From Canyonlands (link to prior post here), we headed east to Capitol Reef National Park. Following a great visit there, we took Utah’s scenic byway Highway 12 towards Bryce Canyon. The grandeur of this 125 mile connector between the two parks is made up of Grand Staircase Escalante‘s red rocks and Dixie National Forrest‘s blend of juniper, pinyon, pine and aspens. It makes our top 10 for scenic highways.
Besides Capitol Reef‘s wonders and Highway 12’s spectacular sites, we enjoyed two additional stops – Burr Trail Road and Kodachrome Basin State Park – before arriving at Bryce. More info on Capito Reef, Highway 12, Burr Trail Road, and Kodachrome Basin State Park are below.
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Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef is located in Utah’s south central desert. It has great hiking, but it’s majesty is not lost via it’s scenic drive. From Hwy 24, the scenic drive in the park is paved for the first 8 miles. If you stop at about mile 3.5, you can park at Grand Wash Spur Trail and Cassidy Arch for a fantastic hike! This hike is a 1.5 mile out and back and considered “strenuous”, but if I can make it, I’m betting you can too! The trail includes some stairs and tight turns up against gorgeous red rocks, but also has sections that open up on amazing vistas. Cassidy Arch is at the end of the trail and is supposedly named after Butch Cassidy who was said to have used this area to hideout.
After the hike, return to the scenic drive and drive until the asphalt turns to dust. You won’t want to miss the last 2.2 unpaved miles to the Capitol Gorge Trailhead. The unpaved portion was a challenging drive for our size RV (24.5 ft. long and 8 ft wide) but well worth it. It’s not long before the steep canyon walls wrap around you like you’re favorite blanket. This is not a loop (nor is the scenic drive) so reverse course and end the day at Sunset Point and Gooseneck Overlook for a rainbow of colors that wash over the layered hills.
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Burr Trail Road
Just beyond Boulder, Utah off of Highway 12 is Burr Trail Road. In May, it’s approach was ethereal with lime green trees waving us in. As we drove deeper into the canyon, the contrast of these delicate welcoming trees against the sturdy red rocks was striking. We pulled off the road to walk along Longs Canyon and the beauty overtook me. While there I told Doug something like, “if I died right now, I’d be as happy as I’ve ever been.” Yes, it was that beautiful! It’s become my new happy place.
Each sweeping turn leaves you wanting to know what’s just up around the next corner. It ends more suddenly than you’d hoped with a god-like view over Escalante. Given that it’s an out and back, buckling back up provides a seemingly entire new view of this perfect canyon on the way back to Highway 12.
Longs Canyon 
Escalante Overlook
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Scenic byway Highway 12
There are only between 180-190 highways in the United States given the Scenic byway title so already this road is in an elite class, but it’s also designated an “All American Road” which is a title given to just 37 Scenic byways in the U.S. What makes it special though isn’t just the gorgeous views but the design of the road itself. It’s not because it’s smooth, it’s more the artistry of it’s curves and the portion of the road simply known as “The Hogback”. The Hogback is a unique stretch that runs along the top of a steep ridge with jaw-dropping views down both sides. This portion is more like a magic carpet ride than a drive!
The reality is that when you’re on this road, any destination you had it mind, quickly takes a backseat to the journey.
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Kodachrome Basin State Park
If there was ever a park worthy of the Kodachrome name, this is it. It’s unique spire formations, lovely textures, and an impressive number of colors make hiking, biking, and photographing this state park fun.
In additions, there’s plenty of wonderful boondocking just outside the park.
Kodachrome is surrounded on three sides by Esclanate and is close to a standstone structure that will still bring a smile to your face after enduring the 11 mile washboard road to get there. It’s called the Grosvenor Arch! The arch is actually two arches, which tower 150 feet above the ground. The largest arch is nearly 100 feet in diameter!
In 1949, the arch was named in honor of National Geographic Society president Gilbert Hovey Grosvenor, who became the first full-time editor of the National Geographic magazine.
I found a new happy place during this trip and if you go, I don’t think you’ll have to look too far for your own.
