To kick off the Hells Backbone Norton Rally there will be two rides to Torrey-a pre-rally ride on Monday July 16th and the the same route again on Wednesday July 18th. Bruce will lead the ride down on Monday and Rod the one on Wednesday.
This is not a ride for the weak.
The 375+ mile ride covers
11 Mountain Passes
12 Lakes
28 Canyons (draws or washes)
The ride starts in Park City and ends at the Thousand Lakes Camp Ground.
As the crow flies Park City is only 162 mi. from Torrey.
This ride covers some of the best roads in Utah.
One of the roads is in the top five sports car roads in the U.S.,
and in my book the top three best motorcycle roads in Utah
To go on this ride first you have to let us know.
Second the rider must be up to it.
Third the equipment must up to it.
The equipment you can work on.
The rider should be above average and be able to maintain 55 mph including stops on twisty two lane roads for 6.5 to 7.5 hours.
There are some cutoffs to shorten the ride and a chase truck but if you use one of these you will miss some of the best riding in the state.
If this sounds good to you, give us call.
Bruce (801)652-8431 - Monday's Ride-July 16th
Rod (801) 261-2856 - Wednesday's Ride-July 18th
The R & B ride on July 18th will meet at 8:30 a.m. at Phillips 66 in Kamas, Utah. We will depart at 9:00 a.m. SHARP!
R&B Tour to Torrey Map (For a large hi-resolution version to print, Click Here!)
R&B Tour to Torrey Notes
Start date: July 16th, 2007
Where: Park City Utah Time: TBA
East on State Rd. 248 Kearns Blvd.
St. Rd. 195 Browns Canyon Jordanelle Resevoir
Mountain Meadows
Browns Canyon
South on State Rd. 32 Weber River Valley
Peoa
Oakley
Marion
Short stop Kamas 200 s. Phillips 66
South on State Rd. 32 Francis
Spring Hollow Rd. straight through light
East on Lower River Rd.
East on State Rd. 35 Woodland Provo River Valley
Wolf Creek Pass South Fork Provo River.
Wolf Creek Summit
Wolf Creek
Duchesne River
Stop Breakfast Hanna
South on State Rd. 35 Tabiona
Utahn
South on State Rd. 87 Duchesne Turns into 2100 W.
West on Main St.
South on 100 W. Pause Regroup Turns into US Hwy. 191
(Indian Canyon)
Left fork Indian Canyon
Reservation Ridge
Willow Creek
Castle Gate Mine
South on US Hwy. 6 Helper
West on North Main
Stop Holiday Oil Gas and a rest
North on US Hwy. 6 Price Canyon
Colton
West on State Rd. 96 Pause Regroup Spring Canyon
Dry Valley
Scofield Resevoir
Scofield Mud Creek
West on State Rd. 264 Eccles Canyon
Skyline mine & conveyor
Upper Huntington Creek
Upper Electric Lake
Flat Canyon
Gooseberry Creek
Stop Skyline Drive rest
South on State Hwy. 31 Left Fork Huntington Cr. Huntington Canyon
Huntington
South on Main St.Hwy.10
Stop Harts gas Station
South on Main St.Hwy.10 Hot, Long, Boring
Castle Dale
Clawson
Ferron
Emery South on 300 E. Pause Regroup
Country Rd. 912 Miller Canyon
West I-70 Douglas Valley Wash
Ivy Creek Bench
Exit State Hwy. 72
Stop under the overpass in the shade to rehydrate!
South on State Hwy. 72 Freemont Junction
Pass Hollow
Round Spring Draw
Last Chance Creek
Hogan's Pass
Fox Bench
State Hwy 25 Pause Regroup Plat Canyon Road
Fremont River
Stop Fish Lake Lodge Dinner Fish Lake
East State Hwy. 25
South on State Hwy. 72 Fremont
East on State Hwy. 24 Lyman
Bicknell
Thousand Lakes Campground in Torrey, Utah
375+ Miles
11 Passes
12 Lakes
28 Canyons
Ride departs from Rally Headquarters on Wednesday July 18th @ 10:00 am
Total miles: It is 65 miles to Boulder, 55 of which is unpaved. The paved road back is 33 miles.
Ride organizer: Steeve Seely: Stephenskilly@cs.com
Hell's Backbone Off-Road Map (For a large hi-res. map with notes to print, Click Here!)
Hell’s Backbone Off-Road Tour Notes
Start date: July 18th, 2007
Where: Rally Headquarters Time: 10:00am
Riders meeting at 9:30. Sign-up ends at this time.
