Past Long Canyon, the Burr Trail Road enters a stretch of desert that is characterized by sweeping vistas and rich red earth.
However, had we done our research properly before visiting, we would have planned for a short 0.3 mile hike through Singing Canyon. While we stopped frequently for photos, Dan and I didn’t have time to explore the area on foot. Hidden within these towering walls are narrow slot canyons suitable for hiking detours. In the fall, splashes of yellow accentuate its Sedona-like shades of orange and green.įor seven miles, red sandstone cliffs rise steeply on either side of the road. The Long Canyon is a scenic stretch of the Burr Trail that features spectacular red rock scenery speckled with dark green juniper trees. Though our drive only afforded us a sampling of the monument’s vast riches, it allowed us to experience a slice of its colorful desert magic. On our drive along the Burr Trail, Dan and I had the opportunity to travel across a small portion of Grand Staircase-Escalante. Due to its remote location and rugged landscape, the monument was one of the last charted places in the continental United States. It is a diverse geologic treasure speckled with monoliths, slot canyons, natural bridges, and painted dune-like hills. The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument spans nearly one million acres of America’s public lands. Though Dan and I began our exploration of the Burr Trail in Capitol Reef, this post documents the area’s attractions from west to east.īURR TRAIL IN GRAND STAIRCASE-ESCALANTE NATIONAL MONUMENT (Map of the Burr Trail Road Courtesy of the National Parks Service Website) The third, is a ribbon of pavement then connects the national park’s Waterpocket District with the Bullfrog Marina on Lake Powell. The second, is a rough-and-tumble gravel road that cuts across the Waterpocket Fold in Capitol Reef National Park. The first section of the Burr Trail Road is a paved route that traverses the northeastern corner of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. It contains a gas station, a few dining options, and the route’s only hotels.įrom Boulder, the road continues eastward through three areas that-while connected-are largely independent from one another. The town of Boulder is a small outpost that lies within Anasazi State Park, along Utah’s Highway 12. Most travelers begin their Burr Trail road trips in Boulder. Eager to witness parts of Grand Staircase-Escalante, we heeded its advice.Īnd in doing so, we had the opportunity to soak in some of southern Utah’s most spellbinding desertscapes. Google Maps suggested we follow the Burr Trail Road to Boulder, instead of backtracking along the Strike Valley. After exploring the lower reaches of Capitol Reef’s Waterpocket Fold, we found ourselves racing the clock in order to catch a flight back to Seattle. The Burr Trail Road boasts a remarkable number of breathtaking attractions-including slot canyons, scenic viewpoints, and lonely offshoot roads that traverse juniper-laden desert.ĭan and I stumbled across the Burr Trail by accident.
Along the way, it passes through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Capitol Reef National Park, and the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The road extends for 66 miles, from the town of Boulder, to the Bullfrog Marina on Lake Powell. The Burr Trail Road is a lightly-traveled backway that winds through dramatic portions of southern Utah. The cattle trail later became known as the Burr Trail.Īnd today, the spectacular route is a scenic backway that showcases the majesty of Utah’s red rock country. In order to move his cattle to greener pastures, he created a pathway that cut through the area’s barren desert and Waterpocket Fold. John Burr was a 19th century Mormon settler who grew up in this rugged and formidable backcountry. A place where signs of life abound, despite the odds. A place synonymous with the American West. It is a place that beckons to explorers and adventure-seekers. Southern Utah’s desolate swath of desert features towering rock spires, chiseled canyons, and lonely dirt roads.
0 kommentar(er)
