look over the edge again & then, if you don't mind ragged unpaved roads & dramatic heights & sheer drop-offs, take the amazing drive down the Shafer Trail switchbacks from the top to eventually get back to Moab for dinner.
Park Rangers will definitely discourage you if you ask them if it's a good idea for you to drive the Shafer Trail in your 50-year old VW bus, so don't ask. But don't drive it if your brakes aren't absolutely perfect or if it has rained that day or is going to rain & don't take any turns off the main trail into any sandy areas, although there are several of those that look very interesting. Oh yeah--And Thelma & Louise drove off the edge right there at The Gooseneck.
Preview that trip on YouTube & see what you think-->
The speeded up version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGpaILHYK-A
Normal speed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eqQvRShYQY
This is my camper on the Shafer Trail in 1997. That drive was the highlight of that whole trip, which was 4,000+ miles long.
You seem to already understand that it's going to be very hot where you plan to go but I would still suggest not going farther south than your Monument Valley destination. Spring & Fall are infinitely more pleasant seasons to take the trip you're planning, but everything is already in motion, so.... Be prepared to seek refuge in a motel or at least to drive a few hours to a National Forest at a higher elevation whenever you can't deal with the heat for another minute. Think about going over to Colorado for cooler temps too. It's only just next door from John Ford Country. |
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seeligdan
Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2011
Posts: 74
Location: central france
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2016 2:25 am Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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AS350,
That looks great. Still a bit concerned about doing something that extreme alone. I understand this a serious trip and if something happens, there would be no one to bail me out. Perhaps I should save that one for another time unless you know of some other folks who are doing it at the same time. |
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AS350driver
Samba Member
Joined: April 17, 2016
Posts: 1340
Location: Tucson
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2016 3:46 am Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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| seeligdan wrote: |
AS350,
That looks great. Still a bit concerned about doing something that extreme alone. I understand this a serious trip and if something happens, there would be no one to bail me out. Perhaps I should save that one for another time unless you know of some other folks who are doing it at the same time. |
If you have a CB radio or satellite phone/emergency locator you'd be fine. |
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seeligdan
Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2011
Posts: 74
Location: central france
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2016 4:26 am Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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| CB sounds like a good plan. I've got one here but it is probably only for European use. I'll pick one up in Seattle before the Treffen starts. |
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seeligdan
Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2011
Posts: 74
Location: central france
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2016 4:36 am Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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AS350,
It does sound really good. How long would it take to do ( on Average)? 70 miles of graded road sounds like 2 days easy going with lots of stops. Correct me if I'm wrong. |
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seeligdan
Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2011
Posts: 74
Location: central france
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2016 4:40 am Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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| Viking Funeral wrote: |
| joe cool wrote: |
Flint Trail, Maze District, Canyonlands NP
Read the beginning of Edward Abbey's Desert Solitaire for more |
Joe Cool:
I've always wondered about the wisdom of driving my '60 panel camper to The Maze & from your photo it looks like that terrain might just be a little too hairy for the 56 year-old bus that I've devoted 30 years of my life to. (It's what I did instead of raising a family.) Nonetheless, I would still like to hear some more details about that trip & how your suspension held up.
Seeligdan:
Southern Utah really is the best place for what you're describing. Absolutely everything south of I-70 in Utah is spectacular. In fact, even the scenery you'll be able to see from your car on I-70, which is a 4-lane divided highway, is spectacular -- even when you're driving through it at high speed. (For the 106 mile stretch with no services of any kind on I-70 between Salina & Green River, Utah I would strongly recommend The Doors. And your bus will gain an extra 4 mph, GPS verified.)
But before you get too far into Utah -- Consider visiting the NORTH Rim of the Grand Canyon this trip. It's a whole lot less crowded than the South Rim & is relatively close to your other destinations.
Also, on your way from the west coast stop in Las Vegas for 2 nights, I mean unless you're a gambler. The people-watching opportunities in Vegas are by far the best in America.
