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View Full Version : Trip Report Red Canyon



theprof
06-02-2005, 07:51 AM
If you get the chance to ride Red Canyon, you guys should check it out. It's on the way to Bryce Canyon from Panguitch on SR-12 in the Dixie National Forest. Awesome trails down there: Thunder Mountain, Cassidy Trail, Losee & Casto Canyons, and more. Here's a couple of pics from the Memorial Day weekend - the trip report is copied from the general discussion thread:

Friday: Me and the GF headed out early friday afternoon with the Jeep loaded for bear and the bikes on back. Destination: Red Canyon. Set up camp, feasted on marinated chicken with a nice pasta side and a couple of dark beers, and had a relaxing evening.

Saturday: Got up and chowed on a bacon/egg breakfast, then headed out on the MTB to ride the Thunder Mountain trail. If you have never done this one, you need to add it to your list. I'd been before, but it was a first for the GF and she was blown away. Not horribly technical (some tight switchies and some nice grunts up the hills) but one of the most scenic trails in Utah. From the Coyote Hollow Trailhead, you first ride through the pine forest with hints of red rock - only to emerge through some hills into the hoodoo's of Red Canyon, where you bomb along some of the ridgelines and through more hoodoos & washes. Truly awesome. We then hooked up with some friends at camp, relaxed & chilled with some steaks on the BBQ, potatoes with about a pound of butter and garlic cooked in foil on the fire, and a few glasses of red wine. Spectacular!

Sunday: While friends & their kids did the paved bike trail and some hiking, we headed up Losee Canyon, then where it meets Cassidy Trail we took the spur up over to Casto Canyon - grunted up the hill, took in the scenery, and then bombed back down to the junction - where we then rode the other part of Cassidy Trail back to Red Canyon - we then turned into the kid sitters while our friends headed out for Thunder Mountain trail - first time for both of them, and they were duly impressed. After munching some stuffed burgers (two patties sandwiching blue cheese & bacon inside them) we managed to kill most of a bottle of gin that evening as the kids were shagged and went off to bed without a peep. We got about 10 minutes of rain before we had dinner, but otherwise a perfect day.

Monday: My buddy and I got up early, dusted off the cobwebs, and headed out for a reverse ride of what my GF and I had done yesterday, without the spur up Cassidy trail. Shortly after that, breakfast of blueberry pancakes & sausages was polished off and we packed up camp. The GF and I decided we'd ride Thunder Mountain again (she was just getting used to some new disc brakes we put on her bike) so we rode it, took pics, and just soaked it all in. After a shower back at the campground, we hit the road - not much traffic until we got to Provo area, but even then it wasn't horrible. Just a bit of rain on the drive back before Spanish Fork.

theprof
06-02-2005, 07:52 AM
The GF on Thunder Mountain, riding through some hoodoo's.

theprof
06-02-2005, 07:53 AM
The GF riding another ridge on Thunder Mountain trail

Sombeech
06-02-2005, 08:36 AM
That is awesome. Definitely on my to do list this year.
Did you have to pay park fees?

theprof
06-02-2005, 09:18 AM
Red Canyon access is free, it's $12 per night if you stay in the campground. I really don't consider this 'roughing it' as there are pay showers ($2 for 8 minutes), water taps throughout, and flush toilets (the girls dig this). It's a great spot for younger kids, as they have a paved bike trail that runs along the road and is a pretty moderate grade. I do have to admit that after a long day in the saddle it's great to take a shower and get the salt off! There are some more remote campsites if that's your thing too. Red Canyon campground is great because you can pretty much ride the main trails right from there and return on the trail when you're done. Campsites all have a paved area with firepit, picnic table, and usually there's a nice flat spot built already for the tent. There are also some ATV trails around for those who like that as well.

I was searching for a place to ride for Memorial Day, and most of the other stuff is still under 5 feet of snow, so this was a great option (thought about St. George area, but it was predicted to be close to 100 degrees!). Elevation is around 7,000 so you're up there a bit - and Bryce Canyon is 10 or so miles away so if you want to hike and tour that a bit, it's really close. I rode it first last summer and I know first hand that it gets pretty hot down there, so I'd say its best done outside of July/August.

It's a great place for the helmet cam - there's nothing there that would be so technical I would worry about it - we did that last year but the camera was not lined up correctly so you find yourself turning your head to the side when you watch the video.... still cool, but you get a sore neck!

Cheers!

accadacca
06-02-2005, 11:53 AM
Nice pictures man!! That scenery looks awesome....... :2thumbs: Sounds like a great place to hang out and ride. :hitit: (Oh yeah and nice Klein) It looks like a must on the to do list. Next trip for us huh Sombeech? A no brainer? :ne_nau:

WHAT A STATE WE LIVE IN!!! :five:

Sombeech
06-02-2005, 02:33 PM
yep, definite trip.
BTW, nice bike, from a fellow Kleinsman.

jfeiro
06-17-2005, 07:18 PM
ARE THERE ANY PLACES TO CAMP NEAR TRAILS OTHER THAN A CAMPGROUND?

DickHead
06-18-2005, 07:13 AM
ARE THERE ANY PLACES TO CAMP NEAR TRAILS OTHER THAN A CAMPGROUND?

Don't know, but all caps are considered shouting in the online world....
Oh, and welcome to the board!

jfeiro
06-18-2005, 05:32 PM
Sorry about that, didn't realize i had it locked on caps :hail2thechief:

accadacca
06-20-2005, 09:31 AM
ARE THERE ANY PLACES TO CAMP NEAR TRAILS OTHER THAN A CAMPGROUND?
:ne_nau: I am sure theprof will pop on at some point and answer. Welcome to the board. Be sure to post in the newbies section.

theprof
06-21-2005, 08:45 AM
Man it sux when work gets in the way of fun! Been a few days, sorry.

There is a camping area on the way to Coyote Hollow trailhead (where the Thunder Mtn trail starts) but mostly people with horses stay there. I talked to some other guys who went past the losee/casto trailheads on the dirt road that connects them and they said there were some spots out there too. I think they said they rode right from the camp there. I know at Losee trailhead there are signs around that say 'no camping' but I'd say there is potential to find some stuff out there if you're looking to rough it a bit.

I don't know, and maybe it's age :ne_nau: but it sure is nice to shower after a sweaty bike ride. :bath:

Shan
06-27-2005, 11:40 AM
ARE THERE ANY PLACES TO CAMP NEAR TRAILS OTHER THAN A CAMPGROUND?

I'm trying to think where we stayed for free. It was a left handed turn just before you enter the high walled canyons in Red Canyon. It's the turn off just before Black Mountain. Maybe near where Castle Canyon spits you out. (I'm looking at a quad map on topozone.com) We parked at a corral, but walked our stuff back in to get out of sight of the horses. Not sure if it was legal though.

bainhameen
05-17-2006, 08:52 AM
Did you prefer the Thunder Mountain loop to the Cassidy-Losee loop? I've read the best way to ride Cassidy-Losee is up Cassidy from Red Canyon Trailhead, then down Losee. I only have time for one or the other.