- From the campground, head west on SR 24.
- Turn left at mile 3.5 on to paved road at the wild life viewing sign.
- Proceed 3.5 miles up paved road to Boulder Top - Escalante sign, where dirt road starts (Posy Lake Road #154).
- At mile 22.8 stop for a short rest at Roundy Reservoir.
- Pass Cyclone Lake at mile 28. Nice area but keep going.
- Junction to Hell's Backbone - stay left on road #153.
- Stop at Hell's Backbone Bridge at mile 43.7.
- Intersect SR 12 at mile 57. Turn left and go 3 more miles to Boulder. Gas and food. Tour ends here.
- It is 33 miles along SR 12 back to the campground in Torrey.
Ride departs from Rally Headquarters on Thrusday, July 19th @ 10:00 am
Total miles: 135 (93 miles to gas.) Fill tank!
Ride organizer: Bob Jones: bobjones@kindacool.com
Fish Lake Ride Map (For a large hi-resolution map with notes to print, Click Here!)
Fish Lake Ride Notes
Start date: July 19th, 2007
Where: Rally Headquarters Time: 10:00am
Note: 93 miles to gas – fill tank!
- Depart Rally Headquarters(1)and head west on SR 24.
- Turn right (2) on unmarked road at 13.5 miles into ride,about halfway between Lyman and Loa. One mile later intersect SR 72 and continue straight to stay on SR 72.
- Stop at overlook (3) approximately 31 miles into ride.
- Stop at Fremont Junction(47 miles into ride),the end of SR 72 (4). After stop, reverse route on SR 72 and proceed back to the turnoff for Fish Lake.
- Turn right on CR 3268 (5) toward Fish Lake, 71 miles into ride. Road designation changes several times and ends up as SR 25.
- Stop at Fish Lake Lodge (6), approx. 93 miles into ride. Food and gas (no premium) is available here if desired, although a lunch stop is not part of the scheduled ride and group reservations have not been arranged.
Note: There are two options for returning to Rally Headquarters:
- Reverse route on SR 25 until it intersects with SR 72 (7), then proceed on SR 72 and SR 24 back to Rally Headquarters (8). This is the most scenic route–total ride 135 miles.
- An optional route is to proceed on past the Fish Lake Lodge on SR 25 until it intersects with SR 24,and turn left on SR 24 and follow it back to Rally Headquarters - total ride 128 miles.
The ride from Torrey to Escalante departs Friday @ 9:00 am
Lunch is currently being arranged-cost yet to be determined.
Rest stop-regroup at scenic turnouts and at Burr Trail Grill in Boulder.
Ride at you own pace.
Ride organizer: Greg Fullmer: greg@pohlusa.com
Driving Directions
1. Start out going EAST on UT-24/E MAIN ST toward 200 ST E. (0.88 miles)
2. Turn RIGHT onto UT-12. (63.71 miles)
3. End at Escalante, UT US
Total Estimated Time: 1 hour, 27 minutes
Total Distance: 64.60 miles
July 20th ride map. (For a detailed version, Click Here!)
Friday, July 20th Ride Highlights
Torrey
Torrey is one of the gateways to Scenic Byway 12 and also a gateway to Capitol Reef National Park. The town was settled in the 1880s and named Torrey with the opening of the Post Office in 1898.
Larb Hollow Overlook
Here you will find interpretive wayside panels and views to the three peaks of the Henry Mountains, Navajo Mountain near the Arizona border and across the Waterpocket Fold in Capitol Reef National Park.
Steep Creek Overlook
Here you have another breathtaking view of more than 100 miles on a clear day. Boulder Mountain is a recreation area for all outdoorsmen. This "Land a One Thousand Lakes" is a sportsman's dream with many secluded mountain lakes and streams supporting rainbow and brook trout.
Homestead Overlook
As Scenic Byway 12 climbs and traverses Boulder Mountain you travel a roadway that was paved as recently as 1985. Homestead Overlook treats you to breathtaking vistas from Capitol Reef to Navajo Mountain.
Boulder
The town of Boulder was settled in 1889, and was the last town in the United States to receive mail by mule. The milk and cream carried by the mules on the way to Escalante often turned to butter on the rough road. Stockmen seeking green summer pastures found the area on the south side of Boulder Mountain a desirable location and eventually some of them made Boulder their year-round home.
