Recommendations: NE Oregon to Escalante/GSC Areas

[Wallowa]

Hey...any and all recommendations appreciated.

We leave Enterprise Oregon 10-5 for Escalante area; plan to stay there for at least 12 days. First travel day will get us to North of Elko or near Ruby Mts if there is a scenic area to stop at Rubys.

Would like to skip freeways and run down into Elko past Wild Horse Res and then South along the Ruby Mts. What roads [West or East side] along the Rubys headed to Hwy 50 is the most scenic?

From Ely we are going to Beaver then to Kodachrome Basin area for second night. After that we are exploring Cottonwood Cyn, Hole-in-the Rock, Burr Trail, Waterpocket Fold and Hell's backbone roads and their side roads.

Objective is for my wife's photography and to just explore. Will do short or moderate hikes but really want to park the Tundra/Hawk in a few spots for 2-3 days at a time and use that location as a base.

Equipped for rough roads but will be conservative in my route selections as this country is new for me. I know sagebrush country since I grew up in Nevada driving dirt tracks; however, the Escalante Basin and adjacent areas are a new ball game.

Any advice and recommendations appreciated! We have a ton of maps and guide books.

Thanks,

Phil

 

[Cayuse]

I plan on leaving Spocompton on the 15th for 15 days or so down that way but probably on the other side of the river for the most part unless I happen to put in for some time at Tuweep before the gathering the 21st-24th. I think I'm going to explore Cedar Mesa and Grand Gulch, maybe to a 3 day backpacking trip, plans are still up in the air.

Hwy 12 from Torrey down is really pretty if you get that far east and the drive through Cathedral Valley has some great photo ops as well as a backcountry campground but not sure it would be the kind of base camp where you would explore for multiple days unless you are hauling dirt bikes or MTB's.

 

[Durango1]

X2 on Hwy 12. If you do go that way be sure to stop at Hell's Backbone Grill in Boulder, Utah. (They may close for the season around then.) Truly memorable food.

 

[Stalking Light]

x2 on Hell's Backbone, good food at Escalante Outfitters too. x2 on the Cathedral Valley Loop and campground. Check at the Capitol Reef visitor center about the river crossing, though. Most times it is easy but if it has been raining to might not be worth trying, although you can go in from the north side as well.

 

[allanb]

Good post Phil.
We'll be taking about the same route. Is hwy 225 thru the owyhee [got to run that river one of these days], nicer than 93? Dont know the area at all, look forward to seeing as much as possible. We will than head two mountain ranges to the east, with a stop at the Goshute mt. hawk watching area. [24 miles south of wend over on hwy 93]. They see 10000 to 25000 migrating raptors during the fall season. its a 2.5 mile hike with a 1800 foot elevation gain.

 

[Wallowa]

Good post Phil.
We'll be taking about the same route. Is hwy 225 thru the owyhee [got to run that river one of these days], nicer than 93? Dont know the area at all, look forward to seeing as much as possible. We will than head two mountain ranges to the east, with a stop at the Goshute mt. hawk watching area. [24 miles south of wend over on hwy 93]. They see 10000 to 25000 migrating raptors during the fall season. its a 2.5 mile hike with a 1800 foot elevation gain.

Wow...we have a lot of different raptors here in Wallowa Valley, but that many would be worth the effort...what variety of raptors?

Owyhee/Wild Horse road [Hwy 225] is an unknown to me...supposed to be scenic as are the Ruby Mts...

Still looking for advice about getting from Elko to Hwy 50 along the Ruby Mts...east side or west side?

Much of this will depend on weather of course..

Oh yes, The Hell's Backbone Grill is open through Nov...never been there but a must on this trip..

Phil

Ps....Just reviewed this site: http://hawkwatch.org/migration/item/78-goshute-mountains-hawkwatch

We have the raptors here that were mentioned in the video, but not sure of the Merlin being here...plus we have quite a few Golden Eagles and many owls....

 

[allanb]

We don't have any golden here. What we are most hoping to see among all the others. My wife is also a photo bug, she's looking forward to the birds and light in Utah. Amazing all the info on the web for photographers, Which side of the canyon to be on at what hour for the best light etc.
I just went down the rubys on goggle earth. Hard to tell which will be better, east or west. Maybe east side with a few more smaller mountain chains to drive thru and salt flats. West side looks like open valley. Maybe cross back and forth :] depending if morning or afternoon light

 

[Lighthawk]

X2 on Hwy 12. If you do go that way be sure to stop at Hell's Backbone Grill in Boulder, Utah. (They may close for the season around then.) Truly memorable food.

The gas station just south of Boulder has an amazing amount of healthy food for purchase. I think they also have water there.

 

[Wallowa]

The gas station just south of Boulder has an amazing amount of healthy food for purchase. I think they also have water there.

Thanks! That is an answer to questions we were meaning to ask....

Phil

 

[ski3pin]

Owyhee/Wild Horse road [Hwy 225] is an unknown to me...supposed to be scenic as are the Ruby Mts...



Still looking for advice about getting from Elko to Hwy 50 along the Ruby Mts...east side or west side?

Hwy 225 past Wildhorse Reservoir is a good road. We enjoyed the canyon area below the reservoir and stayed in the small campground a couple of time. I don't remember it being spectacularly scenic but it sure beats the interstate.

We enjoy the east side of the Rubys. It looks more like a mountain front from that side. Old time birders friends of ours regularly stop at Ruby Lake Wildlife Refuge. If you are close, you should drive up Lemoille Canyon if you haven't previously.

 

[Wallowa]

Hwy 225 past Wildhorse Reservoir is a good road. We enjoyed the canyon area below the reservoir and stayed in the small campground a couple of time. I don't remember it being spectacularly scenic but it sure beats the interstate.

We enjoy the east side of the Rubys. It looks more like a mountain front from that side. Old time birders friends of ours regularly stop at Ruby Lake Wildlife Refuge. If you are close, you should drive up Lemoille Canyon if you haven't previously.

Thanks. The East side was the way I was leaning...as for "time" or being near Lemoille Cyn [NW corner of Ruby's]...not certain at this time; slowly evolving into a "get to Elko" and then "get to Escalante" [actually first night will be near Kodachrome Basin and then first down Cottonwood before then working our way East across the Escalante Basin and into Water Pocket Fold] rather than snatching a quick look at Ruby...where we live we can be in Ruby Mts. in one long day.... because the canyon lands deserve our maximum time on the this trip...soooooo, may skip winding around and through the Ruby Mts this time and just cutting and running to Utah.

Phil

Ps...If any of the WW crowd is down there in Oct..look for a gray '05 Tundra AC with truck roof rack and '16 Hawk...from the rear the "Dead give away" will be the Grateful Dead sticker in the back window...my wife is a tried and true "Deadhead" ...my vintage was more Roy O.; Fats D.,Everly Bros, Beach Boys, Kingston Trio; you get the idea ...

Phil