Indian Canyon by motorcycle
The mountain shortcut between central and northeast Utah. US-191 leaves US-6 above Helper and climbs over the mountains to Duchesne on US-40; the state has named the Helper to Duchesne stretch the Indian Canyon Scenic Byway (Wikipedia US-191 in Utah). It follows an old trail between Price and Duchesne (Utah.com), and on a bike it joins our San Rafael Swell and Flaming Gorge guides into one route.
The route at a glance
- Start: the US-6 junction north of Helper. End: US-40 in Duchesne (Wikipedia US-191 in Utah).
- Length: about 43 miles by the mileposts (251.4 to 294.8) (Wikipedia US-191 in Utah). Other counts run from 43 to 47 miles depending on where they start (Utah.com; FHWA byways).
- Highest point: Indian Creek Pass, 9,100 ft (FHWA byways; Utah.com).
- Time: one to two hours (Visit Utah).
- Fees: none along the byway (FHWA byways).
Fuel
Helper and Price have all services and Duchesne has most (Visit Utah). None of our sources list fuel in the canyon itself, so fill up at either end.
Helper to Duchesne
Helper. A historic mining town in the Price River canyon (Utah.com), about 2 miles from the US-6 and US-191 junction. Its main stop is the Western Mining and Railroad Museum (Visit Utah).
Up Willow Creek. From US-6 the road climbs Willow Creek into Ashley National Forest, with views of the start of the Roan and Book Cliffs (Utah.com). This west side is the steeper one (Visit Utah).
Bamberger monument. About 7 miles below the summit on the Helper side, a monument to Simon Bamberger, Utah's first non-Mormon governor (Visit Utah).
Indian Creek Pass, 9,100 ft. On the way up, pinyon and juniper give way to aspen and Douglas fir, and elk and deer are often seen (FHWA byways). The Reservation Ridge backway near the pass is dirt, single lane, four-wheel drive and closed November 15 to May 15 (Visit Utah): stay on the pavement on a road bike.
Down Indian Creek to Duchesne. The east side runs about 25 miles past ranches along Indian Creek; the last 3 to 4 miles below the pass are the steep part (Visit Utah). In Duchesne the visitor center is across from the US-191 turn, and the turn is easy to miss (Visit Utah).
Before you ride
- Grades: steep climbs on both sides; give it at least an hour (Utah.com).
- Wildlife: elk and deer are common (FHWA byways); ride slower at dawn and dusk.
- Weather: the pass is at 9,100 ft, so it can be cold or snowy when Price is warm. Check UDOT road conditions in spring and fall.
- Rules for visiting riders (helmets, eye protection, lane filtering): Riding in Utah.
Join it up
- From the south: come up from I-70 on US-6 and US-191 to Price. San Rafael Swell.
- From Salt Lake City: US-6 over Soldier Summit reaches the Helper junction, as in Salt Lake City to Moab.
- On to Flaming Gorge: from Duchesne, US-40 east is about 58 miles to Vernal by the mileposts (Wikipedia US-191 in Utah), where the Flaming Gorge guide starts.
- West over the Wasatch Plateau: US-6 toward Soldier Summit meets SR-96 to Scofield, the north end of the Energy Loop.
- Nine Mile Canyon side trip: from Price, the canyon road leaves US-6 about 2 miles past Wellington. Fuel in Wellington: there are no services for about 75 miles (Visit Utah). Check the road surface before taking a road bike.
Rent a bike
Booking opens soon. Until then, use the ride guides to plan your trip.