Passes & Canyons Blog

When we get out of Colorado, one of our favorite places to ride is Utah. Judy and I spent the last week in southwestern Utah, and although we were there in the car, not on the bike, I spent a good bit of time while we were there scoping the place out for next year’s OFMC ride. Here’s a quick recap of what I’ll be pitching to the guys to convince them this is the trip we want to make. And here’s a map showing the roads we took. Unfortunately, the mapping software doesn’t show the actual roads in some instances due to the degree of zoom, but I’ll try to be sufficiently specific.

First off, we blasted out on the interstate to the ski area of Brian Head. This was about 650 miles, which is one of the reasons we didn’t go on the bike. We are definitely not iron butt candidates. We got off I-15 at Parowan and took Utah 148 to Brian Head. It was a nice ride up a canyon, and steep. Up at the town they have a sign telling folks heading down that it’s a 13% grade for the next 10 miles. Of course that spells fun on a motorcycle.

Utah 148 runs on south from Brian Head through Cedar Breaks National Monument. We had never been there before and it was gorgeous. High cliffs looking down on sculpted red canyons. Numerous scenic overlooks. Very nice. Highway 148 connects a little south of Cedar Breaks with Utah 14. We took it first to the west, to Cedar City. More gorgeous canyons and incredible panoramic views. Highly recommended.

On our second full day we again headed south on Utah 148 but quickly turned off heading east on Utah 143. This goes to the very nice small town of Panguitch, and from there we turned south on U.S. 89 just a few miles to Utah 12. This road very quickly comes into Red Canyon and it’s a stunning sight. It portends what you’re going to see further up the road in Bryce Canyon, Red Canyon is fabulous in its own right.

Another 10 miles or so down the road you do run into the road that goes south into Bryce Canyon. This is Utah 63. You have to pay to get into the park, $12 per person for motorcycles, but it’s worth it. Take the road all the way to the end, at Rainbow Point, and then stop at the turnouts and scenic viewpoints on your way back up. They’re all on your right that way, and that’s a lot easier than constantly turning across traffic.

After Bryce we continued on Utah 12 down to Cannonville, where we turned off on Cottonwood Road and headed down to Kodachrome Basin State Park. This is nowhere near as spectacular as Bryce Canyon but it’s a nice side trip if you have the time. The road is paved all the way in.

We rested our tired feet for a day (we did a lot of hiking) and then headed out on a two-day tour of Zion National Park. Back down Utah 148 to Utah 14 to Cedar City, and then south on I-15, until we came to the turn-off for Zion National Park-Kolob Canyons. This is just a short jump off the interstate, about five miles to the end, and you get a spectacular view of a different part of the park than most people see. I never knew it was here. Admission is the same as at Bryce.

Then back on the interstate, down to Utah 17, to La Verkin, where we got on Utah 9. Arriving at Virgin, there was no sign for Zion but Judy had done her research and knew that if we turned off on Kolob Road it would take us up into the park. This was absolutely the highlight of our trip. This road is sensational! It’s a gorgeous ride and the views are the best you’re going to see in this park. And almost no one knows it exists. Well, now you do, so don’t miss out on it if you’re down this way. It’s incredible.

Back on Utah 9, we came to the south entrance to Zion and this is touristville. Springdale has turned into a little Aspen since the last time I was there and you can no longer drive up Zion Canyon, except during the off season. They run frequent shuttle buses and that’s the only way to go. I was not thrilled with the idea at first but when I saw how much nicer it was than the incredible congestion I remember I decided it was OK. But really, I could just about skip this part of the park. It’s nice and all, but I’ve been there a number of times and it doesn’t thrill me any more.

Heading on out of that part of the park you then climb a terrific series of switch-backs and then cross through a long tunnel with numerous windows, opening in the rock walls, until you get outside of the canyon. There is a parking lot right at the east end of the tunnel and a trail that leads back over the hump to give you an incredible view of where you just came from. I strongly recommend this hike. It’s not far and it’s well worth it.

On out of the park on Utah 9 and then north on U.S. 89, until we reached Utah 14 at its east end, and then back to Utah 148 and home to Brian Head. Very scenic the entire way. We loved it. We’ll be back. And I’m hoping the OFMC will be heading that way next year. I do have an ace in the hole with the guys: Mesquite, NV, is just down the road from here about 45 miles and they love to gamble. Utah here we come.

Recent from the National Motorcycle Examiner
ABATE sponsors racer in outreach to sportbikers

Biker Quote for Today

Sometimes you end up going down the wrong road. That’s an adventure.

Oh man, I’m blown away. I track unique visitors to this website each month and last month, May 2009, the traffic nearly hit 10,000. There were 9,754 unique visitors last month, to be exact.

Just to give you an idea of how big that is, the best month the site has ever had before was July 2008, where traffic hit 6,051 unique visitors. I was thrilled in May 2008 when it topped 4,000 for the first time, 4,024, and then it only went up to 4,504 in June 2008.

After four years I know the pattern here. Traffic climbs from December through July and then tapers off. What that means is that this 9,754 record is destined to fall, and soon. And the numbers show it. Already this month, only 3 days and 21 hours in, the total of unique visitors is 1,579. That works out to about 12,000.

This all just blows me away. I built this website out of passion and my own interest, and hoped that at least a few other people would like it and my work would be appreciated. Hitting these numbers leaves me in awe. Thank each and every one of you for your interest. This is so rewarding.

Recent from the National Motorcycle Examiner
A terrific motorcycle sidetrip in southwestern Utah

Biker Quote for Today

HEY! Let’s go ride our BIKES!!!!

The oil rigs are gone! Motels have vacancies! You can visit Rifle, CO, again!

Judy and I are on vacation in Utah at this moment, so we came through western Colorado the other day and I have to tell you it’s like night and day. A year ago I was advising that anyone considering coming to Colorado to ride not even think about spending a night in the area around Rifle. With gas prices over $4 a gallon, a drive along I-70 at night was like Christmas, with lighted drilling rigs dotting the landscape everywhere you looked. Of course, all those drilling crews had to sleep somewhere, and there was not a motel room available closer than Grand Junction.

What a difference a year makes. First off, we only saw two rigs along the way. The landscape is now dotted with what I take to be pumping stations, where the wells have been drilled and now the machinery is just doing its thing, extracting the oil or gas. You don’t need a lot of people to manage those.

Even more telling are the parking lots of the motels. They’re empty. We stopped at a rest area in Rulison and I asked the fellow tending the tourist center and he confirmed my assumption.

“They’ve all gone back to Oklahoma and Texas,” he said. He told me that at the height of the boom, a new La Quinta was built in Rifle and it was full immmediately. They built an addition and it was full immediately. They built another addition and it was full immediately. Then work was begun on a new Ramada Inn and another motel and work on both has been suspended.

On another note, it appears that Loveland Pass has reopened. I reported last week that it was closed, and the notice from CDOT said they would send word when it reopened. Searching their website it appeared that perhaps the pass was open again, although the main notice page had not been updated with that information.

With that in mind I was all eyes as we came past the turn-off to the pass the other day, and yes we saw traffic on that road. In fact, what we saw was three motorcycles coming down the pass. So now Colorado is truly open for the season.

Recent from the National Motocycle Examiner

Biker Quote for Today
Sometimes the fastest way to get there is to stop for the night.