Grat pics, Specta. I'd like to be out there.... Planning on some kind of trip out there next year. Just got to save up cash for the trip. If it's still open I'd like to do the Swell again and maybe a couple of the trails around Moab with a few days on the Paiute.

 

The Swell isn't closed yet. They're working on keeping the existing trails open.

 

I hope they can keep them open. It's such a great place to explore with terrain for everybody to enjoy. I get a bit teed off thinking of my tax dollars going to things I can't enjoy. If I had my way I'd introduce a bill that would be called The Peoples' Property Restoration Act to restore parks and areas to their original use as long as that doesn't restrict any taxpayer from being able to access these "public" lands that the government seems to think they own.

 

I've got some Paiute Trail questions for those regulars that ride the trail all the time. My wife and I want to take an ATV trip this summer, and ride our Outlander Max Ltd from Cedar City to Circleville on day one, and spend the night at Butch Cassidy's Hideout. Then on day two ride from Circleville to Salina on the west side of the trail, and spend the night at the Super 8 in Salina. Then spend two days riding the Gooseberry trails, based out of Salina. Then the next day ride to Circleville on the east side of the trail, and spend the night in Butch Cassidy's Hideout again. Then on the final day ride back to Cedar City to finish the 6 to 7 day trip. Does this sound feasible? Will I be able to make it over the Tushars in mid-June? Or will I need to find a lower altitude route past this section of trail?

Thanks.

 

I"m not familiar enough with the trails that would get you from Cedar City to Circleville. If you're going east towards Panguitch I can tell you it's around 60 miles from Panguitch to Circleville. If up to Beaver than east it's probably at least, 65-70 miles. Again, I'm not familiar with what trails you'd have to take to connect the two. From Circleville to Salina would be a very long days ride in my mind.

Haven't done the Gooseberry Trails, but I know Specta has visited there once or twice.

If you are going over the Tushars, I take it you're taking some trail to Beaver and then over to Circleville. Mid-June has the possibility that there is snow at the higher elevations. We hit snow in the first couple days of October up near the top of the trail, not far from where you'd go to get over to Circleville and some guys coming back down warned us the snow was drifting. The lower altitude ride would be from Cedar City over to Panguitch if there are trails connecting the two. You can stay down the bottom of the valleys using that route.

Personally, I'd give yourself one or two extra days. 7 or 8 days. Get good maps for each route you decide to take. Early in the season signs may have gotten knocked down in the winter. National Forest Service trails are pretty reliably marked but the signs are a bit small and easily missed. They are on those posts like you use to fence in a garden with 2-4 digit numbers for their trails. I's sure Specta can give you more info.

 

I've done the ride from Cedar City to Circleville a couple of different ways. The best way is over Parawon Canyon to Yankee Meadows Reservoir, then on to Panguitch, then cross Hwy 89 to Casto Canyon, which leads you to Fremont Trail System trail #2. Then take Fremont trail #2 north to Circleville. It was about a 90 mile ride the last time I did it, with a gas and lunch stop in Panguitch. Now I live about ten miles farther away, on the other end of Cedar City, so it would be about a 100 mile ride. From Circleville to Salina is about 147 miles, if I remember correctly, it has been a few years since I did that ride. It might be longer if I have to find a lower altitude go around. Seven days may be a better plan, and spend the extra night in Richfield to breakup the west side of the loop into two days. I'll be travelling with my wife this time, and I'm sure she would prefer spending the evenings in town going to a movie or out to dinner instead of finishing a long days ride. As for me, I would rather just ride.

 

Was thinking about the distance from Panguitch to Circleville. It is probably about 70-75 miles??? We did from Marysvale to Panguitch going on the Lime Kiln Trail which forms the bottom half of a circle with Casto Canyon. Total for the day back and forth was 165 miles. Lonnnnnggggg day.

 

We have record snow this year and I doubt the Tusher's will be open by mid June.
I'd check with locals before heading out.

 

We still have tons of snow up on top. The snow here is the deepest snow in Utah. The top of the Tusher Mountains still have nearly 80" of snow.

You Tube

The creeks are running pretty high.

You Tube

You Tube

You Tube

There's no shortage of water this year.

 

Thanks Specta. I have changed my plans. It will still be a week long ATV trip, but not across the Tushars, and not that same week.