Clockwise: Camping in the red rocks of Utah, Gorgeous view of Hite Crossing Bridge in Glen Canyon, Thick and squat Kachina Bridge
W ith 27 officially designated National and State Scenic Byways, it’s nearly impossible to drive any kind of distance in Utah without going through some spectacular country- side, no matter what route you choose. However, there is one drive a bit off the beaten path that is not nearly as well known as the other Scenic Byways and yet is truly worthy of a detour. The Bicentennial Highway is lightly traveled and easily driven—even in a big rig— and our eyes kept popping at the majes- tic scenery as we drove. Turning from that road onto the Capitol Reef Scenic Byway, I just couldn’t stop taking photos out the windows. Starting this 163-mile journey across southeastern Utah in Blanding, my hus- band Mark and I headed south on U.S. Route 191 and then took a right turn to head west on SR-95. This special road was named the “Bicentennial Highway” because the final yards of asphalt were poured in 1976—the year of the U.S. Bicentennial. It is utterly spectacular and
very worthy of an RV road trip. Eyeing it on the map before we start- ed, we were a little nervous that there might be switchbacks or tight turns that would be difficult with our 36-foot fifth- wheel and long-bed truck. However, the grades and sweeping turns were very manageable and the entire drive was a sheer delight. With every bend in the road, we found ourselves craning our necks to take in the stunning views out our win- dows. Enormous, patterned red rock walls lined the sides of the road, and mystical red rock formations rose up from the horizon and changed shape as we passed them by. The landscape was vast, open and colorful, and completely devoid of the human touch. Everywhere we looked, we felt inspired by the won- drous creations of a divine hand. In Blanding, while inquiring at the Visitors Center about the difficulty of traversing this road with a big RV, we met Fred Johnson, a construction worker who had been part of the team that
paved this highway in the 1970s. For two years, he and his fellow workers lived out in this magnificent landscape, enduring all kinds of discomforts and hardships while upgrading this beautiful road to suit the modern age of fast mov- ing cars. What a place to work. The road was first constructed in 1935 as a gateway from Blanding to the Natural Bridges National Monument and remained unpaved through the 1960s. It wasn’t until the 1970s that portions of the road began to be paved. Yet, because it doesn’t link any major towns or cit- ies, we found that as we passed by one glorious red rock vista after another on our way to Natural Bridges, there was rarely another vehicle on the road. How isolated and scorching hot it must have been to work those asphalt machines on this gorgeous, lonely road. Yet what a stunning landscape to call “the office.” We arrived at Natural Bridges uncer- tain of what to expect. It turns out that this fascinating National Monument fea- tures three huge natural rock arches.
SUMMER 2015 COAST TO COAST 11
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