Utah Highway 128 is also known as Upper Colorado River Scenic Byway or River Road to the locals. Besides the towering mesas, beautiful canyons, and spectacular rock formations, you can also hike, find lodging, take in a museum, enjoy a bite to eat and much more.
Personally, I think UT 128 is one of the most beautiful roads that you can travel on in the U.S. So, let’s take a drive and find out what we can do and see on this stretch of road.
If you want more information on what to do in the Moab area, you can read my post about 6 things to do around Moab. If you enjoy zip lining, you can read about going zip lining in Moab.
Where is Utah Highway 128 located?
If you are in Moab, the road is approximately 4 miles north of the town off of UT 191 and it begins at the Colorado River Bridge. If you are driving Interstate 70, you can access the road at exit 214 if you are heading west or exit 204 if you are driving east. The views are going to be spectacular no matter which way that you drive the road.
How long is Utah Highway 128?
The scenic byway is just under 45 miles long. It would take approximately an hour to drive the road if you weren’t going to stop but believe me you are going to want to stop.
Places to Stay
Red Cliffs Lodge
Red Cliffs Lodge is a highly rated lodge that can be found at mile marker 14.2 on UT 128. The lodge is located on the Colorado River and has great views of the river and surrounding area.
There are numerous activities that you can do at the lodge like horseback riding and you can also book activities in the surrounding area through the lodge.
Sorrel Real River Ranch & Spa
Sorrel Real River Ranch & Spa is located at mile marker 17. The ranch and spa are located on 240 acres on the Colorado River.
They also have a seasonal on site store called the J.J. Mercentaile. There are numerous activities that the ranch has as well as adventures that you can book that take place in the surrounding area.
Camping
There are numerous places that you can camp along UT 128 Scenic Byway. Most of the places are run by the Bureau of Land Management.
Places to Hike
Grandstaff Hiking Trail
The Grandstaff Hiking Trail is located at mile marker 3.1 and is a 4 mile round trip hike. The trail goes through a canyon and along a stream and at the end of the hike, you will find the Morning Glory Natural Bridge. It is the sixth longest natural bridge in the U.S.
Sylvester Trail
The Sylvester Trail can be found at mile marker 18.4. It is a 6.9 miles round trip hike. The trail is in an open desert and it gives you great views of the surrounding area. Some of the different rock formations that you will see on the hike include: the Preacher, the Nuns, Rectory and Castleton Towers. You will want to make sure that you have plenty of water on this hike if you are hiking it on a hot day.
Fisher’s Tower Trail
Fisher’s Tower Trail is at mile marker 21.8. The trailhead for the hike is located 2.2 miles down the dirt road that you turn on. The spectacular hike is a 5.2 miles round trip hike.
On the hike you will twist through the towers, travel through canyons and traverse beneath vertical cliffs. The trail is a mixture of dirt and pavement and is well marked. You will also see 3 amazing formations which include: The Kingfisher, Echo Tower, and the Titan. These towers might look familiar to you since they have been in many movies, TV shows, advertisements, and magazines.
Amphitheater Loop
The Amphitheater Loop Trail is located at mile marker 23.3 and is a 2.9 mile round trip hike. You can turn into the Hittle Bottom Parking area to park and the trailhead is across the street.
The hike travels into the heart of the Richardson Amphitheater, near the Colorado River. You will climb a total of 250 feet in elevation where you will get great views of the Colorado River and surrounding area.
Places to Eat
The Cowboy Grill Restaurant
The Cowboy Grill Restaurant is located at the Red Cliffs Lodge. During certain times of the year, they offer outdoor dining. You can expect to pay a little more here than many other area restaurants. The restaurant has a 4.3 rating on Google and a 4.0 rating on TripAdvisor.
The River Grill at Sorrel River Ranch
The River Grill located at Sorrel River Ranch. The restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. As with the Cowboy Grill, the prices are going to be a little higher than many area restaurants. The restaurant has a 4.3 rating on Google and a 4.0 rating on TripAdvisor.
