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Rocky Mountain / Utah Cliffs Update
« on: June 25, 2024, 06:44:02 pm »
My son and I just completed the Utah Cliffs Loop 6/15/24-6/21/24.
Day 1 St. George to Pine Valley - needed to start early to avoid the heat in Snow Canyon
Day 2 Pine Valley to Cedar City - Kannaraville Road is so sandy from ATV traffic and so steep as to be nearly impossible to climb. Bring nobbier tires than we had
Day 3 Cedar City to Point Supreme - rewarding climb up to Cedar Breaks Nat'l Monument
Day 4 Point Supreme to Navajo Lake - a long day and a surprisingly terrible rocky road in advance of Panguitch. Tough but fair climb up from Duck Creek to Navajo Lake
Day 5 Navajo Lake to Watchman Campground in Zion NP - careful of the sandy sections on N. Fork Road - again ATVs have really chewed up the gravel roads - cyclists may find something else more fun
Day 6 Zion to St. George - Smithsonian Butte climb out of Rockville is a bear. Many sandy sections. Devil's Playground was red sand, like the broiling surface of Mars.
Bottom line, non paved sections are generally unreliable and require tires with maximum traction or hike a bike.
All in all, still a beautiful ride, but looking for something more pleasant next time.
Day 1 St. George to Pine Valley - needed to start early to avoid the heat in Snow Canyon
Day 2 Pine Valley to Cedar City - Kannaraville Road is so sandy from ATV traffic and so steep as to be nearly impossible to climb. Bring nobbier tires than we had
Day 3 Cedar City to Point Supreme - rewarding climb up to Cedar Breaks Nat'l Monument
Day 4 Point Supreme to Navajo Lake - a long day and a surprisingly terrible rocky road in advance of Panguitch. Tough but fair climb up from Duck Creek to Navajo Lake
Day 5 Navajo Lake to Watchman Campground in Zion NP - careful of the sandy sections on N. Fork Road - again ATVs have really chewed up the gravel roads - cyclists may find something else more fun
Day 6 Zion to St. George - Smithsonian Butte climb out of Rockville is a bear. Many sandy sections. Devil's Playground was red sand, like the broiling surface of Mars.
Bottom line, non paved sections are generally unreliable and require tires with maximum traction or hike a bike.
All in all, still a beautiful ride, but looking for something more pleasant next time.