Fall Leaf Drive Heads Up, September 22—24, 2023!
By: Roger Heath
Sep 22, 2023 - Meet @ 8:30 AM at the McDonald's, 950 Expressway Ln, Spanish Fork
Another fall leaf drive to Bryce Canyon and Torrey is over. The fall colors through Huntington Canyon and along Gooseberry Road didn't disappoint, weather was perfect and the traffic was light for the most part, and we did have the numerous RVs that made us drive a little saner . During our lunch stop in Huntington on the way home a few of us talked about switching it up next year, though not too drastic as Hwy 72 from Fremont to I-70 was a crowd favorite, as were the colors mentioned above.
Looking ahead to Sep 22nd - 24th, 2023 I will put together an event that will include 2 nights in Tropic. Going to Tropic and coming home will still include Huntington Canyon, Hwy 72, Fish Lake and Gooseberry Rd.
Friday, September 22nd - We'll meet at the mouth of Spanish Fork Canyon and drive to the turn off for Hwy 89. From there we head south to Fairview. Turning east we drive up through Huntington Canyon and gaze at the changing colors. We then head south along Hwy 10 crossing under I-70. Then it's off to the races over Hwy 72 and some amazing views of central Utah. Finally we reach Torrey and stop for lunch. After lunch we head out on scenic Hwy 12 through Escalante ending in Tropic for a 2 night stay. (289 miles)
Saturday, September 23rd - Explore as you wish. Some local destinations include:
- Bryce Canyon - 11 miles
- Kodachrome Basin State Park - 13 miles
- Panguitch Lake - 46 miles
- Cedar Breaks National Monument - 59 miles
Sunday, September 24th - Time to head home. For those that want more color we head west to the junction of Hwy 12 and Hwy 63 then turn north towards Antimony. Then past Fish Lake, over Gooseberry Rd, through Salina and finally into Nephi where the drive will end. There are quicker routes for those that need to be home sooner. Lunch will be in Salina. (204 miles)
There will be no organized dinner in Tropic. You can choose to eat out at one of the local restaurants or if staying in a cabin save some money and grill outside.
There are several places to stay in Tropic. The two I would recommend are:
- Bryce Country Cabins https://brycecountrycabins.com
- Bryce Canyon Log Cabins https://www.brycecanyonlogcabins.com
