DAY 12
3/30/26 Monday
We are driving today on the Scenic Byway Hwy 12. First things first was taking care of van tasks so that we are ready to Wild Camp for the next several nights. That includes dumping toilets (urine container), dumping gray water and filling fresh water tank. Our fresh water tank and gray water are each just 7 gallons. Also did a little housekeeping of the dust and dirt on the floor, cabinets etc. Our toilet is a composting toilet.. so #2 can go quite awhile. And it’s important that you know it does not stink! Whenever possible we use campground toilets to avoid filling up ours.
We left Torrey heading south toward Escalante. Immediately upon leaving Torrey you climb up the Boulder mountains into the Dixie National Forest. The summit of the Boulder Mtns is 9680 ft. There were a few pullouts on the way up.
It was nice to get up high into forested land with masses of Aspen groves, Ponderosa Pine, sub alpine fir and Engelmann spruce.
Big downhill into Boulder UT. We did see a touring bicyclist climbing up this pitch into the Boulder Mountains out of the town. It was a 14% incline for two miles and then still climbing for several more! I was feeling for him… I’d probably be walking with my bike loaded. Then later I saw what he had already accomplished…there’s some serious climbing around here!
We stopped in Boulder to check out the Anasazi State Park Museum. It had a Pueblo ancestral replica of their home and storage rooms. Then they had the excavation of the original home.
This is what they have dug out
I’ve ever seen
Back to driving to Escalante. This is where the road gets very, very interesting. We started on a huge downhill and then very steeply uphill to a ridge top with deep canyons on both sides of the highway. They said this was the last highway to be finished in Utah connecting Torrey to Escalante. I understand why… first up and over a mountain then up and down several times and snaking along a ridge with steep drops on each side eventually dropping down to the Escalante River and one last steep, steep climb to Escalante town! Holy moly. I’m thinking about the solo cycle tourer that maybe just did this whole climb today (or 2 days if it were me)!
Interesting thing is… yesterday Jim was trying to figure out how we could ride just the 30 mile route from Boulder to Escalante. He was trying to figure out a shuttle of sorts. Once I saw this today…I quickly vetoed it. Yowza! Here come the photos… you decide. It would be a beautiful bike ride but also very challenging. Not ready for that.
This part is fairly flat.
After that amazing drive we arrived in Escalante. Stopped at a city park to eat a picnic lunch inside the van because the wind was blowing hard. This little town was similar to Torrey in that it catches tourists between Bryce National Park and Capitol NP. There are several guides and adventure outfitters for hiking in the Grand Staircase Monument. Also several cabin rentals, restaurants and such. But not at all touristy. Just a small town making it on some regional tourism.
We headed west back into the Dixie National Forest and found a great wild camp on a very safe and easy gravel road not too far off the highway but secluded. There’s even a big firepit so obviously a popular campsite. There is a view that is great too. Photos tomorrow morning when hopefully the light is better on the hillside.
Beautiful sightseeing today! Low on personal exercise but that’s all part of this adventure. Sometimes we drive.. sometimes we move!
Tomorrow we are headed to Bryce National Park territory. There are several miles of paved pedestrian/bike paths so that is on the schedule. It’s going to be windy again. Snowstorm coming to the northern Utah mountains!
cinnicrew 