Bonus Day 6* - the Grand Canyon

GPS TRACK Download (Day 6)

NAZMAT DAY 6 is the second/final *bonus* day, and entirely revolves around the Grand Canyon! All of the 180+ miles of riding on Day 6 will effectively be Class 0 pavement with the exception of a couple of very-short gravel roads. While this will be a "group" ride, and is the final day of the extended NAZMAT, all riders are welcome to go at their own pace and visit whatever points of interest they'd like along the way. We will head into the Park from the East Entrance and strategically visit several vista points, lookouts, and points-of-interest along the entrance road. There will an opportunity to fuel up in Cameron for those that need to. Once at the primary visitors center, it is up to individual riders how they would like to proceed. There are visitors centers, bus trips out to Hermit's Rest, or shorter day hikes part way into or along, the Canyon. For the ride back to town (for those going back to Flagstaff), the route will follow the South Exit back to Highway 180, and eventually to town. A good place to fuel up is just outside the Park's South Entrance in the town of Tusayan, or further down at the Grand Canyon Junction at Route 180. This route features better views of the high San Francisco Peaks, and is also quicker than the East Entrance.

NOTE FOR 2024 - Day 5 will not be formally scheduled for 2024

The Specifics

Day 6 specifics are quite simple. We will plan to leave Flagstaff very early from the Matador Coffee shop on the East side of town. We'll head north on Hwy 89 all the way up to the turn for Hwy 64 (East Entrance Hwy). Hwy 64 will take us directly into the Grand Canyon park and features dozens of vista lookouts and points-of-interest along the way (Watchtower, Moran Pt., Lipan Pt., Yaki Pt., Duck-on-a-Rock, etc.). At any point along this ride, we can break for snacks or lunch. Once at the main parking area and visitors center, we can pop over for some photos from Mather Point. From there, it's up to individual riders how they'd like to proceed. For those looking to head back to Flagstaff, we'll depart through the South Entrance and eventually back to Route 180, which feeds directly back to town. For those looking to stay longer in the Park, there are dozens of options for day-hikes, museums, and various other tourist spots. Depending on time, we may again head into town to enjoy a well-earned dinner.

Footage FROM the Ride

PHOTOS from the ride

Road/Terrain Rating

The difficulty and terrain of all NAZMAT sections will be described using the following Class rating below. This is not an "official" rating system per se, but is still meant to give riders a general sense of the terrain. Nearly all of the routes will fall between Class 0 and Class 3, with a few short sections falling under Class 4. There are no Class 5 sections on any NAZMAT route.
Class 0
Any paved road or surface. There are some Class 0 paved sections, primarily used as a way to connect various off-road sections or to get to trailheads. 
​Class 1
Well-maintained gravel or forest roads. No major risk of falls, Very few rocks, roots, or obstacles. There are many Class 1 sections.
​Class 2
More-primitive forest roads, including dual track roads. Minor risk of falls. Occasional rocks, roots, obstacles, or loose gravel/sand. There are many Class 2 sections.
​Class 3
Unmaintained Jeep or ATV roads. Reasonable risk of falls. Regular rocks, roots, sand, or obstacles. Requires fair amount of skill and concentration. There are many Class 3 sections.
Class 4
Technical Jeep or ATV roads. Considerable risk of falls. Frequent large rocks, roots, or obstacles. Requires high skill and full concentration. There are a few Class 4 sections.
Class 5
Highly technical dirt-bike/ATV routes. Extreme risk of falls and high danger. Constant large or unstable rocks, sand, roots, or obstacles. Requires advanced skills and full concentration. Not well-suited for typical ADV bikes. There are no Class 5 sections on any NAZMAT route.