The Incredible Allure of Highway 12, Utah, USA.

The Escalante and Grand Staircase are some of the most beautiful places on the planet. And to have a road going right through the heart of it is a an unexpected gift in itself.

This incredible road slices through mountains, rocks, canyons, and prairies with a confidence borne from knowing how special it is.

I have taken this road five times; three by motorcycle and twice in a cage (car). It is magical no matter what type of vehicle you choose.

That said, Highway 12 Scenic Byway in Utah is one of the great motorcycle roads of all time.

I suggest you start in Panguitch, Utah, just a few miles from the beginning of this magnificent stretch of asphalt. Grab a bite at one of the little cafes there and begin your journey east at the junction of Highway 85 and Highway 12.

Head east.

Within a few minutes you will enter Red Canyon. It is richly carved set of hoodoos covered with a sprinkling of pines. You’re going to want to stop, and I suggest you do. There are several short hikes to take in this little rock fantasy land.

Panguitch is a little town near the west entrance of Highway 12. I recommend it as the first part of your destination, and a great place to get a bite to eat or some snacks for the road.

After giving yourself a short but exhilarating walk, it is time to head east again. Next stop, Bryce Canyon.

Bryce is one of those places that can be hard to explain to those who have never been in the southwest part of the US.

Located in the southwestern quadrant of Utah, Bryce Canyon is a world renown destination.

Perched on a ridge overlooking the mighty Escalante region, the side of the mountain is worn into what we call ‘hoodoos’. These are spires of enormous size left standing alone from the erosion all around them. They are beautiful in every season, but my favorite time is winter.

Yes, wide angle lenses are great for the big vistas, but don’t forget how a telephoto can reach out and pick little vignettes of interest.

The added texture of snow on the sandstone monoliths gives them a look that is nearly unworldly.

Bryce Canyon Village is just a mile off of Highway 12, so make the turn south and go to one of the best souvenir stores you will find in the West. From a great selection of hats and dusters to art, gifts, and snacks to a very nice sit-down restaurant, because Ruby’s Inn General Store delivers delight to all ages.

Go on into the park if you wish. The first overlooks are spectacular and are only a few miles from the store.

Bryce canyon in the moments before the sun rises. The soft, pre-dawn light gives an incredible glow to the hoodoos.

Back to 12 and continuing east.

If you have a couple of extra hours, spend it in the Mossy Cave along Highway 12 about 20 minutes down the mountain from Bryce Canyon City. Watch for a sign on the south side of the road.

The small towns of Tropic and Cannonville offer basic services, but the next place you will want to stop is the town of Escalante.

If you decide to go to Kodachrome Basin that road starts and ends back in Cannonville, but allow a day for this excursion.

If you like old structures, textures, and peeling paint (who doesn’t?), you will love spending a few hours in Escalante.

This remote mountain town is known by backpackers, cyclists, and adventurers the world over. Everything from burgers to cuisine is offered as well as several adventure stores with hiking gear and even guided tours.

Spend the night, have dinner and enjoy a star show like no other.

Heading out east, we enter the grand staircase section of the Escalante. Named for the many plateaus that raise from the valleys near Moab, one by one, they resemble a gigantic staircase.

And although the drive has been spectacular so far, the real fun begins now.

After a few miles you will venture into what looks like a incredibly huge rock with a road barely etched from the rugged surface. This is the slickrock world. A world of roughly polished stone, scrub, canyons, and formations to dazzle the eye.

The first overlook you come to, Head of the Rocks Overlook, will amaze and confound you. Where could this landscape come from? It is at once primordial and utterly fascinating.

Head of the Rocks Lookout in the winter. This was taken after a huge snowstorm, and it is such a beautiful landscape.

You will look out over a switchback that sends the traffic flowing through city-sized rock formations, and incredible canyons of stone.

About three miles further, you will find the Kiva Koffeehouse. Great coffee, literally amazing views.

Along the way, you will meet up with the Escalante river. I have never seen it dry, but I did once see it roaring through the slot canyons and high walls that confine it. It was just after a huge rainstorm and that little creek of a river was a raging torrent.

In front of you will be Boulder Mountain, a range full of Aspen and pine and 15 degrees cooler than the high desert of the Escalante.

