dirt roads

[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

 

[BLand Cruiser]

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.

 

[Adventure IQ]

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