Colorado Gateway to Castleton

Artsifrtsi

I just wanna go wheeling...
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Huntsville, AL
Has anyone driven the Gateway to Castlerock trail from Grand Junction to Moab? Looks to be a good relaxing alternative to I-70… any recommendations? We’ll be there Sunday or Monday On the way to Moab… (of course)
 
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@tworley, @rasband and I ran it last year on the way home from TJ Fest. It's a dirt road, but it takes you through some interesting areas. We camped in an abandoned uranium mining area and woke up to a couple inches of snow.
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I didn't know such a trail existed. So I'm interested in the feedback also.
 
Just casually driving without stops, looks like it should take a couple hours?

I'll guess that it's a 3-4hr detour from 70. We didn't drive it straight through, so it could easily be less.
 


have you been on Kokopelli?

Have not. Maybe small sections known by different names. Kokopelli is a long distance overland route that combines multiple trails. Mostly dirt roads with some paved connectors, from what I gather.
 
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That was a great drive, with some spectacular views! I’ll get pics posted when back home, and can dump photos from camera.

there were a few areas where the corners were washboarded, but just need to slow down a lot around those.
 
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If you have the time, it is well worth the detour to avoid 70. I think most of us out here are bored with the highway. 🤣

That sounds like alot of fun, getting off the beaten path. Is the road ok for trailers? Unfortunately, that's the only way my Jeep gets to Moab. ☹️
 
This section looks like it paved? I was under the impression the road was more like a two-track or fire road?

It was paved a ways out of moab. If i remember it turned to a dirt road somewhere around CR86. Somewhere outside of Gateway it turns back into an unmaintained hwy.
 
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It was paved a ways out of moab. If i remember it turned to a dirt road somewhere around CR86. Somewhere outside of Gateway it turns back into an unmaintained hwy.

Correct, the pavement from Moab ended right at a improved campground. (Didn’t get the name/number). Dirt portion is “maintained”, but not too often. It looks like the portion just a few miles west of Gateway is oiled, but none of the road was overly dusty.
 
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