Utah — 8-Day Self-Guided Motorcycle Tour
Ride a 1,100-mile loop from Salt Lake City through southern Utah and northern Arizona, combining high mountain forests, red-rock canyons, desert highways, Navajo country, and several of the Southwest’s defining national parks. The itinerary includes six riding days, seven nights, and arrival and departure time in Salt Lake City.
Begin with a 225-mile ride from Salt Lake City to Torrey, following the route toward Capitol Reef country. The next stage is one of the tour’s highlights: Highway 12 through Dixie National Forest and Grand Staircase-Escalante toward Bryce Canyon, followed by Highway 89 and Highway 9 into Springdale at the entrance to Zion National Park.
Continue from Zion to Page, Arizona, crossing striped sandstone country and the Vermilion Cliffs before reaching Lake Powell and the heart of Navajo country. From Page, ride through the Navajo Nation toward Kayenta, Navajo National Monument, Monument Valley, and Blanding. The landscape opens into classic Western scenery filled with sandstone buttes, broad desert views, and historic cliff-dwelling country.
A shorter 75-mile stage leads from Blanding to Moab along Highway 191 and the Manti-La Sal National Forest. Moab places you beside red cliffs, the La Sal Mountains, Arches National Park, and other major Colorado Plateau landscapes. The final 285-mile riding day heads north through Arches country and Price before returning to Salt Lake City.
Daily distances range from 75 to 285 miles. The booklet lists temperatures from approximately 40–100°F, so riders should prepare for both mountain cold and desert heat. Pack layers and rain gear, download offline maps, fill up before remote stretches, and reserve lodging early during peak national-park season.
The loop is structured around contrast rather than repetition. The outbound half moves from the Wasatch Front into canyon country and Zion; the eastern half crosses Navajo landscapes and the Colorado Plateau before returning north. The short Blanding-to-Moab stage leaves substantial time for the Moab area, while the final day is the longest and functions as the return to Salt Lake City. Starting and ending in the same city simplifies flights, motorcycle pickup, and luggage logistics.
This is a self-guided tour with no fixed group departure times. Booking the Experience includes a detailed tour booklet with the complete itinerary, daily routes and mileage, recommended stops, restaurants, lodging suggestions, rider tips, and Google Maps navigation links with scenic waypoints.
8 Days · 1,100 Miles · Salt Lake City · Highway 12 · Bryce Canyon · Zion · Monument Valley · Moab · Self-Guided
