My wife and I would like to ride parts of the piute atv trail this August. Where is a good area to camp (at a campground) and ride? Would like the area to have the following characteristics:

1. Be high enough in elevation so as to be not too hot
2. Have trails that are not too difficult (4 and 5 year old kids will ride double) but do not want to just ride on paved roads.
3. Be able to ride in shade at least 1/2 the time

Your comments are appreciated. Thank you.

 

Havn't riden the trail myself, but hope to next year. There are a number of web sites with info and phone numbers. You might also want to call ATV STUFF, which is in Richfield. Their web site has some info, but the staff might be able to give you some first-hand advice. Also, try the Chamber of Commerce in Marysvale (or Marysville??).

 

LakotaBob,
I just spent this last weekend down on the trail with are ATV Club (Pathfinderzz). We rode close to 300 miles in two days. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-happy.gif[/img] Marysvale seems to be about the most central place to stay and start from. Lizzy & charlies Place is a very nice campground with showers and restrooms. There were only a couple eating establishments in Marysvale. You can get some great information from their web page (www.maryvale.org).
Some of the bigger towns like Fillmore, Richfield, or Salina will offer more variety of eating and all have campgrounds or Hotels to stay in.
As far as deciding which trails to ride I would suggest that you get a map of the trail system. The easier trails are the ones colored in green or blue. The west side of the trails have the higher mountain ranges so you may want to stick to that side. all the trails are dirt except for the ones in town so don't worry about riding on anything but dirt.
about your biggest problem is going to be the shade!! The trees out west just aren't as plentiful as they are back east. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-wink.gif[/img] you can always stop and take a break in any patch of trees but there are not too many trails that are totally covered in trees where you will be shaded atlest 50% of the time. The good side of this is that you don't have to worry about some spider building his web across the trail!!!! For me I will take the sun over some sider web anyday. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img]
Well, good luck if you have anymore questions then drop me line.

 

Check out www.sportquad.com (www.off-road.com) for a nice article titled "Off Road in Southwest Utah". They rode around Circleville and Marysvale. Looks like a great ride. The article has some great pictures too. Got to go there!!!

 

Hi I live in Kanab utah about 80 miles south of Brice Canyon near there is a lake called Tropic Resavor there is a nice forest service camp ground and good trailes that connect to the Piute trail in is the south end of the Fremont trail. It is about 7500 ft. el. in cool pines. you may want to check it out. It is out favoret place. The Piute trail map should show it. Bob; rca1@xpressweb.com

 

Utah300,
The Map of the Paiute Trail doesn't show the Freemont Trail System or the Tropic Resivoir. I am coming down that way over Labor Day Weekend with some guys from my work. I think we are dropping off in Marysvale and then riding up to Puffer Lake. Then we will drop into Circleville and catch the Freemont Trail and head down to Tropic Resivoir. I am looking forward to the ride.
Whats the best bait to catch some fish at Tropic? I hate getting skunked when I go fishing. [img]i/expressions/face-icon-small-smile.gif[/img] Have you ever road Castro Canyon? How far is it from Tropic?

 

There is a downloadable map on the Fishlake NF website at http://www.fs.fed.us/r4/fishlake/gis/gis_index.htm#OHV Its quite large, about 30mb for the PDF version but it shows all of the Piute trail the Freemont and East Fork trails south of Tropic reservoir. We have stayed at King Creek campgournd serveral times, it's very ATV friendly. http://www.fs.fed.us/dxnf/campground/kingcreek.html

 

Hi I haven't been on the Castro Canyon trail, I think it is in Red Canyon It will be a beautiful ride though. There is a camp ground in Red Canyon It is on the way to Tropic Res. Tropic and ,Bryce Canyon are in the Dixie National Forest . It is about 80 miles from Tropic to Circleville one way I think A long day ride. There is a field office in Panguitch and in Red Canyon. I think the Dixie Forest Web sight has a map on the area. If you want to ride in the Tropic area I would drive to the Res. and camp eather in the Kings Creek camp ground or you can camp any place in the valley, but by the Lake. There is a small creek that runs the leanth of the vally with fishing all the way. Not big fish about 12 is the biggest. I us worms or power bate, samon eggs or gold spiners you can put a small boat and motor on the lake. I think I will be there over the Labor Day weekend (gray and red Ford F150 and Bayoue 300 with gray boxes on front and rear. ) If you ride South of the Res. in the evening you can see deer and elk coming in to water and feed. It will
be cool in the evenings. Have a good weekend maybe I'll see you there.Utah300 Bob