Moab to Bryce Canyon via Highways 24 and 12
If you only ride one road in Utah, make it this one. It links two national parks, crosses Capitol Reef, climbs over Boulder Mountain and runs the Hogback ridge on Scenic Byway 12. Ride it in either direction.
The route at a glance
- Start: Moab
- Roads: US-191 north to I-70, I-70 west, UT-24 southwest through Hanksville and Capitol Reef to Torrey, then UT-12 (Scenic Byway 12) south over Boulder Mountain to Boulder, Escalante and Bryce Canyon
- Distance: about 270 miles (estimate; check your map app)
- Riding time: 5 to 6 hours without stops (estimate). Best as two days with a night in Torrey, Boulder or Escalante.
- Best for: touring, cruiser and adventure bikes. All paved.
The ride, section by section
Moab to Hanksville. Fast desert miles. Fuel up in Moab and again in Green River or Hanksville: after that, stations get scarce.
Capitol Reef on UT-24. The highway runs through the park along the Fremont River. Torrey sits about 9 miles west of the park (Visit Utah) and makes a good overnight stop.
Scenic Byway 12. The whole byway is about 124 miles and ranges from 5,223 to 9,636 feet (Visit Utah). From Torrey it climbs Boulder Mountain through aspen and pine past the Homestead Overlook at 9,400 feet, then drops into Boulder.
The Hogback. Between Boulder and Escalante the road runs along a narrow ridge with steep drops on both sides and scenic pull-offs at the top (Visit Utah). Keep your speed down and your line tidy. Crosswinds happen here.
Escalante to Bryce. About 48 miles through Bryce Valley and Dixie National Forest to the park (Visit Utah). Escalante is the gateway to Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
Tips
- Cell service is spotty in Capitol Reef (Visit Utah). Download offline maps before you leave Moab.
- Altitude: you go from desert to over 9,000 feet. Drink water and take breaks.
- Heat: desert sections get hot in summer. Leave Moab early.
- Season: Boulder Mountain is high. Check road conditions in spring and fall before committing.
- Arches first? Arches does not need a timed-entry reservation in 2026; you still need an entrance pass (TownLift, Feb 2026).
- Rules: see Riding in Utah.
Connect it
- Coming from Salt Lake? Start with SLC to Moab.
- Finish at Bryce and drop to Zion: Zion to Bryce, ridden in reverse.
- The full week: the Mighty 5 by motorcycle.