Google Maps Strikes Again

An OpenStreetMap-based routing engine would've given you the same directions. At least the graphhopper one https://www.openstreetmap.org/directions?engine=graphhopper_...

Let's have a look

OpenStreetMap has both roads as highway=tertiary, surface=dirt https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/364758018 https://www.openstreetmap.org/way/364758017

Surface=dirt has this fitting example photo in the documentation https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/File:Transportation_in_T... (linked on https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:surface)

I'd argue it should be highway=track https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Tag:highway%3Dtrack with possible smoothness=bad https://wiki.openstreetmap.org/wiki/Key:smoothness but it's always tricky depending on country.

You may remember this thread from a few months back where we all traded stories of dangerous directions on Google Maps[0].

Despite having the terrifying experience of driving my motorcycle into the jungles of Indonesia, I managed to *make the same mistake again* much closer to home, driving from Utah to Colorado.

[0] https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=25576799