Road Trip Planning| Miles Kms | Item | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 0.0 0.0 |
Western end of Colorado River SR 128 Scenic Byway |
SR 128 starts 2.5 miles north of Main and Center Street, downtown Moab,Utah on US 191. Turn east (upriver) just before crossing the bridge over the Colorado River. Elevation: road level 4,000 feet, canyon rims up to over 6,000 feet. There are NO SERVICES. For information and directions on The Colorado River, Utah - SR 128 Scenic Byway, see attached link. |
| 0.1 0.2 |
Lions Park Picnic and Rest Area |
Sign with history of Moab, Utah in southwestern corner. Picnic tables, restrooms, trash service. |
| 0.2 0.3 |
Matrimony Spring, Utah |
Folklore has it that couples drinking the water from this spring will be forever bonded in matrimonial bliss. Small dinosaur tracks on the slabs below and to the right of the spring. |
| 0.5 0.8 |
Updraft Arch |
From pull-out, watch for the vertical arch just below the skyline to the east (upriver). |
| 1.1 1.8 |
Colorado Riverway Recreation Area Info Kiosk |
The recreation area, extending from the Matrimony Spring, Utah to Dewey Bridge, Utah is administered by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). The rather primitive campgrounds have NO WATER and NO HOOKUPS. Some have trash services. All have vault toilets, some roofless. US fee area (up to $10 per day). |
| 1.4 2.3 |
Goose Island, Utah Campground |
18 sites. |
| 3.1 5.0 |
Negro Bill Canyon |
Trailhead for splendid hiking in lush canyon with small perennial creek; immense Morning Glory Natural Bridge is 2 miles upcanyon. |
| 3.4 5.5 |
Negro Bill Canyon, Utah - Campground |
17 sites. Porcupine Rim Mountain Biking Trail descends eastern cliff. |
| 6.3 10.1 |
Drinks Canyon, Utah Campground |
17 sites. |
| 6.9 11.1 |
Hal Canyon, Utah - Campground |
11 sites. |
| 7.2 11.6 |
Oak Grove, Utah - Campground |
7 sites. |
| 7.7 12.4 |
Big Bend, Utah Recreation Area |
22 sites, picnic area, sandy beach, 911 phone. |
| 8.1 13.0 |
Upper Big Bend, Utah Campground |
8 sites. |
| 10.3 16.6 |
Takeout Beach, Utah - Day Use Area |
Take-out point for rafts running the Colorado Daily; paved boat ramp, vault toilet. |
| 11.0 17.7 |
Salt Wash, Utah - Colorado River Confluence |
Salt Wash drains Salt Valley in Arches National Park, Utah high on top of the western cliffs. |
| 12.3 19.8 |
Sandy Beach Day Use Area |
Undeveloped boat ramp, vault toilet. |
| 14.0 22.5 |
Castle Creek Bridge, Utah |
Red Cliffs Ranch (former White Ranch) is a favorite set location for movies such as Taza - Son of Cochise, Rio Grande, Rio Conchose, Battle at Apache Pass, Cheyenne Autumn, and Ten Who Dared. Beginning here, the major drainages of the La Sal Mountains, Castle Valley, Professor Valley and Fisher Valley have widened the eastern side of the Colorado River gorge. This broad cliffwalled valley is called Richardson Amphitheater and contains several locations where (western) movies and commercials have been filmed. |
| 14.3 23.0 |
Adventure Lodge and Winery |
Luxury resort, restaurant and winery. |
| 15.3 24.6 |
Mayberry Preserve, Utah |
The Nature Conservancy. |
| 15.5 24.9 |
Castle Valley Road |
Paved road to Castle Valley, Utah La Sal Mountains Loop Road and Manti-La Sal National Forest, Utah. For a scenic drive past the community of Castle Valley, Utah Castle Rock (or Castleton Tower)and the western flank of the 13,000 feet high La Sal Mountains all the way to Spanish Valley and US Highway 191 about 6 miles south of Moab. |
| 15.5 24.9 |
Historical Marker |
Historic mining sites (gold, copper and uranium) in the La Sal Mountains, Utah area. |
| 15.7 25.3 |
Parriott Mesa, Utah |
Spectacular redrock butte to the south. |
| 16.4 26.4 |
Castle Valley, Utah - Professor Valley Ridge |
Watch for gigantic rock formations on top of this ridge. From north to south: Convent, Sister Superior, Priest and Nuns, The Rectory, Castle Rock. |
| 16.5 26.6 |
Rocky Rapid, Utah - Day Use Area |
River access, vault toilet. |
| 17.3 27.8 |
Guest Ranch |
Luxury resort and restaurant. |
| 18.4 29.6 |