Anasazi State Park Museum
Visitors to Anasazi State Park Museum will go back in time to 1050 A.D. when the Fremont and Kayenta Anasazi occupied the area. An estimated 200 people lived here, making it one of the largest Anasazi communities west of the Colorado River. Take a self-guided tour through the partially excavated village and visit the museum to view the artifacts and exhibits.
Boulder Overlook
This is a terrific place to view the lay of the land around the town of Boulder. There is an interpretive panel that outlines the history of Boulder's settlement.
The Hogsback
The Hog Back gets its descriptive name from the narrow section of Scenic Byway 12 that winds along the narrow ridge between Calf Creek and Boulder Creek reaching the brink of New Home Bench before descending to Haymaker Bench and Calf Creek Campground. From the pullout at The Hog Back you can enjoy the sweeping views of the surrounding sandstone "slickrock" country before continuing.
Calf Creek Recreation Area
This Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument facility is a perfect place to wade in the creek, have a picnic, or take the six-mile round-trip hike to the Lower Calf Creek Falls. The sandy trail ends at the 126-foot waterfall and an enchanting grotto with a deep pool surrounded by shade trees.
Boynton Overlook
Departing The Hog Back you descend to the banks of Calf Creek and follow its course toward its confluence with the Escalante River. As you cross the Escalante River Bridge, take in the absolute remote nature of where you are. The Escalante carves its way to the Colorado River through the last region of the Untied States to be mapped. The presence of water here has enticed both humans and wildlife for centuries. The Native Americans that moved through the canyons many years ago left evidence of their presence through rock art, ruins, and handmade tools and pots they left behind. Today, visitors with the time and interest to find their way into the canyons will witness this marvelous legacy.
Head of the Rocks Overlook
Also known as the "Million Dollar Road," this section of Scenic Byway 12 was completed in 1940 and finally paved in 1971. The Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC), established by President Roosevelt in 1933, was largely responsible for cutting the roadway through this sandstone wilderness. The "CCC boys" spent five years on the project that established the first, year-round access to the town of Boulder.
Hole-in-the-Rock Wayside
In 1880 Mormon settlers seeking a shortcut to the San Juan region of southeastern Utah passed 57 miles through the Escalante Desert to the south along the foot of 50 Mile Mountain where they encountered a 1,200 cliff above the Colorado River. Undaunted and unwilling to go back the party moved rocks and essentially carved a route to the river in order to lower their wagons to the canyon floor. Though their passage was deemed successful, their route was never followed again.
Escalante
Escalante was settled in 1875 in an area know at the time as Potato Valley. In that year Almon Harris Thompson was exploring the Kaiparowits Plateau and the Escalante Basin. While camped on Pine Creek just below the current town site, Thompson met some members of the Church of Jesus Christ from Panguitch and he suggested that they call their new town Escalante in honor of Father Dominguez Escalante who passed through parts of what is now southern Utah in search of a route from Santa Fe to California.
The Escalante Interagency Visitor Center offers a wealth of information from each of the land management agencies in the region. The Center explores the critical role that science plays in understanding ecological and biological resources. The site also provides travel tips, visitor orientation, and safety information.
Escalante Petrified Forest State Park is located one mile west of Scenic Byway 12. Visitors to the park may want to fish or swim in Wide Hollow Reservoir (also the Escalante Irrigation Company's pond) or examine 160 million-year-old petrified wood. An interpretive trail winds through the nearby foothills providing information on the mineralized wood and dinosaur bones in the area.
To view the Highway 12 highlights from above with pictures, go to the following link: Byways.org Scenich Byway 12
The ride into Capitol Reef National Park leaves @ 9:30 am
Rest stop-regroup at scenic turnouts as desired.
Ride at you own pace.
Ride organizer: Bob Jones: bobjones@kindacool.com
Driving Directions
- Turn right out of campground westbound onto SR 24
- Approx 1 mile turn left on diagonal road to Teasdale. Go to and through the little town of Teasdale.
- Turn left onto SR 117 at junction. Follow SR 117 approx. 6.5 miles to junction with SR 12.
- Turn left on SR 12 - follow it approx 4.8 miles to intersection of SR24.
- Turn right on SR 24 and follow into Capitol Reef National Park. Stop at scenic turnouts as desired.
Stop at Visitor Center and explore Fruita area. Options: Take Scenic Drive out and back, or
continue on SR 24 through the rest of Capitol Reef National Park, and reverse route back toward
Visitor Center at anytime.
- Take SR 24 back to Torrey for lunch on your own,or return to campground and Rally Headquarters.
Basic route shown to Fruita and return is 38 miles.