It sounds like you're already planning to start at Zion & Bryce in the Southwest corner of Utah, so just continue from there & work your way east to Moab. Ninety percent of that route is through public land, administered by the Bureau of Land Management, so "dispersed camping" is free virtually everywhere except at the National Parks, where you should plan to make camping reservations as far in advance as possible.
When you do eventually get to Moab, (where you'll discover that 20% of the people eating in the restaurants are also from Europe) go to Arches NP first. You won't want to camp there because the campsites are just horrible concrete slabs (as they are in The Needles section of Canyonlands too), but plan to spend at least 6 hours wandering around. Your goal is to be at the very north end of Arches NP 45 minutes before sundown so you can begin your slow 15-20 mph cruise to the south exit while the sun is setting. That way you'll get to drive through the light streaming sideways from your right as it hits all the red rock formations & continuously changes all the colors in the rock as the light changes. It's incredible. Choose your music ahead of time.
Next day take a drive out to the elevated Dead Horse Point State Park for a quick peek over the edge into the distance before going a few more miles to the Island In The Sky section of Canyonlands NP. Look over the edge again & then, if you don't mind ragged unpaved roads & dramatic heights & sheer drop-offs, take the amazing drive down the Shafer Trail switchbacks from the top to eventually get back to Moab for dinner.
Park Rangers will definitely discourage you if you ask them if it's a good idea for you to drive the Shafer Trail in your 50-year old VW bus, so don't ask. But don't drive it if your brakes aren't absolutely perfect or if it has rained that day or is going to rain & don't take any turns off the main trail into any sandy areas, although there are several of those that look very interesting. Oh yeah--And Thelma & Louise drove off the edge right there at The Gooseneck.
Preview that trip on YouTube & see what you think-->
The speeded up version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qGpaILHYK-A
Normal speed: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eqQvRShYQY
This is my camper on the Shafer Trail in 1997. That drive was the highlight of that whole trip, which was 4,000+ miles long.
You seem to already understand that it's going to be very hot where you plan to go but I would still suggest not going farther south than your Monument Valley destination. Spring & Fall are infinitely more pleasant seasons to take the trip you're planning, but everything is already in motion, so.... Be prepared to seek refuge in a motel or at least to drive a few hours to a National Forest at a higher elevation whenever you can't deal with the heat for another minute. Think about going over to Colorado for cooler temps too. It's only just next door from John Ford Country. |
All sounds excellent. Just to clear up 1 point. Although I live in Holland, I'm actually from San Francisco and my father who was really into the Southwest after his time at the New Mexico Military Institute in Roswell back in the early 30s', use to take the family to the Furnace creek Lodge in Death Valley every spring so I understand what it can be like out there. Not that I underestimate it at all.
Last edited by seeligdan on Tue Jun 28, 2016 9:02 am; edited 1 time in total |
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borninabus
Samba R&D Dept.
Joined: May 18, 2006
Posts: 4536
Location: Arizona Highways
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2016 8:53 am Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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don't miss out on the Mokee Dugway in southeastern Utah.
SR 261, near Mexican Hat 
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seeligdan
Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2011
Posts: 74
Location: central france
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2016 9:06 am Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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| borninabus wrote: |
don't miss out on the Mokee Dugway in southeastern Utah.
SR 261, near Mexican Hat |
That looks awesome. I've got a Western states taped to the wall with post its. Hadded added that one to the list. |
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seeligdan
Samba Member
Joined: December 01, 2011
Posts: 74
Location: central france
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| Posted: Tue Jun 28, 2016 9:24 am Post subject: Re: Best drives in the Southwest in a bus |
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| seeligdan wrote: |
| borninabus wrote: |
don't miss out on the Mokee Dugway in southeastern Utah.
SR 261, near Mexican Hat |
That looks awesome. I've got a Western states taped to the wall with post its. Hadded added that one to the list. |
For Mokee is it best to drive up or down? I've got excellent condition stock brakes but still.... I'll be heading North so I think that's uphill. |
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