Boise to Lake Tahoe

[stew71]

Can anyone recommend a fairly decent and enjoyable route from Boise to Lake Tahoe? It's part of my return leg and I'd like to avoid I-80 & 395 as much as possible. My FJR doesn't do dirt very well so I know the options are somewhat limited.

I was considering taking 93 out of Twin Falls and then picking up 50 at Ely and heading west all the way to Silver Springs. From there, take Six Mile Canyon to Virginia City to ride Geiger Grade and Mt. Rose Highway into Incline.

Opinions?

Thanks.

[XLR8]

Can anyone recommend a fairly decent and enjoyable route from Boise to Lake Tahoe? It's part of my return leg and I'd like to avoid I-80 & 395 as much as possible. My FJR doesn't do dirt very well so I know the options are somewhat limited.

I was considering taking 93 out of Twin Falls and then picking up 50 at Ely and heading west all the way to Silver Springs. From there, take Six Mile Canyon to Virginia City to ride Geiger Grade and Mt. Rose Highway into Incline.

Opinions?

Thanks.

There isn't one. Seriously.

[Grumbler]

Your route isn't bad at all although doing 84 to Twin Falls then 93 to Elko isn't an exhilarating ride. You didn't specify the dates, but it gets awfully hawt out in the desert during the summer months.

Although you wish to avoid 395, I'd suggest looking into 84 to Ontario, 20/26 to Vale, 20 to Burns, 395 to Alturas, 299 to Adin, 139 to Susanville, 36 and 147 to 89 which goes through Quincy and Truckee to Lake Tahoe.

[Major 662]

All the routes are gonna make you suffer at some point.  I just did the Jordan Valley to Winnemucca route to make it as short as possible.

[Grumbler]

All the routes are gonna make you suffer at some point.  I just did the Jordan Valley to Winnemucca route to make it as short as possible.

95 btw Marsing and Burns Junction is actually a pretty decent stretch. It blows chunks btw Winnemucca and Burns Junction.

Took me 4-hours flat from Flying J on Federal Way in Boise to the I-80 overpass just before that right turn from 95 down Winnemucca's main drag. That includes fuel stops in Jordan Valley and Orovada.

I sometimes take the rural backroads from Boise to Walters Ferry then 45, 78, and Sommer Camp Rd to 95.

[stew71]

Thanks for ideas, folks. Looks like I'm going to pay the Slab Gods their due in NV for allowing me to ride the PCH to Seattle, SR410 to Yakima and SR-95/55 into the backdoor of Boise.

Thankfully, there are a lot of nice KOA's along my route.  

[Grumbler]

<...> SR410 to Yakima and SR-95/55 into the backdoor of Boise.

Yakima to Lewiston then 95 and 55 to Boise? I'd suggest 129 and 3 from
Clarkston to Enterprise then NF-39 to 86 then 71 to Cambridge. North on
95 to New Meadows then 55 south to Boise.

Another option is US-12 to Kooskia (maybe out to Lowell and back) then
SH-13 to Grangeville (optional loop is 14 and Mt. Idaho Grade Road) and
south on US-95 to SH-55.

At Banks, turn left onto Banks-Lowman Rd to Lowman then SH-21 through
Idaho City to Boise.

[stew71]

Yakima to Lewiston then 95 and 55 to Boise? I'd suggest 129 and 3 from
Clarkston to Enterprise then NF-39 to 86 then 71 to Cambridge. North on
95 to New Meadows then 55 south to Boise.

Is that NF-39 paved the whole way?  I can't seem to find it on Google Maps.

[Grumbler]

Is that NF-39 paved the whole way?  I can't seem to find it on Google Maps.

http://oregonmotorcyclist.com/ridepage.php?page=fr39

NF-39 is a paved road. BTDT. However, a couple of sections were completely
washed away last year due to flooding, and rebuilt with gravel. Heard that
there's potholes as well as asphalt completely removed from a pair of 200'
long sections of the road. Road construction starts in early August to pave
that road. You can call FS HQs in Baker City for a road construction update:
541-523-6391

[stew71]

http://oregonmotorcyclist.com/ridepage.php?page=fr39

NF-39 is a paved road. BTDT. However, a couple of sections were completely
washed away last year due to flooding, and rebuilt with gravel. Heard that
there's potholes as well as asphalt completely removed from a pair of 200'
long sections of the road. Road construction starts in early August to pave
that road. You can call FS HQs in Baker City for a road construction update:
541-523-6391

Excellent intel, my friend. Mucho thanks.  

[Major 662]

95 btw Marsing and Burns Junction is actually a pretty decent stretch. It blows chunks btw Winnemucca and Burns Junction.

Yeah, and there's some great new asphalt as they've done some road construction, but Johnnie Law had the radar gun out where the construction was completed but the 45mph construction zone speed limit signs were still up.

[Grumbler]

Yeah, and there's some great new asphalt as they've done some road construction, but Johnnie Law had the radar gun out where the construction was completed but the 45mph construction zone speed limit signs were still up.

Haven't been on US-95 south of SH-55 for a couple of years. Jordan Valley still down to one gas station (Shell)? The old Chevron as well as the motel behind it were abandoned.

If no road construction, have only seen LEOs near and in Jordan Valley and Rome plus on base of that long downhill east of Burns Junction.

Did you notice whether the Burns Junction cafe and store are still deserted?

Am looking forward to going to the Redwood Coast in mid-June when the weather is usually better than what's usually reported during the traditional dates for the WCRM.
 

[XLR8]

Did you notice whether the Burns Junction cafe and store are still deserted?


 

Oh so that's what that was?