Route US 191 in Utah and WY

[Smooth_Sailn]

Planning a spring trip with my 40 foot 5er. Headed to Grand Canyon, Canyonlands and Arches National Parks then up into WY. Most direct route on the map is us 191 but I am wondering about the road, mountains and pulling my 5er on that route. Anyone done it. How is the road?

Thanks,

Ray

[paulj]

There hasn't been any news about hijackings on that stretch.

There is net climb to I80, with a drop down to and out of Flaming Gorge. Whether makes it less safe for you depends, I suppose, on the state of your brakes.

[gjstacy]

Is 191 safe if you heading north out of Vernal, UT up to I-80?

[chris3403]

Here you go:
http://mstecker.com/pages/mvapproachroad.htm
and again
Running scene

and the final one from you tube
Forrest Gump

[Smooth_Sailn]

Thanks for all the info and tips. Sounds like I should stay on 6 North of Price UT to Provo UT. There I will take I80. My ultimate goal is Dubois WY for the summer with a brief stop in Pinedale. Does it matter if I take 189 north of I80 toward Pinedale or should I stay on I80 to 191 at Rock Springs and take 191 north to Pinedale?

[trailertraveler]

We have driven US-191 from Moab North to Yellowstone several times. Dinosaur National Monument and Flaming Gorge are worth visiting. As mentioned there are some steep grades North of Price and around Flaming Gorge. If you are towing a 40ft 5th wheel with the Dodge 2500 in your signature, you may want to rethink your routes through the mountain West. I can not image or even consider towing a 40ft 5th wheel with my GM 2500 diesel.

[clikrf8]

191 north of Vernal, UT has around 8 or 9 steep switchbacks at 8% grade if I remember correctly. If you are going north into Wyoming, you will be going uphill. Beware of fast dump trucks hauling gypsum from the Simplot mine close by Vernal. There was a MH driven by a scared guy that had his hazards blinking the whole way driving about 10 mph. We stopped at all the overlooks then caught up again. Once on the flats, he sped up. Scared or bad brakes? We were going downhill heading south.

While in the area, you will probably take a detour to Dinosaur National Monument where you can see a large excavation wall with embedded dinosaur bones (this is not a fake, an in situ display) and you can touch several of the bones. How cool is that? Brought out the kid in me. Also, just before Wyoming, there is Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area (a campground or two) where there are signs along the road that tell you about the different layers (geology, era, creatures, etc.). Fuel, groceries, etc. in Green River and Rock Springs (an oil boom town) on I70.

If you are interested in rock art, check out Nine MIle Canyon which is actually 40+ miles of canyon. It is paved until you get the famous Hunt Scene. It was curvy but not that much traffic. At one parking lot stop for a walk through a canyon to see rock art, you have a modern power plant (I think or something industrial, gas I think), an old corral and the rock art. Interesting juxtaposition. Up until a few years ago, the road was gravel, but the power company paved it so a passenger car can travel to see this treasure trove.

[johnna]

I don't know about the Forrest Gump scene, but yes, 163 runs through Monument Valley and Mexican Hat.

[chris3403]

Actually it is US-163 off of 191 where both the Forrest Gump famous scene was filmed and where the Mexican Hat rock is.

[paulj]

From AZ to Price UT (where it leaves US6) US191 is relatively flat. Sure there are a few grades, such as where it climbs a step in the rock formations, or out of the Colorado River valley north of Moab.

North of Price it climbs to a pass (unnamed), and drops gradually to Duchane.

I haven't driven north of there, but I think there is a climb and descent before the Flaming Gorge Dam, and then another climb to the Wyoming Great Basin level.

An alternative in northern Utah is to stick with US6 to Provo, and take the freeway into Wyoming. But this both misses the scenery around Flaming Gorge, and passes through the SLC urban area.

[johnna]

Assuming, you are thinking of going north on 191 from I-40, I make the following comment:
My preferred route from the Grand Canyon would be to go north on 89 to 160 to 163 to join up with 191 near Bluff, UT.

We travel this route every other year or so and find it to be very scenic and stress free.

[chris3403]

Yes, we did it this year. The road was in excellent shape and shouldn't present a problem.
191 is the hwy where Tom Hanks as Forrest Gump stopped running.
You will also pass a unique rock formation that looks like a Mexican Hat.