dirt roads

[riverguide]

Not sure if this is in the right area but..

I'll be leaving for NC shortly and I am not a big 'driving 80 mph down the highway' type of guy...besides my truck not going 80, I just don't find the need. I am curious if there are any programs or maps, other than a gps, that show dirt roads across the country..I guess Atlas' do but maybe something a little better than that. What I would love to do is when I drive out there, is do maybe half dirt and half concrete. Problem is of course finding the dirt roads to make this possible. To me the drive would be much more fun at 40mph on dirt roads than hauling butt down the freeway. :) Any input would be well appreciated. Thanks.

[goodtimes]

I have never seen or heard of such a resource. I'm not saying that one doesn't exist, but I don't know of one. It would be a truely awesome piece of information to have, and would cut down the planning time on many trips exponentially. If you happen to find one, please let us know!

[BajaTaco]

I am curious if there are any programs or maps, other than a gps, that show dirt roads across the country..I guess Atlas' do but maybe something a little better than that.

Sounds like a great trip! So you will have a laptop with you? What about the Topo! software? The best would probably be Ozi explorer, but that would require a bit of a learning curve - not something for short notice. But with that, you could switch between various scales of USGS topo maps, and also satellite images which often show roads that are not on topos.

[Scott Brady]

There is rumor of a trail system under development from Arkansas to Oregon, with minimum pavement. I will get in touch with my source and provide more information.

[riverguide]

Thanks guys.
Baja, nope no laptop here..unless the parents have a plan up their sleeve which is doubtful. I'll be relying on map only...I have no gps. Remember, you are only lost if you care where you are going!
Thanks Scott!

[BajaTaco]

Ahhh, ok. You said "software" so I assumed you would have a laptop.


I'm not sure what area you will be in, but THIS (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0895871343/qid=1131465159/sr=1-1/ref=sr_1_1/103-4520019-5201400?v=glance&s=books) looks pretty cool for a reference book.

[mountainpete]

Not exactly helping your situation, but in Canada we have a company called Backroads Mapbooks that makes exactly such maps. Has all of the fire roads, trails and regular highways. It's also surprisingly accurate!

Here is a sample map: http://www.backroadmapbooks.com/images/sampleMaps/vol4.jpg

My goal is to one day drive from Calgary to Kelowna on 80% dirt roads 15% secondary roads and 5% highway. Might get to try it next summer :elkgrin:

[dmc]

Unfortunately you're going the wrong direction. The further east you get the less public land and public dirt roads. I'm not saying it's impossible but far more difficult to travel that way.

Out west we have plenty of public land and dirt roads. I've traveled the width of Utah on a 98% dirt route. I've done most of Utah top to bottom on dirt and hopefully this Thanksgiving I'll get the whole thing done. After that it's SLC to Cali on dirt etc. The intermountain/southwest folk are very lucky to have plenty of public land to utilize in lieu of the interstate. A few years a go a couple in an TJ went Canada to Mexico via dirt for NG Backcountry Magazine.

Unfortunately I think your only and best solution is to get an atlas for each state you intend to travel and build a route from there.

atlas (http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/0929591747/qid=1131471640/sr=8-1/ref=pd_bbs_1/103-0611827-3979831?v=glance&s=books&n=507846)

I have that book for Utah, AZ, and Nevada. Very thorough and detailed.
dmc

[mountainpete]

A few years a go a couple in an TJ went Canada to Mexico via dirt for NG Backcountry Magazine.

Really? I would love to hear more about the route! Do you still have a map of the trip?

Thanks,

Pete

[Hltoppr]

The Canada/Mexico trip was written up in National Geographic Adventure mag maybe a year ago....I'll see if I can find the issue in my piles of stuff.

As for an off road trail, while this one is set up for motos, most, IIRC of the way is on dirt roads and double track.

www.transamtrail.com

-H-

[Scott Brady]

H,

That is the route! Nice find on the website. I was going to research that more in the next few months.

[mountainpete]

That's a great site! Thanks for the link!

[riverguide]

ok that transamtrail.com site is sweet. I'm tempted to order Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi and Tennessee. I can't believe Oklahoma has 750 miles of dirt roads, second to Colorado with 775. I'm now just finding this out...agh! You don't think it would be rude to order this for my truck drive do you? This is so excellent. Thank you. :hehe:

EDIT** I now realize that Oklahoma and Colorado both have more than listed, thats just for the trails he goes by. :ylsmoke:

[+ d]

the delorme atlas and gazetteers (http://www.delorme.com/atlasgaz/) are a good way to start. obviously they don't give as much info/insight as a trail guide book, but i find they compliment the more specialized books well. if you are looking for some instant gratuity i bet there is one sitting on the shelves of your local borders/barnesandnoble

[Wanderlusty]

Since it (Trans America Trail) was mapped by and designed for dirt bikes, I wonder if some of the spots may not be friendly for four wheeled vehicles, either by size of trails or by temperment of owners, as some of the trail does cross private lands.

It is still an AWESOME concept. . . and glad to see it comes right through Arkansas!

Maybe we could order up some of these and do an expediton? The whole route would obviously take quite some time, but maybe in sections?

How totally awesome!

[riverguide]

fat man that is cool isnt it? Taken from his site:

"This journey across America is NOT a single-track tight woods ride. It is a route using dirt roads, gravel roads, jeep roads, forest roads and farm roads. Dropping down into dried-up creek beds. Riding atop abandoned railroad grades. There are sections of mud, sand, snow and rocks. It's all of the above, but it's for the Dual-Sport Rider."

That makes me much more comfortable however makes me want to have a winch if I ventured off into it on my own. I'd hate to be out in the middle of no mans land for days...or longer. It sure sounds like a lot of fun. If I can get a few things done between now and whenever I leave...*dad not disagreeing*, I'm gonna purchase some maps and do it to it. We shall see! You should join, though it'd only be from arkansas to tennessee.

[Dmarchand]

Has anyone been in contact with someone who has completed this trip via 4x4? I'd love to get more information on this route. In talking to the original fellow who mapped it, he stated that 98% could be covered by a 4x4 vehicle. I'm sure the route changes as time goes by though.

[isaac]

Resurrecting an old thread, five years later...

Has anyone driven this transamerican trail in a 4WD? Any details on the potentially-only-for-bikes bits?

- Isaac

[ken202929]

I am told that 80% (or more) of the Trans America Trail can be driven in an ordinary passenger car since most of the route is dirt roads. Once you get into Utah and Nevada, you will encounter a lot of bike only sections. Seems like you could bring a map and route yourself around those areas.

[goodtimes]

Very little of the TAT is single track - the vast majority is able to be driven with a high clearance 4x4. The catch is this: when you hit those sections of single track - it isn't a simple "continue down the road another mile, then parallel the single track, and rejoin the trail on the other side". It is going to involve some significant route-finding. If you attempt it, be prepared with either decent maps or a large screen GPS. Some of the route-finding that we had to do (particularly in Oregon) was difficult to do on a small screen (276c) because we couldn't get the 'big picture'. Oregon is constantly changing (even for those on motorcycles) as the logging companies open and close roads.

[PakRatt]

The Canada/Mexico trip was written up in National Geographic Adventure mag maybe a year ago....I'll see if I can find the issue in my piles of stuff.

As for an off road trail, while this one is set up for motos, most, IIRC of the way is on dirt roads and double track.

www.transamtrail.com

-H-

In 2004/2005 there was an article in NG adventure as well....done in a yellow rubicon....was the final straw that influenced us up an moving from texas to idaho in 2005