BackRoads: Moab UT - A destination worth the journey

Sweeping curves, twisting turns, and scenery that takes your breath away…with the journey to get there spectacular as well! Could you ask for more? Moab, Utah delivers with arches, canyons, red rock formations, the Colorado River Gorge, petrogylphs, dinosaur tracks, a historical bridge, and the beautiful LaSal Mountains. Home to three Scenic Byways, one Scenic Backway, two National Parks and one State Park, Moab is a perfect motorcycling destination or a great “extra day” on your next road trip.

Whether your journey brings you from Denver, Las Vegas, Phoenix, Salt Lake City or anywhere else, you will find all roads into Moab offer amazing riding with unbelievable diversity in both the road and the surrounding scenery. In future issues, we will give you the scoop on the best routes, but first a little about the jewel at the end of each journey… Moab.

With the hospitality and charm of a small resort town, Moab is nestled in a luscious green valley beneath 1,000 ft. red sandstone cliffs, along the banks of the Colorado River. From breweries and diners, to fine evening dining, the vibrant downtown offers diverse cuisine, shopping and an exciting nightlife all within walking distance of your hotel. Best of all are the fantastic daily rides through the scenic wonderland that surrounds Moab.

Dead Horse Point Scenic Byway on Utah Highway 313, just 9 miles North of Moab on Highway 191, takes you through 14 miles of incredible red rock canyon country, before forking off to Dead Horse Point State Park. After a series of hairpin curves as you begin to ascend the plateau, the road mellows out allowing you to appreciate the scenery. The view from Dead Horse Point, a large mesa connected by a narrow neck of land, is one of the most photographed scenic vistas in the world and well worth a few miles of straight, but scenic, touring.

After leaving the State Park, backtrack to Highway 313, hang a left, and head toward to the Island in the Sky District of Canyonland’s National Park. Within the park there are several scenic loops, all of which offer numerous sweeping curves and tight twisty turns, making this a favorite ride for locals. One word of caution, the scenery is so spectacular, it can be distracting and often, a seemingly straight stretch of road suddenly becomes a hard corner. Stop at the numerous overlooks, or stretch your legs on one of many short trails, to get a closer look at the spectacular vistas. Since this is a loop, you can experience the sheer joy of the ride on the way back.

While in Moab, another “must do” is Arches National Park. Although the 22-mile road is not extremely challenging, it is enjoyable and the scenery is so spectacular it really doesn’t matter. An initial climb through some interesting hairpin curves gives way to a fairly straight road with an occasional gentle sweeping curve. You will pass nature-sculpted rock formations such as Balanced Rock, Sheep Rock, and Parade of the Elephants, which leave no doubt how they received their names. The park is full of the...

We hope that you enjoyed reading this excerpt from "Moab UT - A destination worth the journey". If you would like to read the entire article and more, you can order a back issue of Jan / Feb 2007 where this article was originally published.

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