If you can imagine . . we drove UP the Burr Train Switchbacks, so we had to stay to the right of the road (on the shelf drop off side) and I was in the passenger seat. So I had the best (terrifying) view (my husband and driver could not look at the view at all but only on the road!). And then . . a big rig (quarry truck) started coming DOWN the switchback toward us! SO, my husband had to hug the right side and hence my "view" was the precipitous drop off. I have never been so terrified in my life! I could not believe our luck that a truck would come down at the same time. It is one of the most scenic and spectacular but terrifying drives we have taken in our many overland adventures.
Thanks for the wonderful retelling of your experience and yes that had to be a terrifying. I do most of the driving and I too keep my eyes on the road when at places like the Burr Trail. One more thing...Sorry, for not replying sooner. I did "Like" your comment but some how I forgot to thank you...Sorry
We are coming to this area in about a month from ( a very flat part of ) eastern Canada and have zero experience with driving roads like this. We will be renting a 4wd Wrangler and most likely approaching Burr from Boulder. I have driven Mount Washington several times where there are a few shelf roads, but I don’t think anything approaching the Burr switchbacks ! I will decide whether I have courage to climb once I get there. All said, it seems you recommend tire deflation once transitioning to gravel. Have I got that correct? Many Thanks !
@royfox2089...If you are coming from Boulder, UT you will be going down the Burr Trail Switchbacks. You will encounter the Burr Trail Road off Utah Highway 12. The turn-off is right next to the “Hell’s Backbone Kitchen”. If it fits in with your schedule, a meal there will be worth it. They also have a bakery where you can pick up some treats. Heading East down the Burr Trail Road you will see some beautiful scenery and it only gets better the closer you get to the switchbacks. Along the way make sure you stop at “Singing Canyon”. It is a very, very short hike into the canyon, and it is an impressive little canyon. The acoustics in the canyon are very interesting so if you play an instrument or someone in your party has a wonderful singing voice you can have some fun in “Singing Canyon”. Also, there is a stretch of the highway that contains the “Long Canyon”. It is a very picturesque canyon.There will be a few minor switchbacks just before you drop into Long Canyon. Also, along the road there is the Wolverine Loop and the Muley Twist Canyon. The Wolverine Loop is approximately 27 miles, and you will see the West entrance first coming from Boulder. About 6 miles in there will be a gigantic cottonwood tree in a dry wash that is our favorite spot to stop and take a break. Also, there is the Wolverine Petrified Forest along the route not too far down the road. The road can be a little rough past the petrified forest in spots but having a jeep you won’t have a problem. The “Loop” will eventually put you back on the Burr Trail Road. Still heading East, you will enter the Capitol Reef National Park where the road turns to dirt. It is a very good dirt road all the way through the switchbacks. When you come to the bottom, and you exit the switchbacks is where the road gets “Washbordie” (My least favorite type of road!). Being you have a rental Jeep you probably won’t be able to air down/air up but if you can this is where I would recommend it. In a short distance you will come to a tee where you can go North and head up the Notam-Bullfrog Road or go South to the town of Bullfrog. We have never gone South as we always get a Vrbo rental near the town of Torrey at the intersection of Utah Hwy 12 & 24. Another point of interest, as I mentioned earlier, is just before you get to the Switchbacks is the Muley Twist Trail/Road. It will be on your left. It is a short drive back to a trailhead for a short hike to the “Strike Valley Overlook”. There you will see an amazing view of the “Waterpocket Fold” (The Notom-Bullfrog Road is in the Waterpocket Fold). If you do go left at the tee, the next 10-12 miles of the Notom-Bullfrog Road will be washbordie until you hit payment again and eventually you will get to Utah Hwy 12. Going left you will head to the main entrance to Capitol Reef National Park. Going right you will head towards Hanksville. If you do go to Hanksville, stop at Stan’s Burger Shack. Kind of an “Old School” burger place. Well, I have rambled on enough but one more thing…We have videos of all the places I mentioned here on our channel. The Burr Trail Road (Not the recent one you just watched) was one of the first videos I produced, and the video is from a cheap dashcam so the picture quality is not the greatest, but it does give you an idea what the road is like. @royfox…Thanks for commenting and viewing our channel. It is sincerely appreciated! Be safe and have fun out there!
Awesome video. Been on that road, hope I can visit again. One minor correction though: washboards are not caused by 2WD vehicles, it would happen even if there was no engine at all and you simply dragged a wheel over sand. Also keep in mind, that 4WD Jeep (i.e. part-time 4WD) actually slips wheels in tight turns more than 2WD would do, 2WD is not 1WD vehicle, both wheels do work if road conditions are similar on both sides. Just like Jeep is not a 2WD vehicle (or 3WD with a locking rear diff, but you shouldn't use it in tight turns anyway). It's always a controversy, I wish I had 2WD low range on descend to avoid slipping and transmission binding, it would have worked better. Or 4WD with a central diff which is an extinct breed nowadays.
Thanks for the wonderful comment and viewing our channel. It is sincerely appreciated! As far as the 2WD vs 4WD I understand what you are saying but which causes the wash-boarding I still maintain that 2WD causes more damage. 4WD, if driven properly, for the conditions, will roll across the terrain rather than spin. Of course there will be some spinning around tight turns on both 2WD & 4WD. Anyway, thanks again for commenting and viewing our channel!
