Patchwork Parkway by motorcycle
The high road between I-15 and Bryce. State Route 143 leaves I-15 at Parowan, climbs onto the Markagunt Plateau past Brian Head and the edge of Cedar Breaks, rounds Panguitch Lake and drops to US-89 in Panguitch (Recreation.gov). It is a National Forest Scenic Byway, Utah's Patchwork Parkway, and the second-highest paved road in Utah after the Mirror Lake Highway (Wikipedia SR-143).
The route at a glance
- Start: I-15 exit 75 at Parowan. End: US-89 (Center Street) in Panguitch (Wikipedia SR-143).
- Length: about 51 miles by the mileposts (Wikipedia SR-143).
- Top: 10,626 ft near Cedar Breaks, where the road turns east (Wikipedia SR-143).
- The climb: Parowan Canyon gains about 4,400 ft in under 10 miles (Recreation.gov), with grades up to 13% in places (Wikipedia SR-143).
- Time: about 1.5 hours one way without stops (estimate).
Parowan to Panguitch
Parowan Canyon. East out of Parowan, a pioneer town with many 19th-century buildings (Recreation.gov), the road climbs hard. RVs and semi trucks are not recommended on this stretch (Wikipedia SR-143), so expect less big traffic than on the highways around it. Take the switchbacks in a low gear and watch for gravel in the corners.
Brian Head. At the top of the canyon, nearly 10,000 ft up, is Brian Head, Utah's highest town and ski resort (Wikipedia SR-143; Recreation.gov).
Cedar Breaks junction. At milepost 19.2 the road meets UT-148, the road along the rim of Cedar Breaks National Monument (Wikipedia SR-143). The amphitheater is 2,000 ft deep (Recreation.gov). UT-148 is seasonal and the monument charges a fee: see Cedar City and Cedar Breaks.
"Little Ireland" and the lava. East of the high point the road crosses about 12 miles of alpine meadows locals call Little Ireland, past lava flows only a few thousand years old (Recreation.gov).
Panguitch Lake. A big mountain lake known for fishing; the road runs around its south and east sides (Recreation.gov; Wikipedia SR-143).
South Canyon to Panguitch. The last 18 miles drop through South Canyon in the Dixie National Forest into Panguitch, whose whole original townsite is on the National Register of Historic Places (Recreation.gov).
Before you ride
- It is cold up top. The road spends miles near 10,000 ft. Bring a warm layer and rain gear even in summer.
- Season: the plateau gets real snow (Brian Head is a ski town). Check UDOT road conditions before riding it in spring or fall.
- Fuel: fill up in Parowan or Panguitch. Check what is open in Brian Head before counting on fuel there.
- Grades: up to 13% (Wikipedia SR-143). Check your brakes before the descent, especially riding two-up.
- Night riding: the plateau has some of the darkest skies in the country (Recreation.gov). That also means no lights on the road and deer after dark: ride it in daylight.
- Rules for visiting riders (helmets, eye protection, lane filtering): Riding in Utah.
Keep going
- Bryce Canyon is about 25 miles from Panguitch (Wikipedia SR-143): Bryce Canyon by motorcycle.
- South to Zion on US-89: Zion to Bryce, ridden in reverse.
- Make a loop from Cedar City: UT-14 east, UT-148 north through Cedar Breaks, then SR-143 down to Parowan and I-15 back south. Cedar City and Cedar Breaks.
Rent a bike
Booking opens soon. Until then, use the ride guides to plan your trip.