Red Canyon Summit
The area surrounding Red Canyon summit is Bryce National
Park without the National Park part. Since the slope in
the Red Canyon area is shallower than in the Bryce
amphitheaters, conditions to form the thousands of candle
like rock sticks are not as optimal as in the park. But
the same general pink rock scenery lines both sides of the
summit. Another attraction is a 5 mile bikepath on the
western side. The summit contains an elevation sign, but
is otherwise totally unsummitlike. It is a bleak, windy
spot on a plateau masquerading as plain, near a grossly
overpriced grocery store in one direction, surrounded by
business sprawl, typical of the entrance point to a
national Park. Ignoring the immediate surroundings in
favor of the far horizon, this is also where Table Cliff
Plateau and Powell Point come first into view. These
landmarks continue as the central focus on Ut12 all the
way to Cannonville. The Red Canyon summit is not marked on
state maps.
picture
page of Red Canyon and sidetrip to Ferrytale Canyon
overlook
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1.(6720ft,mile00) START-END WEST:
junction US89 - Ut12
2.(7060ft,mile03) START-END WEST ALTERNATE Red
Canyon bicycle trailhead
3.(7774ft,mile08) summit sign
4.(7825ft,mile08) TOP: junction with paved road on
left to Antimony
5.(7610ft,mile14) junction with road on right to
Bryce National Park
6.(6300ft,mile22) START-END WEST ALTERNATE: Tropic
7.(5870ft,mile26) START-END WEST: Cannonville |
 Approaches
From West. The profile begins at the junction of
Ut12 and US85, where innumerable signs warn that this is the
last chance to consume a whole bunch of useless stuff (see
picture page). The bike path begins a couple of miles later at
the Thunder Mountain Trailhead. This is a nicely surfaced
bikepath (Sept/06), completely separate from the road,
although it is short. The bike path is a great vantage point
on red rock spires and the tourists, exiting their cars and
taking pictures of them. A particularly popular scenic spot is
between two short tunnels through fins of red rock, that seem
to be constructed just for the pure joy of tunneling. Snow
removal on the bike path is not a priority. In the spring the
path is covered with gravel, and the upper part with snow
drifts, making usage during one visit in late April
impractical. Unfortunately the bike path does not even reach
the summit. However UDOT was kind enough not to put rumble
strips next to the road, so that biking onwards to Bryce Park
on the shoulder does not automatically become life
threatening. The point of highest altitude is slightly
east of the summit sign.
From East. The approach is described in a downward
direction. The long flat summit contains business sprawl
customary for a US national park, ATV rentals, restaurant, gas
station, pony rides, an airport, all arranged in strip mall
fashion. The airport adds a touch of originality with a barn
as main structure. When the road gently curves and dips into
the Tropic Valley, the splendor of the scenery comes as a
shock after all the commercial garbage littering the road.
This side is a wide open series of red terraces. Traveling on
a bicycle is just about the only to register this quickly
enough to stop and appreciate it. The road gently descends
into deeper layers of dessert slopes until it crosses the
Paria River near Cannonville. Table Cliff Plateau is a
constant companion on the beautiful roll.
Sidetrip. Bryce
National Park is a mandatory sidetrip, especially on a first
time visit of the area. It is worth noting that the first
Bryce amphitheater, called Ferrytale Canyon, is inside the
park and outside of the pay area. The smaller parking lot is
emptier than areas inside the park and holds a few special
scenic surprises. It is my favorite area in the park. Or you
can pay 10$ in order to bike the rest of the parking lots
inside the park. Considering that you can get a whole RV of
people in for 20$, the national park service clearly
discourages cycling in national parks, and encourages
motorized visits.
Tours
Dayrides. (paved) A ride up Red Canyon can be
combined with a ride through Bryce National Park. As antidote
to the heavy tourist experience, there is also the option of
following a 108 mile paved loop ride ( overnight options are
also in Circleville or Panqueuitch ). If starting this loop
from Bryce Junction, Red Canyon is a great warmup for the day.
Once across the summit, where signs beckon to turn to Bryce
National Park, turn left instead, following a sign stating
"garbage dump 14 miles". This paved road, ever so
slightly descending, has so little traffic that it requires
self-sufficiency till Antimony. On my particular ride the
Antimony Merc served an exceedingly fast and large lunch.
(paved): an out and back ride from the beginning of the
bike path to the Fairytale Canyon overlook measured only 34
miles with 1800ft of climbing in 2:4 hours.
(unpaved+paved): A loop ride starting near the beginning of
the eastern approach of the F143
summit: Barney Top, crossing that summit, returning via
the eastern side of Red Canyon summit and Ut12
summit(u): Henrieville - Escalante, measured 88 miles with
6900ft of climbing in 7:4 hours. This ride stays east of the
Red Canyon summit sign, but includes all of the eastern
approach. (m3:06.09.26)
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