Opinions on Utah Cliffs Loop

[Mbanzi]

Not sure if my Google-fu has weakened, but I've found it surprisingly hard to get good info on the Utah Cliffs Loop, apart from a few (old-ish) trip reports. I'm thinking of taking my wife, who's an experienced road endurance cyclist, as an introduction to off-road touring / bikepacking.

We're targeting a mid June start date, riding 3-4 days with a stop in Zion. I know there's quite a lot of asphalt on the route, which I don't mind. My question is how technical are the dirt sections? Is traffic as bad as some say, or is it just limited to small sections? Should we not bother & just go do the Idaho Hot Springs Route? 

[TrailBoss]

Mbanzi, I did the research for this route ~15 years ago. It's very nice. I remember the dirt roads as not being very technical, and there not being much traffic on MOST of the route. You should be okay in mid-June, but still you should check with the Dixie National Forest to ask about snow (or no snow) conditions for the highest elevations. The descent from Navajo Lake down the North Fork Road is unforgettable! --MM

[Mbanzi]

Thank you for the feedback! I think we'll give it a try & will report back

Mbanzi, I did the research for this route ~15 years ago. It's very nice. I remember the dirt roads as not being very technical, and there not being much traffic on MOST of the route. You should be okay in mid-June, but still you should check with the Dixie National Forest to ask about snow (or no snow) conditions for the highest elevations. The descent from Navajo Lake down the North Fork Road is unforgettable! --MM