The Energy Loop by motorcycle
A National Scenic Byway over the Wasatch Plateau in the Manti-La Sal National Forest, named for the coal country on its east side (Recreation.gov). It starts on US-89 in Fairview, climbs Fairview Canyon, and splits at the top: one branch drops down Huntington Canyon to Huntington, the other runs through Eccles Canyon and Scofield to US-6 (Wikipedia).
The route at a glance
- Roads: SR-31, SR-264 and SR-96, all part of the byway (Wikipedia).
- Start: US-89 in Fairview. Ends: SR-10 in Huntington (south branch) or US-6 near Colton (north branch) (Wikipedia).
- Length: about 83 miles for the whole byway (Wikipedia). Fairview to Huntington on SR-31 is about 48 miles (Wikipedia SR-31). Fairview to US-6 by the north branch is about 44 miles by the mileposts (8.6 on SR-31, 15.4 on SR-264, then SR-96 from milepost 3.0 to 22.8) (Wikipedia SR-31; SR-264; SR-96).
- Height: out of Fairview Canyon at about 8,800 ft; the south branch climbs above 9,600 ft (Wikipedia). Recreation.gov puts the byway at about 10,000 ft (Recreation.gov).
- Time: about an hour for Fairview to Huntington (Utah.com). Allow half a day to ride both branches.
- Fees: none of our sources list a fee for the road.
Mileposts
| Road | Milepost | Place |
|---|---|---|
| SR-31 | 0.0 | Fairview, US-89 |
| SR-31 | 8.6 | Top of Fairview Canyon: SR-264 splits off to Scofield |
| SR-31 | 47.7 | Huntington, SR-10 toward Castle Dale and Price |
| SR-264 | 0.0 to 15.4 | SR-31 to SR-96, through Upper Huntington and Eccles Canyons |
| SR-96 | 3.0 | SR-264 meets SR-96 near Clear Creek |
| SR-96 | 22.8 | US-6, south of Soldier Summit |
Mileposts from Wikipedia: SR-31, SR-264, SR-96.
Fairview to the split
SR-31 leaves US-89 in Fairview and follows Cottonwood Creek up Fairview Canyon to the top of the plateau (Wikipedia). The SR-264 junction is at milepost 8.6 (Wikipedia SR-31).
South branch: Huntington Canyon (SR-31)
The road climbs above 9,600 ft past Huntington and Cleveland Reservoirs, turns toward Electric Lake, then follows Huntington Creek down the canyon to Huntington (Wikipedia). Electric Lake was made in 1976, and the old road through that stretch is now under the water (Wikipedia SR-31). Huntington State Park is about a mile from the end of the canyon (Wikipedia). The byway passes coal mines and coal-fired power plants on this side of the plateau (Recreation.gov).
North branch: Eccles Canyon and Scofield (SR-264, SR-96)
SR-264 heads east to the north end of Electric Lake, climbs Upper Huntington Canyon, then follows Eccles Creek down Eccles Canyon (Wikipedia), past working coal mines (Utah.com). It meets SR-96 near Clear Creek (Wikipedia SR-264). SR-96 runs north through the town of Scofield, along the west shore of Scofield Reservoir and over the dam, and on to US-6 (Wikipedia SR-96). Scofield State Park is on the reservoir (Wikipedia).
Before you ride
- Fuel: none of our sources list fuel on the plateau. Fill up in Fairview or Huntington before you climb.
- Weather: this is a road at 8,800 to over 9,600 ft. Utah.com calls it open year-round (Utah.com), but expect cold and snow outside summer. Check UDOT road conditions before you go.
- Trucks: the byway serves working coal mines; expect heavy trucks on the canyon grades.
- Wildlife: slow down at dawn and dusk.
- Rules for visiting riders (helmets, eye protection, lane filtering): Riding in Utah.
Join it up
- From the Sanpete Valley: the byway starts on US-89 in Fairview. Utah's Heritage Highway.
- On to Price and Indian Canyon: from Huntington, SR-10 runs toward Price (Wikipedia SR-31); from the north end, US-6 heads east to Helper. Indian Canyon.
- South to the Swell: SR-10 south through Castle Dale (Wikipedia SR-31) meets I-70 at exit 91 (Wikipedia I-70 in Utah). San Rafael Swell.
Rent a bike
Booking opens soon. Until then, use the ride guides to plan your trip.