As you get closer to it, the road narrows a bit, clings to the side of a canyon and eventually dumps you on top of the Hogback. There are plenty of warning signs that give you the impression that a warning is in order.

May heat is bearable. July, not so much. This image was taken mere moments before a thunderstorm benched us for an hour on the Hogback.

I was gratefully traveling by car this trip. Outside it was 18 degrees Fahrenheit, so motorcycling may not have been as much fun. The sun felt good though.

The Hogback is a sliver of a road high atop a ridge with two deep canyons on each side. The strip of road is at some places half the width of the ridge.

Watch for this canyon on the Burr Trail if you take that side excursion. You will see it clearly in the 17 mile canyon part of the road.

Did I mention the caution signs.

People in cages and on bikes give a good deal of sense to this part of the road and indeed follow the instructions given by the good folks of the State of Utah.

You are going to want to stop there, and I want you to know it is much safer than it sounds. The edges are not carved, rather slope quickly… before they get carved.

This is a fantastic spot for a picnic. Calf Creek Canyon to the west and Boulder Creek Canyon on the east side of the pull-offs.

Just south of the Hogback there is this marvelous little glad with some wonderful picnic areas. The rocks, trees, and creek combine for a beautiful scene.

You won’t want to leave, but now it is time to stay on the easterly approach, although you are actually now going north.

The town of Boulder, Utah, was the last town to stop receiving mail by mule train back in the 1939. The road that is now Highway 12 was a feat of engineering and it took a lot longer than most comparable roads.

From Boulder, you can head directly east for about 30 miles or so to find Waterpocket Fold. This is the southern stretch of Capitol Reef National Monument, and is one of the most fascinating places I have been. Take the Burr Trail road, and buckle up, buttercup.

The Burr Switchbacks can give one pause, but I did them on a cruiser. Just take your time and get ready for some of the most rugged areas in the world; Capitol Reef, National Monument.

This road will take you by slot canyons, high desert farms, and eventually you will get to the Burr Trail Switchbacks. Back and forth they snake down the side of the mountain to eventually deliver you into the heart of Capitol Reef. I will warn you that the second half of this road is dirt.

Take your time. They aren’t hard to drive by any means, but they do require you pay attention. Pay a lot of attention.

For my motorcycle friends; good for adventure bikes, but a challenge for me on a cruiser. I did it, but not sure I would do it again. I guess it would depend on how well the road was maintained in the previous weeks. My ride had a lot of deep sand and gravel, and a few water damaged corners that caused a lot of puckering, if you know what I mean.

Back to Boulder and north to Torrey, UT.

A tiny mountain town with great restaurants and affordable motels with character. This photo was taken during rush hour.

You are now in the deep forests of Boulder Mountain, and to the east lies one of the areas most visible mountain range, the Henrys.

The Henry Mountains are visible for a hundred miles in any direction. I see them clearly from my bike riding up to Hanksville, I can see them from the top look out at Bryce Canyon, and I can see them from Torrey.

There are plenty of turnouts and pull offs for stopping, but do not pass up the first one you come to. This lookout gives you a birds eye view of where you just came from and a full view of the expansive nature of The Grand Staircase.

Homestead Overlook will give you a magnificent vista of the Grand Staircase and Escalante. In the distance, the Henry Mountains.

Torrey has a number of quaint and inexpensive places to spend the night. Restaurant choices are few, but just east of the road into Torrey and heading toward Capitol Reef, you will find a new hotel and Mexican Food restaurant.

Tacos are to die for.

I covered the basics of the road, but you will find so much more to see and do along this unique little road.

I have been in Fall, Summer, and Winter.

Autumn turns the Boulder mountains into a pile of gold with Aspens as far as you can see.

Summer is green as green can get, but quite warm down in Escalante and the slick rock.

But my favorite time is winter.

Seeing the rock covered in snow, the meadows of Boulder Mountain turning into winter playgrounds, and the Henrys out there standing watch with the tops covered in white.

Oh my. It is hard to stop myself from jumping on the bike and heading out right now.

For an unforgettable experience, in an unforgettable landscape, I really recommend you spend a day or two, (OK, a week), in the Escalante.

Photography Gear used:
Nikon D750 or Nikon Df
Panasonic DC ZS80
Nikkor 24-120MM Lens
Nikkor 180MM f2.8