40th Birthday Northwest Road Trip - CA -> NV -> ID -> MT -> UT -> NV -> CA (Advice/tips/recommendations appreciated!)

[Callelk]

So we got to the entrance and were greeted by this:

The blm website mentions no road closures for the Boise area, but I don’t want to be foolish about things. Would it be unadvisable to continue?

Yeah, it was 42 this morning so it probably snowed in the high country and they closed it. I to did not see where they posted it was closed on their site. There is closures on specific trails because it is nest season and it is unlawful to disturb wildlife this time of year , but that road is usually open. Sorry to hear that you could not go up it.

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[TopRamenGod]

Yeah, it was 42 this morning so it probably snowed in the high country and they closed it. I to did not see where they posted it was closed on their site. There is closures on specific trails because it is nest season and it is unlawful to disturb wildlife this time of year , but that road is usually open. Sorry to hear that you could not go up it.

Thank you. That makes me feel much better about not taking it. The discrepancy between the website and the sign led me to believe that perhaps someone just didn’t reset the sign. But if it was a matter of potentially disturbing wildlife, then I feel good about my decision.

We ended up cutting over to Opaline Gulch and ended up getting some wheel time and rockhounding in that area.

 

[Callelk]

It’s unfortunate you could not go to Silver city but the Gulch is really nice this time of year. I forgot about that area. I’ve not been there for a while and it looks like you had a nice day. Hope you get a chance to see Shoshone Falls. It should be riproaring this time of year.

 

[Callelk]

I would love to take my dogs up there, but they are hunting dogs. It’s their job to disturb wildlife.

 

[TopRamenGod]

It’s unfortunate you could not go to Silver city but the Gulch is really nice this time of year. I forgot about that area. I’ve not been there for a while and it looks like you had a nice day. Hope you get a chance to see Shoshone Falls. It should be riproaring this time of year.

Just got back from there!

 

[Callelk]

Did you notice Evil Karneval's jump ramp? You can see it from the bridge.

 

[TopRamenGod]

Did you notice Evil Karneval's jump ramp? You can see it from the bridge.

Didn’t know to look for it until after the fact. Haven’t heard that name in a long time!

 

[Callelk]

Didn’t know to look for it until after the fact. Haven’t heard that name in a long time!

Yeah, I go to Twin often for Trap Shoots and because I know its there, I always notice it.

 

[SeptuagenarianSasquatch]

Sounds like a great itinerary. To be honest, I haven't read all the pages of the thread, but I noticed lots of great suggestions. Here's mine:

If southern Utah (Bryce, Zion, St. George, Moab) is not in the offing, consider the Pony Express Historic Byway, which follows the historic route westward. Start with Tooele, head southwest toward Faust where you can pick it up. You'll be on BLM-maintained unpaved road for several hours. There's a pleasant Fish Springs Wildlife Refuge and some mountains you can poke around, wild horses may show up. It's not the most scenic area, but there's a certain desolate beauty I like. Lots of long, unpaved stretches for your Bronco: prepare with gas, water, and food as appropriate. But wide-open dispersed camping! you approach Nevada, you can take a northern jaunt at Callao and Gold Hill then up to Wendover, where you can run on the Salt Flats and visit the remains of the Wendover Airbase where Col Tibbits and others trained for the Hiroshima and Naasaki bomb drops.
Or you can just continue west into Nevada and US-93/ALT and proceed to Great Basin National Park.

Happy treking!

 

[TopRamenGod]

Managed to get out early today on our way to Livingston and made a cut through Yellowstone!

That bird almost claimed Yonder for its own!

 

[TopRamenGod]

Also, one thing they don’t tell you about the Old Faithful area is the shear amount of buffalo poop everywhere…

 

[Callelk]

Managed to get out early today on our way to Livingston and made a cut through Yellowstone!

That bird almost claimed Yonder for its own!

Nice Raven.................

 

[Callelk]

Just got back from there!

Hard to put the falls in perspective until you look at the powerhouse. Its actually quite large.

 

[TopRamenGod]

Thanks to everyone who has stayed up with this thread offering tips and advice, especially @Callelk

Yesterday we cut through Yellowstone on our way to Livingston, so today we are going back take some time actually stopping to enjoy things on the northern end of the park we passed by on our way out.

Tomorrow Is a more free day, and we are thinking:
- Doing some off-road exploration nearby in the first half of the day
- Spending some time in downtown Bozeman (lots of good shops and eateries)

If anyone has any specific recommendations for off-road trails in the area (north of Yellowstone, maybe west of Yellowstone?), I’d really appreciate it. Seems like there’s some good options in Deerlodge National Forrest…

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