Visit a ghost town, windswept desert plains, high canyon walls, spires, tall towers, wind caves, excellent mountain biking, and Arches National Park.
There are two routes to get down to Moab, Utah, from I-70 or U.S. 191. The latter way is the quickest especially if you are coming from the west, and it’s a fast half-hour blast through the desert. However, others not in a hurry and eastbounders should take Route 128 instead. Better yet, take one off ramp east of that, Exit 212, for the extra pleasure of Cisco. Not technically a tourist attraction, Cisco is a gloomy ghost town out on a windswept desert plain. It’s unclear whether there are any remaining residents of this eerie location, so stop and take a look, but don’t linger too long.
Getting back to the drive, the path past Cisco hooks right into Route 128 and leads toward Castle Valley. After a few fairly uneventful miles, Route 128 drops into a canyon and starts following the Colorado River. It’s one
thing to take a canyon drive through a national park, but quite another to be able to benefit from one on a real world road that is normally less traveled and without the artificially low speed limits and endless lines of motor homes. This road has everything, scenery as lovely as any in the area, and the curves are really enjoyable to drive. The canyon walls are high, and have interesting geological features all along the way; wind caves, tall towers, spires, you name it. Don’t get too wrapped up in the drive to forget about stopping to get pleasure from the scenery. The riverbank is spacious, providing lots of safe places to pull off and skip stones or even get your feet wet. You’ll want to pick a place halfway down the route or so, as the final few miles of this road closer to town tend to attract tourists and local outdoor types. At the end, you’ll arrive at U.S. 191. A right turn will take you to Arches National Park, a “must-see” attraction. A left will bring you to Moab, a great base camp and an outdoor activity mecca from which to enjoy the sights and the best mountain bike riding in the country.
Starting Point:
Cisco, UT
Distance of Drive:
105 miles
Must Eat:
Moab Diner
189 S. Main Street, Moab, UT 84532
Phone: 435-259-4006
Call ahead to confirm hours of operation.
Best Time of Year for Drive:
Summer
Points of Interest on Drive:
Ghost Town of Cisco
Arches National Park
Fisher Towers
Tagged with: best time:summer • desert • ghost town • Utah
Filed under: Best Road Trips