Kanab Trail Ride
(Left) In scenic Utah, "riding" Is a relative
term. Vistas are so numerous in number
and impressive in scope, that frequent
stops are a must.
(Above) Fish out of water: The Minnesotabased crew "gets their feet wet" in the
dry, dusty, sandy conditions of southern
Utah.
By Steve Berkner
s
o the sign read as we entered
Kanab, Utah, by which point it
was already quite evident that the
message was more than some catchphrase that the local chamber of commerce had come up. with to entice
tourists into their town.
Located near the Ari20na border in
southern Utah, the small town of about
5,000 has a lot to offer its visitors. Within
an hour's drive in any direction lie a variety of geographical wonders and national parks - Grand Canyon, Bryce Canyon,
Zion and Glen Canyon. These areas,
along with countless other landscapes
that make up another dozen or so state
parks, are all part of the picturesque
southwest Colorado River Plateau.
Although these areas have a lot to
offer to the millions of tourists who flock
here each year, it's a little-known fact
that they also have plenty to offer for the
off-road motorcyclist.
"Southwest Utah, and the Kanab
area, have some of the country's best
public riding to offer motorcyclists,"
says Rainer Huck, president of the Utah
Trail Machine Association (UTMA).
"And most of it is accessible with a
street-legal dual sport machine."
What Rainer is referring to is the
unique combination of easily accessible
public land and the roads and trails that
make up its transportation system. These
roads and trails meander through and
around the countless canyons and
plateaus, linking together the otherwise
disconnected outposts of civilization.
"Over 80 percent of the land surrounding Kanab is public," continues
Rainer. "And most of it is accessible to
off-road motorcyclists - especially if
they're riding licensed machines. That's
why the UTMA sponsors spring and fall
trail rides here. We're not big into the
traditional (dual sport ride) format on
our· rides. We don't even charge any riding fees. But we are big into offering a
wide variety of riding opportunities for
anyone who wants to come. All you
need is a licensed dirt-worthy machine."
The itinerary for the UTMA's Fall