Other Things to See and Do
Lion’s Park/Boulder Park
Lion’s/Boulder Parks can be found at mile marker 0.0. Lion’s Park is a beautiful park that has paved walking and biking trails. The trails run north/south along US 191 and east/west along UT 128.
There is a foot bridge that crosses the Colorado River and you can find shade trees to sit down and relax. You can also find a picnic area and restrooms.
Within Lion’s Park, you can find Moab Boulder Park. The park contains 3 man made boulders for people to climb on. There are rubber mats beneath the rocks to cushion the falls that people may have.
Horseback Riding
If you are dreaming about wanting to see the west on top of a horse, the following places can be found on UT 128 to make that dream come true.
Red Cliffs Horseback Riding
Red Cliffs Horseback Riding can be found at mile marker 14.2. You can book a horseback ride at Red Cliffs from March through November. They offer two lengths of rides with one of them being 1.5 hours and another being 2.5 hours long.
Sorrel River Ranch
Sorrel River Ranch can be found at mile marker 17. At the ranch, there are nearly 10,000 acres to explore on horseback. There are 3 different rides to choose from at the ranch. They range in duration from 1 hour up to 2 hours in length and they offer one hour lessons.
Moab Horses at Hauer Ranch
Moab Horses at Hauer Ranch is at mile marker 21. Not only can you ride horses at Hauer Ranch but you can also ride mules. You can book a 2 hour ride with a group or 2 hour private/solo rides.
Moab Museum of Film and Western Heritage
The Moab Museum of Film and Western Heritage is free and is located at Red Cliffs Lodge. The ranch has been used to film numerous movies over the years. Some of the movies include: Red Cliffs Ranch, Wagon Master, Rio Grande, and Warlock.
In the museum, you will learn about film locations, how film sets are built, and how the filming process is managed. You will also see photographs, movie posters, autographed scripts, and props from many of the movies that were filmed in the area.
Castletown Tower and the Rectory
The Castletown Tower and Rectory can be found at mile marker 15.5. Castletown Tower is a 400 foot sandstone tower located on top of a 1,000 foot Moenkopi-Chinle cone.
Beside the Castletown Tower is the Rectory. The Rectory is a 200 foot wide and 1,000 foot long butte with 200 foot Wingate Sandstone walls on top of a 1,000 foot Moenkopi-Chinle cone. If you are a Bon Jovi fan, it may look familiar since one of their music videos was filmed there.
Fisher’s Tower Viewpoint
The Fisher’s Tower Viewpoint is at mile marker 24.7. At the viewpoint not only will you see the Fisher’s Tower but in the backdrop are the snow capped La Sal Mountains.
The Historic Dewey Bridge
The Dewey Bridge is located at mile marker 30. The historic bridge was originally built in 1916 and when the bridge was finished it was the second longest suspension bridge west of the Mississippi.
The original bridge had an all wood deck. It was burnt down in 2008 by a brush fire that was started by a little boy who was playing with matches. The bridge wasn’t rebuilt and a new bridge crosses over the Colorado River today.
Cisco Ghost Town
Cisco was established in the 1880s. There was a saloon and water station for the railroad. It then became a center for local livestock farmers. At the turn of the 20th century Cisco was a major sheep shearing town with 100,000 sheep being sheared before being shipped to market.
The town was in decline and when Interstate 70 was built Cisco was bypassed and the town collapsed. One claim to fame for the town is that the opening and closing of the movie Vanishing Point was filmed at Cisco.
Final Thoughts on Utah Highway 128
As you can see Utah Highway 128 has a lot to offer. Besides the things that I mentioned in the post, there are numerous places that you can pull off of the road to get some beautiful pictures and to enjoy the scenery.
There are various things to see and do while driving Utah Highway 128 but it is the beauty of the road that stands out to me. You have the Colorado River, the La Sal Mountains, sheer red cliffs, and towers to enjoy.
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