Coyote Flat 10/8-10/15

[Captm]

We are heading up to Coyote Flat Oct.8-15 trying to get a trip in before the weather changes for the winter. I'm looking for current road conditions if anyone has been up there lately. We have a fairly long rig, 2005 Tacoma 4x4 dblcab Lb towing a lifted popup, and have read that a few of the switchbacks are tight. Thanks for any info.

 

[Darryla]

I was up there a couple of years ago. There are two switch backs at the beginning. But, after that you should be fine. If I recall correctly there is enough room to move back and forth to get around.

Darryl

 

[MarkBC]

Where is Coyote Flat?

 

[Alley-Kat]

South west from Bishop.

This is the GoogleEarth view looking North, Bishop in the distance, Big Pine is about 15 miles south of Bishop on Hwy 395 (right side of image).

This GoogleEarth image is looking South (180 degrees from the 1st image).

There's the two switch backs.

Give the Bishop BLM Field Office a call (phone number at the bottom of that web page). If they don't know, they should be able to give you the number of someone that does know about the condition of the Cayote Flat Road.

A lot of MC & ATV guys like to go up there to ride.
Can be noisy, but, it is a big area to boondock in.
I haven't driven or taking my MC on the road up there in many years.
But, I remember the switch backs as being OK, if the road has been graded.
They are on the first part of the climb and are so close to each other that you could walk (or ride an MC or ATV) to them and check them out before you get too far up.

Back in the day the dirt runway was known as the Coyote Flat International Airport.
Land heavy, take off light.
My sister that lives in Bishop says none of that happens anymore.

I was at South Lake and Sabrina Lake, a little lower in altitude, a few weeks ago.
Days were in the 80's, nights in the 50's.

Hope the weather holds nice, as it can really blow up there.

 

[Marc]

Thats a great area that not too many people get to. Wouldn't want to break down up there though. See my trip report from a few years ago. Enjoy.


marc

 

[Cort]

I was up there last fall before the WTW Pork Rally and the lower part of the road has not been graded in some time. All of the corners including the switchbacks had been heavily contoured by motorcycles and ATV's. I had no problem in my Tacoma DBL Cab and Bobcat but I did come across a couple of guys in a Ram 2500 Double Cab Standard Box that were moving real slow and having to three point several turns. Once you are up on the flat a lot of the roads that used to be open have been closed by the forest service. This has been fairly controversial and you can find lots of info about it on Expedition Portal. If you have not checked out Expo I would do a search and I bet you will come up with some more current conditions.

If I understand you correctly you are planning on towing a lifted trailer up there with a popup on it. I think that is going to be fairly challenging in several sections. I am not saying its not possible but once you start up you are not going to have many options if you decide to bail out. You will basically have to commit.

Cort

 

[Alley-Kat]

Here's one Trip Report I found over on Expedition Portal.

Coyote Flats - July 4th, 2011


Good stuff covered.

And, a video web link to follow in message #15, does not really show the two reverse switch backs lower down, but can give you a feel for the road higher up.

Then once that video is over, see the YouTube listings for other Coyote Flats videos (Part 1 & Part 2, except that he did NOT video the switch backs, oh well), however, lots of good stuff. And, more info on what the road could look like.

 

[Captm]

Thanks for the info. I asked on Expo as well and have adjusted our trip to include the first two nights at Grey's Meadow. This will allow us to fish, let the deer season close (10/10) and prerun up to Coyote Flat without the trailer and check out the road condition.
When we bought the trailer 5 years ago we had not considered boondocking/dispersed camping. Now that we seldom go to a campground I have been limited a few times getting to where I want to go do to it's size. Maybe a smaller offroad trailer or popup truck camper is in the future.

 

[MarkBC]

Maybe a ... popup truck camper is in the future.

Lots of discussion of pros/cons here, if you haven't read it yet.