@@cactushill RU-vid doesn't normally allow links in the comments, but you can google "Washboard Road École nicolas.taberlet" for the article. Also when you drive on a sandy road in 2WD mode you don't spin wheels, maybe occasionally when you are starting (just like with 4WD), but not everywhere, yet you have ripples over long stretches where nobody stops. Also there will be no wheel slippage in 2WD in tight turns unless you lose traction, 2WD has a differential, while a part-time 4WD doesn't have one between axles, so it will slip all the time no matter what you do.
Thanks for another great and informative vid. We had forgotten about that trail. Had planned on doing it the last time we were in Escalante but didn't make it. We are planning a southern Utah tip next year and will add this in. Thinking of doing the Overland Expo in May so maybe do it early vs fall?
Thanks again for another wonderful comment and viewing our channel. It is sincerely appreciated. If you guys do the "Switchbacks" in May let us know how the conditions are on the Notam-Bullfrog Road going North to Hwy 24 and/or the Burr Trail going South to Bullfrog. As I mentioned in the video, the Notom Road is very "Washbordie" going North. We have only been on it in the Fall so we think it's this way because of all the traffic over it during the spring and summer. The Fall, as you saw in the video, does have some nice colors in this general area especially around Boulder and North to Torrey over Boulder Mountain on Hwy 12. Anyway, you can't go wrong...Either time of the year you will have a great trip!
This video looks like a drive through a Mayberry country lane. Drove the Burr Switchbacks 30 years ago. 4 wheel LOW, picking your way from rock to rock. Had to back up a couple of times on each switchback. From the drill marks in the rock wall it looked like they had just blasted and let the rocks fall. Then they drove a bulldozer over once to knock them down flat. NOT A SMOOTH ROAD !
Great video, it's on my list to do! What camera are you using to record the video? I can see the shadow of an antenna flopping around, what are you using for comms? Have you done the Shaffer Trail in Canyonlands NP? If so, how does it compare?
Thanks for the wonderful comment! The camera is a GoPro9. However, I have switched to a DJI Osmo Action 4 since I took this video. The antenna you see is what we use for a standard CB radio. We haven't done the Shaffer Trail trail yet. We have viewed it but I would think it is very similar to the Burr Trail Switchbacks.Well, thanks again for commenting and viewing our channel. It is sincerely appreciated!
@@cactushill Have you got GoPro mounted outside on windshield, maybe using suction cup mount ? We are headed for this area in about a month and would love to capture some driving vids. Your quality is fantastic
@@royfox2089 I just replied to you other comment so thanks again for your wonderful comment here. To answer you question about the camera mount, it is a "Bumper" mount very similar to bike handle bar mount but much larger to fit on the 2" round steel portion of our bumper. You take a risk of damaging the camera at such a low mounted position but I can't stand videos where the bottom third of the video is the hood of the car. I also like to get some of the ambient noise of the road, the engine, etc. to give the viewer a sense of riding along with us. In this video I used a GoPro9 and since then I have added a DJI Osmo Action 4. We will be in the same area probably around the same time you guys will be there as we head out towards the end of September. Maybe see you out there!
@@royfox2089 Thanks for the great comment! I took a look at your channel and sorry to hear about the loss of your friend Gord Kirchin. I watched the video "Soon I'm Gone". I grew up on "Heavy Metal" rock 'n roll and enjoyed the song and the video. He was a very talented musician. Take care and all the best in your travels.
Stop calling those side roads “trails”. A trail is something you walk on, not drive on. Those “obligatory” signs say stay on the roads. ORV driving off roads ruin the land for wildlife, soils and archeological sites in just one pass. Ruined soils where cryptobiotic soils grow take years to recover after cows and vehicles pass even just one time. If you love the desert, respect it. The more damage you cause, the more pressure there is to ban vehicles altogether. This is public land, belongs to all of us, not just the boys with the biggest vehicles.
Thanks for commenting, Don. Sounds like you have been swinging at a lot of windmills lately. To get upset because I call a road a trail seems very petty. There are a lot of roads that have the designation of a trail. We always respect the wilderness and stay on designated roads/trails…Always!!! I agree with you that some off-road vehicles do not respect the wilderness and cause damage that can take years to recover. I am a member of several organizations that fight to keep access open to all forms of transportation on our public lands and espouse responsible use of those lands. Are you? Well, thanks for commenting and viewing our channel. It is much appreciated.
@@cactushill am I? I’m president of a group in Oregon and spend lots of time working to protect the land. I’m disabled and can’t/ won’t go off hiking trails any more. I hope you talk to your buddies about respecting, protecting the land.
@@quixote5844 You should check out the "Blue Ribbon Coalition" at www.sharetrails.org/ They advocate for all users of our public lands. Their main issue is to keep trails open for those who have disabilities and can only access the outdoor roads and trails by using motorized vehicles. It would seem we are more alike than different on our views about enjoying the wilderness. I am a "Senior" who was born when Harry Truman was President. So far I am able to still get out there and hike and enjoy our off-road adventures but I know "Father Time" has a different plan. All the best to you and enjoy the beautiful scenery of Oregon,
@@cactushill i hiked all over the west. Now I can’t. So be it. Blue Ribbon doesn’t really care about the disabled. Stop using disabled as an excuse. That’s exploitive. Does Blue Ribbon tell the ORV public to stay out of protected Wilderness? Do they confront violators and kick them out? Do they report violators to BLM or the Sheriff? I really doubt it.Too many entitled macho ORV drivers ignore Wilderness boundaries. Jeep and other ORV interests fight Wilderness legislation to make the big bucks. They only care about you when they want you to buy their products. Subaru even calls their latest rig “the Wilderness”! Taking you wherever you want to go. Your map websites call roads trails. A trail is for hiking, not driving. No wonder hikers hate you.