Hi all,
I'm putting a rough plan together for a trip next year and wanted anyones advice on weather. I usually prefer cooler temps to hot, so figured this might be a better time to go through northern Arizona and Utah. Tentative date to leave would be May 28th of next year. I have 9 days planned, this includes an extra day to rest or if I have any problems with the bike. Will be about 3300 miles over those 8-9 days.
I'll be riding a 2017 RGS with canvas lowers when it's cold, plus a bag on a luggage rack. I'm trying to go in between Mother's Day and Memorial Day so I don't miss family time. June is always out because of Father's Day and that is when I have to do reviews for all of my employees at work.

I live in KC and plan on riding straight through to Colorado Springs the first day. Then I will ride over to Ouray and the Million Dollar Hway into Durango. Then to Four Corners, Monument Valley and the Grand Canyon. Then to Kingman on Route 66, Hoover Dam and into Zion NP. Will hit the sourthern Utah NP's and up to Arches and then to Steamboat Springs. I'll run through Estes Park, Rocky Mountain NP and then back across Kansas on I-70 through Denver.

I'm a little worried about snow in Co, but can reroute through southern Colorado or northern New Mexico if there is snow on the way there. Not sure o the way back, I guess I could run south from Utah and go east that way.
Thoughts? The time works the best for my schedule, plus I would hopefully avoid tourist season.

 

you'll want cold weather gear for sure but it will be getting warm by the time you get to Kingman and Zion so make sure you have some lighter gear as well . sounds like a fantastic trip !

 

 

Avoid higher elevations as there will be snow and lots of it and expect most that trip to be cold still over 4000 ft. Have good rain gear also you will need it.

 

Thanks all. I was wrong on my dates. Will leave May 21st a week earlier and get back Memorial Day weekend. I plan on cold and rain, especially in Colorado in the afternoon. I'll cross my fingers on no snow and will modify my trip depending. I think the biggest chances will be on the way out going through Ouray and on the way back through RMNP (If the road is even open).
I've been shopping heated jacket liner and gloves since they would probably be worth it on this trip.

 

And you can skip 4 corners. Too much to see in Az., Ut. and Co. to waste a good bit of time going to 4 corners.

 

I kind of figured that, but it's only a few miles out of the way on my way through monument valley.

 

Since you will be in Durango, don't forget to stop in at Mesa Verde NP and see the ruins the drive is pretty good to into the park..BY THE WAY, .did your exact trip two years ago but 3 weeks later...hail on MT Evans/Pike Peek and snow in the Colorado passes hot as hell in monument valley....need to bring alll of your seasons wear.

 

I hope your Utah route includes hwy 95 from Blanding to Hanksville, hwy 24 to Torrey and 12s to Bryce Canyon. These are my favorite roads in Utah. Then, Zion NP and the N rim of the Grand Canyon are just a few miles south. Have a safe trip!

 

It sounds like a fantastic ride. Going a week earlier is definitely going to increase your chance of snow in the mountains. You should almost bank on it. Ouray is at nearly 8,000 feet. It's probably imperative that you hit your southern destinations early in the ride and save the mountain passes for the end of the ride.

Here's a route that I think is basically what you've outlined:

https://rideplanner.harley-davidson....1&locale=en_US

And here's a different route hitting Durango and Ouray after Arches:

https://rideplanner.harley-davidson....2&locale=en_US

The second route doesn't include the ride between Blanding and Hanksville. You could modify it to include that road, but it would add quite a bit of time. It might depend on where your priorities are and how much time you have.

Good luck. Have fun. Post pictures of the ride.