Show me your secrets - TX, NM, AZ, UT, CO

[Tsherman]

I'm itching to get on a longer ride and was hoping y'all might offer up some tips while i'm still planning.

May 2025 - Public

3442.6 mi, +151393 ft. Bike ride in Austin, TX

ridewithgps.com

I'm thinking of leaving Texas around memorial day weekend.

Big goals are canyonlands and Cinnamon Pass. Really hoping someone might have some secretes to add in Utah (where I'm least versed), the rio grande forest of CO, and maybe the Carson forest of NM. I don't want to re-ride the continental divide as I rode the GDMBR this summer, but that was a beautiful route and off pavement would be great.

Any weavings or secrets you have are appreciated. Tell me what inspires you!

 

[SkunkWorks]

Cinnamon Pass would probably be a "No-Go" that early in the season (although you might get lucky?)
Some years those high-passes aren't open until mid-July............

 

[SkunkWorks]

You should ride Hwy-12 in southern Utah (Amazing road)
Also, I'm fond of the Burr-Trail from Boulder to Bullfrog (you can get fuel in Bullfrog). It's mostly paved, but there are a couple sections of easy dirt.

Panguitch to Flint Trail

maps.app.goo.gl

 

[SkunkWorks]

Your route over Elwood Pass in CO (Rio Grande NF) may or may-not be open? I'm not that familiar with that area..........
I see it goes up to 11,500ft, so it might still be snowed-in that early in the season.

A good resource that I have used frequently in the past is Bushducks website.
You can go back through previous years notes on all the passes to see when they opened, and if there is current notes for this season yet.

https://bushducks.com/tripreps/passopen.htm

 

[Tsherman]

Thanks Skunkworks! Great info! UT rting looks great and bush ducks seems like an awesome resource.

I don’t know much about Elwood Pass per say either?!?! I’ve ridden del norte to platoro, and so it looks a lot of the higher peak stuff I’ve already done… perceivably beyond Summitville mine…. But searching YouTube videos of Elwood Pass I’m seeing a lot of water crossings and jeeps doing big splashes so I might need to dive into that further.

I was curious about a backup plan from howardsville to south fork on 520. Maybe that holds some weight if cinnamon doesn’t open up soon enough