Scenic Byway 12 by motorcycle
Byway 12 runs about 123 miles from US-89 just south of Panguitch to Torrey, near Capitol Reef (Highways & Byways). In one day it takes you past Bryce Canyon, through Escalante, along the Hogback ridge and over Boulder Mountain. This guide rides it west to east, the way you meet it coming from Zion.
The route at a glance
- Start: UT-12 at US-89, just south of Panguitch (Panguitch is 6 miles north on US-89)
- Finish: Torrey, at US-24, about 5 miles west of Capitol Reef National Park
- Distance: about 123 miles (Highways & Byways)
- Riding time: 3 to 4 hours without stops (estimate). Plan a full day.
- Best for: any road bike, with a rider who is comfortable on a narrow ridge with no shoulders.
Leg by leg
Mileages from Highways & Byways.
| Leg | Miles | What's there |
|---|---|---|
| US-89 to Cannonville | 27.1 | Red Canyon, the Route 63 turn to Bryce Canyon, Tropic |
| Cannonville to Escalante | 33.9 | Kodachrome Basin turn-off, Henrieville |
| Escalante to Boulder | 28.5 | Calf Creek, the Hogback |
| Boulder to Torrey | 36.3 | Anasazi State Park, Boulder Mountain |
Red Canyon and Bryce. The byway leaves US-89 through Red Canyon and passes the turn for Bryce Canyon: go south on Route 63 for the park (Highways & Byways). See Bryce Canyon by motorcycle for fees and the scenic drive.
Kodachrome Basin. From Cannonville, Kodachrome Road runs a little over 7 miles south to Kodachrome Basin State Park, which has bathrooms and showers (Highways & Byways). Worth the detour if you have time.
Escalante to Calf Creek. Past Escalante the road crosses the slickrock and drops to Calf Creek. The Lower Calf Creek Falls trail is 3 miles each way; give it at least three hours (Visit Utah).
The Hogback. From Calf Creek the road climbs about three miles onto the Hogback (Visit Utah), a ridge "just wide enough on top for the two lanes of Route 12," with no shoulders or guardrails and a long drop on both sides (Highways & Byways). Keep your speed down, hold your line, and use the pull-outs at the top for photos, not the lane. Expect crosswinds.
Boulder and Boulder Mountain. Anasazi State Park sits right on UT-12 in Boulder (Highways & Byways). From Boulder the road climbs about 30 miles across the eastern slope of Boulder Mountain, the stretch called Boulder Mountain Highway, before dropping into Torrey (Highways & Byways).
Tips
- Fuel: fill up before you leave the Bryce area and again in Escalante or Boulder. Between Escalante and Boulder the only stop is the Kiva Koffeehouse (Visit Utah).
- Altitude and weather: Boulder Mountain is high and much cooler than the desert below. Check road conditions in spring and fall.
- Wildlife and livestock: watch for deer and open-range cattle, especially near dusk.
- Rules: helmet law, eye protection and lane filtering are covered in Riding in Utah.
Extend it
- Start in Zion: Zion to Bryce brings you to the west end of the byway.
- The park at the Torrey end: Capitol Reef by motorcycle.
- Keep going to Capitol Reef and Moab: Moab to Bryce via Highways 24 and 12, ridden in reverse.
- Make it a week: the Mighty 5 by motorcycle.