Southern Utah!  One of the most uniquely diverse places on the planet begs to be explored by all of you adventurous souls.  Oh yeah, it’s rugged and “out there”.  Driving around in a car you can get an idea of just how remote and dynamic this land is. Once you venture out of your car, the grandeur of the landscape inspires awe.

Having spent a day gazing north into the fractured plateau above Zion, our eyes had become fixed on the forested elevations of the distant Virgin Rim. Nearly destroying the minivan on a 2-hour gravel road, we arrived just in time to get out for a ride. Climbing away from our campsite, the double track climbed through mature Ponderosa pines. Our shadows lengthened as we climbed and we hit our turnaround at sunset. From the rim rock, we could see the deep cuts and immense rock faces of Zion Canyon, and beyond to the North Kaibab Plateau. The waning light on the pine groves and gradient earth tones set off the yellowed aspens. It was truly sublime.

We rode back into the dark as long as we could. The descent turned into a game of ‘chicken’; which of us would turn on their light first? We splashed through the surviving snowdrifts and launched the rollers. Once the speeds climbed over 20 mph in the banked corners, the lights came on. We finished our 15-mile ride under a crescent moon. The stars were brilliant. Their enduring clarity ensured that the next mornings’ ride would be a sunny one.

At sun-up, we headed out the other direction on the trail. We found it hard to stay on the trail with long-range views in such abundance. Aspen groves and dank pine saddles typify the forest. After lunching on a 10,000 ft meadow, we headed back. Although all the trails we rode up there were atv-friendly, the riding is excellent for any fit cross-country rider who like to climb.

There is some research to be done to find the right trails and then to actually ride them.  Most of this stuff requires strong legs and lungs, and there are definitely places where a technical mistake can be deadly.  But the views are worth it.