What Makes Those Washboard Dirt Roads In Utah?

Driving a dirt road through the mountains and deserts of Utah can be a jarring experience if the surface is like a washboard. Have you ever wondered why these horizontal small speed bumps happen? It seems unnatural.

Understanding Washboard Roads: Why They Occur

It is simple to understand once it is explained and yet hard to keep from happening. First the explanation. The bumps develop because of the speed of the tires going over the surface and the ability of those tires to move up and down.

Unlike a paved road, a gravel or dirt road has a surface that in uneven in hardness. At faster speeds, the tire sinks slightly at softer points and pushes the dirt slightly forward. The next tire moves the dirt more until a dip develops.

The Cycle of Washboarding: How Dips Create Bumps

When the dip gets deep enough, the tire jumps a bit off the dip and creates another where it lands. Before long a series of these turns into that washboard surface. You can see it demonstrated in this video:

The solution to the problem isn't as easy. The best solution is to pave the road, but that isn't always viable. The other way to solve it is using gravel and rocks of various sizes. This can slow down the washboard effect.

Read More: See This Easy Hike Near Kanab With a Wall of Cars

I drove the highway that goes through Canada to Alaska before it was fully paved. There were miles and miles of washboard road. The way we got through it was to go so fast out tires only caught the top of the bumps.

It was also sketchy and dangerous. I wouldn't recommend this approach.