Utah is my favorite place to ride. I've ridden my Scout from British Columbia to Utah once a year since i bought it and will probably do it a third time in June.
Here are my favorite rides in the area:
Good Utah, Bad Utah
Bad Utah
Salt Lake City sucks. It’s a gargantuan six lane concrete slab sprawled out across a dry lakebed, an endless series of industrial parks and gas stations. There is no reason to be there on a motorcycle. Stay away.
I-15 in general is dreadfully boring all of the way from Logan to Dixie National Forest / Cedar City. Wide open prairies, an occasional mountain range way off on the horizon. Stay off I-15 as much as possible and you’re golden.
Good Utah
National Parks & Recreation Areas
As far as Utah goes, these are my personal favorite national parks & recreation areas:
1. Glen Canyon National Recreation Area & SR-95 (Bicentennial Highway)
~200 km of the most unbelievable landscapes I’ve ever seen. Zero people, zero services. Just hours upon hours of scenic insanity. Stop at every overlook, investigate every little side road (assuming you have enough gas with you), speed as much as you want, stop and smell the canyons every chance you get. #2 and #3 are probably more deserving of the #1 spot but personally this is my favorite motorcycle road in the world.
2. Zion National Park
There is a reason it’s the most popular place in Utah. Completely stunning in every direction at all times. The only downside to Zion is that it’s the most popular, meaning it’s absolutely loaded with tourists every single day. Traffic crawls but who gives a shit when you’re in possibly the most beautiful place on Earth. Take your time, even if you’re getting sick of people waving selfie sticks around you might only get to see it once so see as much of it as possible. Set aside at least the majority of a day for it. Take the crowded tour bus to the Temple of Sinawava, do it all, go into debt if you have to.
3. Bryce Canyon National Park
Impossible to choose between Bryce and Zion for #2, please for the love of god go to both. It’s possible to do both in a single day but you have to rush it, please don’t rush it, both of them absolutely deserve their own day and all of the time you can give them. Bryce Canyon is a one way street that winds up into the sky, the best way to experience it is to drive all of the way to the top without stopping (try not to hit a deer on the way up, good luck). Take a piss and a picture at the top and then start making your way down the mountain one overlook at a time, stop at every single one of them. When you do it this way every view is more incredible than the last and there are so god damn many of them. Try to be at Sunset Point for sunset and when you’re at Sunset Point you must do the Navajo loop trail, even if your feet hurt. One of the best things about Bryce Canyon is that you can actually walk down into the views.
4. Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument & SR-12 (Journey Through Time Scenic Byway)
~250 more km of the most ridiculous scenery, a violent eyegasm undisturbed by tourists and traffic. Wake up in Bryce or Hanksville depending on the route you take and head for Utah State Route 12, have lunch in Boulder at Hell’s Backbone Grill. Again, stop at every overlook, investigate back roads, take as many scenic pisses off as many cliffs as you can..
5. Arches National Park
Up there with Zion in terms of popularity, also for good reason. Very slow going in Arches but that’s how it ought to be. Poke around, eat some jerky, stay hydrated, stay patient.
6. Capitol Reef National Park
Short and sweet, but very sweet. Basically a Grand Staircase-Escalante expansion. Most of the really cool shit is a short hike off the highway, so every time you see a sign that says “Such and Such Point” slam on the brakes and check it out. Make sure you stop at Swing Arm City, notorious dirt riding area.
7. Canyonlands National Park & Dead Horse Point
Not quite as fun as some of the places above but Grand View Point and Dead Horse Point are as iconic as any other overlooks in Utah and totally worth checking out. Moab is an amazing town, off-road mecca.
8. Bonneville Salt Flats, Wendover, and West Wendover
The Bonneville Flats need no introduction. Wendover should be a surprise. If you’re only going to get a small taste of Nevada on this trip, let it be West Wendover.
Pro-Tip: The only salt flats rest area worth stopping at is only accessible from the westbound highway.
9. San Rafael Swell & Black Dragon Point
A ridiculously cool section of I-70, short detour from the very strange town of Green River.