Utah Byways (page 2 of 5)

Drives 5-7

5. Lake Powell Overlook Along the lonely highway connecting Capitol Reef to Hanksville, the Henry Mountains rise in arid desolation to the south. Outlaws once hid rustled cattle in the shadows of these weathered peaks. Bison still wander in the foothills, where prospectors have sought gold for a hundred years and more. Fifteen miles south of Hanksville, off Rte. 95, an unpaved side road leads to the russet-hued canyon of the Dirty Devil River, so named in the 1800s by explorer John Wesley Powell because of its mud and stench. At the overlook some 35 miles to the south, the panorama of Lake Powell (named for the explorer) comes into view. Nearly 200 miles long, the lake took 17 years to fill Glen Canyon after the Colorado River was dammed; in the process, it wandered into so many side canyons that its shoreline extends for a staggering 2,000 miles -- longer than the entire West Coast. The rich red walls of those inundated canyons rise abruptly from the waterline, contrasting sublimely with the lake's cerulean waters.

6. Hite Crossing Named for Cass Hite, a prospector who in the 1880s ferried wayfarers across the Colorado River, Hite Crossing is now the northernmost passage across the portion of the river that has become Lake Powell -- but instead of a ferry, a bridge now takes traffic across the transformed canyon. For travelers on Rte. 95, Hite Crossing is the threshold of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, more than a million acres of wilderness playground surrounding Lake Powell. The local marina rents houseboats and smaller craft, enabling visitors to explore the endless array of azure bays and ruddy canyons that branch out all along the lake.

7. Natural Bridges National Monument Spanning the twisting streambeds of White Canyon, three natural bridges attest to the persistence of flowing water. Fashioned of tawny sandstone millions of years old, the bridges -- called Sipapu, Kachina, and Owachomo -- are the centerpieces of Natural Bridges National Monument, some 50 miles southeast of Hite Crossing. Atop a 6,500-foot-high plateau that commands a southerly overview of Arizona's Monument Valley, a road and hiking trail link the three bridges, which were formed by silted floodwaters that scraped out shortcuts between tight loops in the canyons. Sipapu, first along the drive, is the second-largest such bridge in the world; its height is equal to that of a 20-story building, and its span is nearly the length of a football field. Kachina, the youngest bridge, is the least worn down by wind and water. Owachomo, the oldest, is apt to be the first to fall: at 180 feet across, its span is a comparatively delicate strand barely nine feet thick. Human engineering, too, shaped the scenery at Natural Bridges. Along Bridge View Drive the entrances to ancient Anasazi dwellings gape from a steep rock slope. Few places on earth can boast a climate and an architecture in such perfect harmony.

• • Animal Stories
• • Road Trips
• • Natural Disasters

• How to Stay Active While Traveling
• Don't forget about working out during your next trip.
• 
• Travel Smart: Dollars and Sense
• 
• The Organized Traveler's Checklist
• Step-by-step guide to vacation preparation.
• 
• The Less-Stress Family Vacation
• Hassle-free hints on traveling with kids.
• 

“ Apples, cranberries, and tomato sauce contain flavonoids, anti-inflammatory substances that can strengthen your immune system. ”

• See All Tips