Some roads are famous for the scenery through which they traverse, and some are famous for the unique nature of the roads themselves. There is a 100-mile southeastern Utah motorcycle ride that embodies both. This ride has been on my bucket list for a long time, and it’s 80% pavement and 20% dirt.
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My night’s sleep at the quaint and spotless Stone Lizard Lodge in Blanding was deep and comfortable. A ride from Blanding to Mexican Hat is normally an easy 50-minute trip due south on pavement. However, this alternate route is a circuitous adventure ride that takes half a day or more.
Just south of Blanding, I turned west on State Route 95, a designated scenic byway also known as the Bicentennial Highway. The terrain was alive with a beautiful mix of piñon pine and juniper trees as I wound through sweeping corners, with portions of the road cutting through colorful sandstone.
When I passed a sign for Mule Canyon Ruin, I made an unplanned stop at the Anasazi Indian structure, which dates to A.D. 750 and is an easy exploration even in motorcycle boots. Mule Canyon was preserved and protected when SR-95 was constructed in the 1970s, and archaeologists later excavated and restored the site.
Next, I visited Natural Bridges National Monument (entry fee required), where I followed the nine-mile, one-way loop that connects the three natural bridges, which are named Kachina, Owachomo, and Sipapu in honor of the Ancestral Puebloans. The overlooks provide good views of the bridges, and each one is spectacular.
The ride so far had been fantastic, but I was heading out on the leg that had intrigued me for years: State Route 261, a beautiful, mostly paved 31-mile portion of the Trail of the Ancients. The Moki Dugway – three miles of unpaved switchbacks that descend at an 11% grade – had me buzzing with anticipation.
After miles of undulating pavement, a sign warned of the steep descent to come. When I approached the crest of the dugway, the view from atop Cedar Mesa was stunning, a full panorama of the hues and textures of the Southwestern desert.
The dugway must be ridden with focus, patience, and care. The road clings to the cliff face through a series of hairpins. Traversing the serpentine descent, I was impressed by the engineering and construction prowess that created this pass. When ridden with due respect, it is a safe yet thrilling ride.
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Thankfully, the fun was not over. In no time, I arrived at Valley of the Gods Road (San Juan County Road 242), a 17-mile dirt loop that leads to the feet of sandstone gods.
The dirt road started off well-graded as I passed a little bed-and-breakfast at the beginning of the loop, but soon it began to cut through sand washes. After a few miles, red rock spires began to emerge on the landscape. These smaller gods were a warm-up to the massive deities that were to come.
As I rolled to the northeast, the monoliths became more massive and imposing. The gods were holding court in impressive fashion at the midpoint of the loop. I made frequent stops to take in the grandiosity of the scene.
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With the loop all to myself, I got lulled into a faster pace than I realized. Soon I hit a long, deep sand wash, and I wallowed and flailed in snake-like fashion until I made it to the other side unscathed, albeit humbled and more wary.
I finished the loop and returned to pavement on U.S. Route 163. Within a few miles, I stopped at Mexican Hat, a 60-foot-wide sandstone boulder that sits precariously as a testament to the erosive powers of water and wind, before continuing to the town of the same name.
I ended my day in the rustic, clean, and friendly San Juan Inn on the banks of the San Juan River. Sitting at the inn’s Olde Bridge Grille while admiring the arched bridge spanning the river, I reflected on the off-the-beaten-path ride that proved to be all that I had hoped. The next day, I’d ride through Monument Valley, one of the West’s most iconic places, on my way home to Arizona.
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Southern Utah Motorcycle Ride Resources
- Utah Tourism
- Blanding
- Natural Bridges National Monument
- Valley of the Gods
- Stone Lizard Lodge
- San Juan Inn
Tim Kessel’s passion for motorcycles started with his first ride on a homemade minibike as a young boy. That same childlike excitement still drives his passion to ride and to write about the unbridled joy and the adventures that motorcycling brings.
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