Professor Valley Road |
Graded dirt road into Professor Valley. Hiking access to Mary Jane Canyon, Utah via Professor Creek and Mary Jane Creek, Utah. |
| 20.2 32.5 |
Onion Creek, Utah - Fisher Valley Road |
A graded dirt road becomes a 4WD road which leads to undeveloped campsites in Onion Creek Canyon and to Fisher Valley, Utah (a distance 13 miles with 27 crossings of Onion Creek) and beyond. Little Red Riding Hood (standing) and Grandma (sitting in a chair are the tallest rock spires in Onion Creek Canyon. |
| 20.2 32.5 |
Onion Creek, Utah - Fisher Valley Road |
|
| 21.0 33.8 |
Fisher Towers, Utah Road |
Graded dirt road for 2 miles to 5 undeveloped campsites, a picnic area and Fisher Towers Hiking Trail. The tallest of the Fisher Towers, The Titan, soars 900 feet above its base. |
| 21.5 34.6 |
Locomotive Rock, Utah |
Ornately eroded rock formation and movie set location to the north. |
| 22.3 35.9 |
Hittle Bottom Recreation Site |
An early 1900s homestead, paved boat ramp, 11 primitive campsites, picnic area, vault toilets. Launching site of the Colorado River Daily. Shortly beyond here Richardson Amphitheater ends and the river gorge narrows again. |
| 26.3 42.3 |
Kings Toll Road |
Historical inscription on a detached boulder right next to the highway. The old toll road between the settlements in Richardson Amphitheater, Utah and Dewey Ferry, Utah was built in the late 1800s by Samuel King. |
| 29.0 46.7 |
Wooden Ladders |
Remnants of 2 old wooden ladders, probably built to enable prospectors in higher terrain to reach the river for water, can be seen on the other side of the river in the low cliffline. |
| 29.7 47.8 |
Dewey Bridge, Utah - Recreation Site |
7 campsites, picnic area, boat ramp, vault toilets. Information and regulations kiosk for the Colorado Riverway Recreation Area.
|
| 29.8 48.0 |
Entrada Bluff Road - Kokopelli's Trail |
Graded dirt road connecting to guest ranch, several 4WD and mountain biking trails and the Dolores River, Utah. |
| 29.8 48.0 |
Historic Dewey Suspension Bridge |
Dewey Bridge, Utah constructed in 1916, is Utah's longest suspension bridge and, at the time of its construction, was the 2nd largest suspension bridge west of the Mississippi. Kokopelli's Trail, a 140 mile (Loma, CO - Moab, UT) dirt trail for mountain bikes, ATV's, motorcycles, horses and, occasionally, 4WD vehicles, crosses the Colorado River on the old Dewey Bridge. |
| 31.2 50.2 |
Colorado River - Dolores River Confluence |
Located on ranch property. |
| 31.9 51.3 |
Indian Writings |
Prehistoric petroglyphs on a boulder about 10 feet above the pull-out. |
| 32.1 51.7 |
Brown Road |
This 4WD trail climbs the rocky slopes toward the historic Yellow Cat, Utah mining area (north of Arches National Park) and Dome Plateau (high on top of the northern cliffwall of Richardson Amphitheater). |
| 33.7 54.2 |
Viewpoint Pull-out |
The Colorado River bends away from the highway in a northeasterly direction. To the east is the northern nose of the Uncompaghre Uplift in the distance. To the north are the Bookcliff Mountains. |
| 34.4 55.4 |
Kokopelli's Trail |
The trail comes down from the slopes to the west, crosses the bridge over a dry wash near an old corral and leaves the highway again to the east.
Beginning here, the highway runs over gray hills and open desert terrain. Watch for eagles and other predator birds on the perches on the power poles. |
| 41.6 66.9 |
Cisco Junction |
The road going east brings you to the ghost town of Cisco, Utah (2.3 miles) and Exit 214 of Interstate 70 (8.1 miles). |
| 42.9 69.0 |
Windy Mesa Road |
Graded dirt road to Horse Pasture (12 miles) and Nash Wash (19 miles) in the Bookcliffs area. |
| 44.5 71.6 |
Interstate 70 Exit 204 |
Eastern end of the Colorado River SR 128 Scenic Byway. Elevation 4,370 feet. West access via Interstate Highway #70 to communities of Thompson Sprs. Utah - Crescent Junction, Utah - Green River, Utah. Green River State Park Campground. Camping; RV Trailer Sites: 42
Maximum RV Length - 45 ft.
Tent Sites: 40. -- Start / Finish of Road Map Travel Guide. -e |