Utah Backways

The Backways depart the conventional routes and take you off the beaten path. Surfaces and conditions vary from paved or graded gravel to native surface. Some routes cross isolated and unpredictable terrain, and visitors should be prepared, self-sufficient, and supplied with good maps. Carrying food, water, a spare tire, warm clothing, and other camping necessities is recommended. It is always a good idea to check current road and weather conditions with local visitor information before embarking on any Backway route.

Needles / Anticline Overlooks Scenic Backway - County Road 133

Drive west off US Highway 191 to the Needles and Anticline Overlooks at the edge of a 1000 foot cliff. The La Sal Mountains rise in the distance in contrast to the sweeping desert below the overlooks. Windwhistle and Hatch Point Campgrounds are available. This Backway is open year round, although a winter snow storm may close the road temporarily. Allow 1 hour to reach the Needles Overlook and 1 1/2 hours to reach Anticline.

The Moki Dugway Scenic Backway - Utah Highway 261

"Moki" is a local term for the ancient Puebloan people who inhabited the Colorado Plateau hundreds of years ago. "Dugway" is a term used to describe a roadway carved from a hillside. The Moki Dugway is literally carved from the cliff face and talus slope on the edge of Cedar Mesa. The route connects Utah Highway 95 with US Highway 163 by crossing Cedar Mesa and plunging down the dugway at an 11% grade, revealing sweeping views of Valley of the Gods, stripes of color in the rocks of the San Juan River Canyon known as the Navajo Tapestry, and distant Monument Valley. Allow 1 hour travel time for the entire length of Utah Highway 261.

Elk Ridge Road Scenic Backway - County Road 228 - Forest Road 088

The route begins 25 miles west of Blanding near the junction of Utah Highways 95 and 275. It ascends through the "Bears Ears" to the spine of Elk Ridge at an elevation of 8,700 feet in the Manti-La Sal National Forest. The Backway crosses the Blue Mountains and ends in the high desert at Utah Highway 211. Panoramic views of Canyonlands National Park; Dark Canyon Wilderness Area; Arch, Allen, and Hammond Canyons; and the Henry and La Sal Mountains open at unexpected view points along the route. The route accesses many well maintained and signed hiking trails of varying difficulty. High clearance and stiff suspension are recommended during good weather. Rain storms and winter weather make the route impassable. The Backway is approximately 50 miles long. Allow 4 hours driving time.

The Abajo Loop Scenic Backway - County Road 285 - Forest Road 079

Climbing to 9,000 feet through the mountains between Monticello and Blanding, this route skirts the base of Abajo Peak and traverses 30 miles of mountainous terrain. The route accesses many well maintained and signed hiking trails of varying difficulty. The single lane graded gravel or dirt road is rough and rocky. High clearance and stiff suspension are recommended. The route is impassable during winter and after rain storms. Allow 3 hours travel time.

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