Bicycling America's National Parks: Utah and Colorado The Best Road and Trail Rides from the Canyonlands to Rocky Mountain National Park

by Alley, Sarah Bennett; Coello, Dennis

• ISBN13: 9780881504262
• ISBN10: 0881504262
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2000-08-17
• Publisher: Countryman Press

Summary

In recent years the Rocky Mountain West has become one of the nation's most popular destinations for road and mountain bikers. The national parks in the area, long known for their dramatic scenery and wildness, offer bicyclists unparalleled opportunities to enjoy their sport in the rugged beauty of Colorado's mountains and the sculpted sandstone of Utah's canyons. Reading like a lineup of the most prized biking destinations, this guide features rides in Arches, Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Rocky Mountain National Parks. In addition, Alley introduces her readers to lesser known destinations such as Dinosaur National Monument, the Great Sand Dunes, Natural Bridges National Monument, and Timpanogos Cave--all places with outstanding rides and stories that tell about our past. Whether guiding bikers along old frontier trails, up mountains on rugged dirt tracks, or along the miles of slickrock in the Canyonlands, Alley offers something for all riders. Tours range in length from a short spin to over 100 miles. Each ride description includes a detailed map, tour directions, information about the trail or road surface, sites you'll see along the way, and the length and difficulty of the ride. In addition, a trip-planning appendix for each park tells you where to stay or camp, do your laundry, eat, buy supplies, and repair or rent a bike.

Table of Contents

Foreword	17	(2)
Dennis Coello
Introduction	19	(10)
Part One UTAH	29	(258)
Arches National Park	30	(27)
Arches Tour--Main Park Road	33	(3)
Tower Arch	36	(2)
Courthouse Wash	38	(4)
Gemini Bridges	42	(2)
Monitor and Merrimac Buttes	44	(5)
Slickrock Trail	49	(8)
Bryce Canyon National Park	57	(26)
Bryce Point	60	(3)
Rainbow Point	63	(3)
Daves Hollow	66	(2)
Sunset Cliffs Loop	68	(3)
Casto Canyon	71	(3)
Red Canyon	74	(2)
Powell Point	76	(7)
Canyonlands National Park	83	(34)
Upheaval Dome	86	(3)
Grand View Point	89	(2)
White Rim Trail	91	(6)
Colorado River Overlook	97	(3)
Confluence Overlook	100	(4)
Panorama Point	104	(4)
Horseshoe Canyon	108	(9)
Capitol Reef National Park	117	(24)
Fremont River Canyon--Highway 24	120	(4)
Capitol Reef Scenic Drive	124	(3)
South Draw Wash	127	(2)
Pleasant Creek--South Draw Wash	129	(4)
Cathedral Valley Loop	133	(8)
Cedar Breaks National Monument	141	(26)
Cedar Breaks Scenic Drive	143	(4)
Twisted Forest--High Mountain	147	(3)
Blowhard Mountain	150	(3)
Brian Head Town Trail	153	(3)
Pioneer Cabins Loop	156	(2)
Brian Head Resort Mountain Bike Park	158	(9)
Golden Spike National Historic Site	167	(19)
East Grade Tour	170	(2)
Big Fill Trail	172	(5)
West Grade Tour	177	(2)
Promontory Point Road	179	(7)
Grand Staircase--Escalante National Monument	186	(26)
Paria Canyon Movie Set and Ghost Town of Pahreah	189	(3)
Kodachrome Basin State Park	192	(3)
Cottonwood Canyon Road	195	(2)
Johnson Canyon--Skutumpah Road	197	(4)
Wolverine Loop Road	201	(3)
Hole-in-the-Rock Road	204	(8)
Natural Bridges National Monument	212	(18)
Bridge View Drive	215	(3)
Burch Canyon-Deer Flat Road	218	(3)
Bears Ears to Woodenshoe Buttes	221	(3)
Fry Canyon	224	(6)
Timpanogos Cave National Monument	230	(23)
American Fork Canyon Road to Dutchman Flat	232	(4)
Silver Lake Flat Reservoir	236	(1)
Ridge Trail--Tibble Fork Loop	237	(5)
Timpooneke Road--Great Western Trail	242	(4)
Alpine Scenic Loop	246	(7)
Zion National Park	253	(34)
Pa'rus Trail	255	(3)
Zion Canyon	258	(5)
Kolob Canyons Viewpoint	263	(3)
Kolob Terrace to Kolob Reservoir	266	(4)
Grafton Ghost Town	270	(2)
The JEM Loop	272	(3)
Gooseberry Mesa	275	(12)
Part Two COLORADO	287	(192)
Bent's Old Fort National Historic Site	288	(16)
The Santa Fe Trail--Highway 194	291	(4)
Comanche National Grassland Tour	295	(3)
Picket Wire Canyonlands	298	(6)
Black Canyon Of The Gunnison National Park	304	(20)
South Rim Drive	306	(3)
North Rim Road	309	(2)
East Portal Road	311	(2)
High Mesa Loop	313	(3)
Dry Creek Loop	316	(2)
Crystal Creek Loop	318	(6)
Colorado National Monument	324	(19)
Rim Rock Drive	326	(3)
Monument Loop	329	(3)
Black Ridge	332	(2)
Riverfront Trail System	334	(2)
Marys Loop	336	(7)
Curecanti National Recreation Area	343	(18)
US 50-Elk Creek to Blue Mesa Dam	345	(3)
Black Mesa	348	(3)
Beaver Creek	351	(2)
Soap Creek Road	353	(2)
Hartman Rocks Loop	355	(6)
Dinosaur National Monument	361	(21)
Cub Creek Road	364	(3)
Harpers Corner Road	367	(3)
Echo Park	370	(4)
Yampa Bench Road	374	(8)
Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument	382	(17)
Twin Rock Loop	384	(3)
Elk Meadow to Cheesman Ranch	387	(2)
Horsethief Park	389	(3)
Florissant to Cripple Creek	392	(7)
Great Sand Dunes National Monument	399	(13)
Medano Pass Road	401	(3)
San Luis Lakes	404	(3)
Zapata Falls	407	(5)
Hovenweep National Monument	412	(15)
Horseshoe, Hackberry, and Holly Ruins Loop	415	(3)
Cutthroat Castle-Negro Canyon Loop	418	(9)
Mesa Verde National Park	427	(18)
Chapin Mesa--Mesa Verde National Park	430	(3)
Railroad Grade to Cherry Creek	433	(2)
Windy Gap	435	(2)
Cortez-Dolores-Mancos Loop	437	(1)
Cannonball Mesa	438	(7)
Rocky Mountain National Park	445	(34)
Old Fall River Road	449	(4)
Bear Lake Road	453	(3)
Kawuneeche Valley Road	456	(3)
House Rock	459	(3)
Big Elk Park-Lake Meadows	462	(1)
Drake Loop	463	(1)
Peak to Peak Highway	464	(3)
North Supply--South Supply Jeep Trail	467	(2)
Wolverine Trail	469	(10)
Index	479