Southwest 2025-9: Utah—Boulder & the Burr Trail Rd

 May 19-20, 2025

    We were lucky to travel lots of favorite roads on our Southwest wander: California Hwy 395 up the east side of the Sierras, US 50— the "Loneliest Highway"— through Nevada's Basins and Ranges, the Moki Dugway in Utah, the Million Dollar Hwy in Colorado, and now Hwy 12 from Torrey to Boulder, Utah, and then on to Bryce Canyon National Park.

Leaving Torrey UT on one of our favorite roads.

Farmland, mountains, clouds, shadows—glorious.

Handsome barn.

From farmland to forest.

Spring arrives late at 8,000 feet: forests of aspen not yet leafed out.

Cottonwood Canyon.

We recalled another trip when we left Torrey, elevation 6,800 feet, after a snow storm. A cyclist came into view ahead of us on a steep hill. A 2,800-foot climb at elevation? Piece of cake...

    Located at the base of 11,000-foot Boulder Mountain, the ranching community of Boulder lies within a combination of federal lands: BLM, Forest Service, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The community was largely isolated in the winter until 1939, when paving Hwy 12 made road travel possible from the south and west. The road north over Boulder Mountain and on to Torrey was not paved until 1985. 

Tumbleweed Cafe (l) & Burr Trail Grill (r).

    We stopped for coffee at the Tumbleweed Cafe in Boulder, a favorite place. The nearby Anasazi State Park Museum is a partially excavated Ancestral Puebloan (Anasazi) village. Otherwise, there are just a couple of restaurants and hotels, but Boulder is the jumping off point for outdoor adventure—camping, hiking, backpacking, cycling, rock climbing, stargazing, you name it— in state and national parks, forests, and monuments.

Headin' Down the Highway after lunch at Burr Trail Grill.

   After lunch at the Burr Trail Grill we were off to explore part of the 67-mile-long Burr Trail Road that runs from Boulder to Bullfrog on Lake Powel. The first part is paved, then groomed  dirt, with steep switchbacks: A perfect road to travel. 

Burr Trail Rd is in Grand Staircase-Escalante, Capitol Reef, & Glen Canyon.

"Sugar Loaf" sandstone formation.

A cattle guard, a reminder that this is ranch country.

    Burr Trail Road began when John Atlantic Burr created a route between Boulder and Bullfrog to move his cattle between summer and winter grazing areas and to get them to market. Following the original route, today's barely 2-lane road winds up, down, around, and through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Capitol Reef National Park, and Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.

Driving Burr Trail Rd.

Definition of Utah: amazing rock formations.

Recent grading on the road. 

Formations spiral up a cliff face.

Is someone watching us?

Looks like guardians standing watch all along the top.

Imagine running cattle through this!

The pavement ends 30 miles from Boulder at the Grand-Staircase Escalante-Capitol Reef boundary.

Henry Mountains.

A good groomed dirt road & 360 vistas.

Doug spotted the perfect spot for the night, just before Waterpocket Fold & the Burr Trail Switchbacks.

We boondocked 32 miles from Boulder on the Burr Trail Rd—almost to the Waterpocket Fold & Burr Trail Switchbacks.

Burr Trail Boondocking

Hidden behind a juniper tree.

 We retraced our steps the next morning, with awesome views all the way back to Boulder.

So many types of rock & colors.

Solid on top of a haphazard base.

Towering cliffs...

... & hoodoos with rock caps, resembling mushrooms.

Stripes & arches.

Doug really liked this independent rock.

Looking into the Gulch along Deer Creek where cowboys appeared to be gathering.

Back in Boulder we watched as cowboys rode down the road next to the cafe & grill.

Marilyn watched until the cowboys were out of sight. She was about to go in for lunch, but then there was the sound of mooing, followed by a herd of cows trudging up the road.

Cowboys & working dogs encouraged the cows along & kept the calves heading in the right direction.

Some onlookers stood in the middle of the road to video the cattle drive coming toward them.

The cattle didn't have far to go: through the intersection & into a corral. The working dogs were amazing, chasing errant calves until they were corralled.

    After the excitement and lunch at Burr Trail Grill, we pointed the van southwest on Highway 12 to continue on what would become 8 days and 461 miles from Green River to Kanab, Utah.

Our entire Southwest 2025 trip: 6.5 weeks/6,274 mi.

Southwest 2025: 6-1/2 weeks. 6,273.5 miles. (1) Visalia CA-Green River UT. (2) Green River-Ship Rock NM. (3) Ship Rock-Aldo Leopold Wilderness. (4) Leopold-Carrizozo. (5) Carrizozo-Taos. (6) Taos-Grand Villa CO. (7) Grand Villa-Green River UT. (8) Green River-Kanab. (9) Kanab-Kanab. (10) Kanab-Bridgeport CA. (11) Bridgeport-Visalia.

Coming up: The final segment of our Green River to Kanab trek.