Boulder Mountain (Highway 12)

Highway 12 between Escalante and Torrey is routinely cited as the most scenic road in the United States, and the Boulder Mountain section — climbing from the town of Boulder (1,920m) to the high plateau at 3,200m — is its cycling centrepiece. The road traverses the top of Boulder Mountain through dense ponderosa pine and aspen forest on the southern edge of Dixie National Forest. The gradient is steady rather than savage: 35.5km at 4% average with a handful of 8-9% ramps where the road cuts through the ancient lava-capped plateau edge. The summit area at 3,200m delivers alpine meadow scenery that feels entirely incongruous 120km from Moab's desert floor. This is a destination in itself rather than a day trip from Moab — the full Highway 12 corridor from Panguitch to Torrey requires a multi-day itinerary and is considered one of the great American cycle touring routes. The road is paved to an excellent standard throughout and maintained as a National Scenic Byway.