This month we bring
you a unique ATV adventure into Grand Canyon country. We had the
opportunity to explore this area on the new 2003 Honda Rincon when
Honda hosted the media at the Bar 10 Ranch located 90 miles south
of St. George, Utah.
The area is rugged and the home to magnificent
canyons carved out by the Colorado River.
Want to enjoy the Grand Canyon country without
trailering your ATVs to the area? The Bar 10 Ranch has ATVs
available for guided tours and you can fly in via a 50 minute
flight from Las Vegas.
The Bar 10 Ranch is a working cattle ranch located
in the new Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument. The ranch is
only 9 miles from the north rim of the Grand Canyon and is located
in an area known as the "Arizona Strip".
The Arizona Strip is all
of the area located between the Colorado River and the Utah border,
and contains more than 5,000 miles of dirt roads. The Bar 10 Ranch
easily serves as the center for your ATV explorations. The lodge
has six bedrooms, with four dormitory-style beds in each, and 13
wagons with double mattresses.
Four inside restrooms / showers and
two outside restrooms / showers are available to get the dust off
after your ride. Individual meals or packages are available from
the lodge.
Want to take a day off from
riding? The Bar 10 Ranch has plenty of activities to keep you busy.
You can try skeet shooting, horse shoes, volleyball, a trail ride
via horseback, or a helicopter ride over the Grand Canyon. The Bar
10 Trading Post sells supplies, books, gifts, snacks, T-shirts and
other unique souvenirs.
Getting
There
Starting at St. George, Utah visit the BLM Arizona
Strip Field office to pick up a visitors map showing the roads in
detail. After that you will want to trailer your ATV to Bundyville
and the Mt. Trumble schoolhouse. From Interstate 15 take the
Bloomington exit (Exit #4). Travel east through Bloomington Hills
until the road ends at River Road. Turn south (right) on River
Road. The pavement ends at the Arizona State line. Stay on this
main road (BLM Rd. # 1069) up Quail Hill, over about 60 miles of
dirt and gravel road. Here you can unload at the schoolhouse and
prepare for your trip to the Bar 10 Ranch. From the Mount Trumble
schoolhouse it is about 24 miles to the lodge, with several side
trails and overlooks available for your exploration.
We recommend that you bring your GPS and a copy of
the "Southwest Adventure Trail Guide with GPS". The
Trail Guide has GPS coordinates and detailed route descriptions
that will greatly assist you on your adventures. You will also want
to pick up a copy of the USGS Arizona Strip District Topographical
map.
Entrance to the Bar 10
Ranch
Covered wagons are
available for a rustic, authentic experience
Trails
There are a
number of trails available to you with the Bar 10 Ranch as the hub.
Most of the trails are fairly easy old two track roads, with some
very rocky technical sections. Difficulty increases if it is muddy.
Since temperatures in the area can reach 100 degrees plus in the
summer, the best times for ATV riding is mid-March through May, and
then October through early December.Colorado River Overlook
One of
the first places you will want to visit is the Colorado River
overlook. The overlook is about nine miles from the Bar 10 Ranch.
Along the way you will see the Whitmore International Airport and
many interesting views. If you are very adventurous, there is a
foot trail leading down to the river. Plan several hours for the
hike down and back up.
Colorado River
Overlook
Need some exercise? Try the
hiking trail leading down to the river.
Whitmore Point Overlook
Another great trip is the Whitmore Point Overlook. Whitmore
Point Overlook is about 11 miles from the Bar 10 Lodge and
overlooks the lower Grand Canyon Gorge. This trail will give you
many great views into the canyon. From Whitmore Point you can see
Whitmore Canyon, the Sawmill Mountains, the Uinkret Mountains, Mt.
Logan, and the Parashant Canyon.Mt.
Logan
Mt. Logan offers a much different
view of the area. Access is via an ATV trail leading from the Bar
10 Ranch. The area leading to Mt. Logan includes basalt ledges,
Ponderosa pine forests, Pinyon-Juniper, and cinder cones.The Mt.
Logan view point is about 12 miles from the Bar 10 Lodge.
You will travel through
Ponderosa Pine forests on your way to Mt. Logan view
point.
Some sections of the Mt. Logan
trail are full of volcanic rock.
Parashant Canyon
The trip to Parashant Canyon will lead you to an abandoned
Copper Mine. Access is via the Mount Trumble schoolhouse, about 12
miles via Kinney point, where you can refill your ATV and extra
fuel containers. From Bundyville it is about 20 miles to the copper
mine. You will travel through Trail Canyon, across a mesa, in to
Andrus Canyon, and past an old landing strip. The copper mine
covers several square miles so allow plenty of time to explore. Do
NOT enter any of the open mine shafts as they are very old and
could collapse at any time.Summary
The Arizona Strip
offers some of the most beautiful and rugged terrain in the
Southwest. You can choose to rough it, or base your stay at a lodge
like the Bar 10. The area is very remote. Assistance and medial
care are not easily found. Prepare yourself and your ATV properly,
and you will experience an area of the country that not many people
get to see. Enjoy!
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