Great Drive!
#1
Great Drive!
Yesterday I returned from Zion National Park to northern Utah via Hwy 12. It begins off Hwy 89 going towards Bryce NP and ends at Torrey. The scenery in places is spectacular. But for Porsche owners it's the road that earns the real kudos. From Escalante to Boulder and then north towards Torrey the road turns, twists, rises and falls for nearly fifty miles. This time of year there is little traffic, I may have passed eight or nine cars in that span, and driven at 8/10s it's simply exhilarating. Boulder falls about in the middle and has a great restaurant for lunch, Hell's Backbone Grill. Dessert is the serpentine road beyond. Anyone travelling the west in their Porsche should plan an excursion. There are two National Parks, Bryce and Capitol Reef at either end of Hwy 12 and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in the middle. Just tell your wife you want to see the parks--then proceed to scare the wee out of her on the drive!
Below is a picture near the beginning of the twisties. If you look closely you can see the path of the road. The other picture is morning in Zion.
By the way, my wife wasn't with me or it would have been just a nice drive through the scenery. If your wife is squeamish, leave her at the hotel. There's one point where the road runs atop a sinuous ridge with sharp drop offs on either side. It's a dance along the knife's edge.
Below is a picture near the beginning of the twisties. If you look closely you can see the path of the road. The other picture is morning in Zion.
By the way, my wife wasn't with me or it would have been just a nice drive through the scenery. If your wife is squeamish, leave her at the hotel. There's one point where the road runs atop a sinuous ridge with sharp drop offs on either side. It's a dance along the knife's edge.
#4
Wow, simply stunning scenery -- really wish I had some roads like that around here! Well, guess I do actually, but this time of year I'm dodging deer around every bend!
If you have more pics of the drive, post them! Thank you for sharing.
If you have more pics of the drive, post them! Thank you for sharing.
#6
That's the only stop I made for pictures. The downside to the route is that it adds nearly three hours to the drive home. It was was worth it. North of Boulder it's more alpine, including a 9,600' pass. I haven't been on 12 for many years, last time was in a SUV, this was my first time in a driver's car. The perfect car for that road.
I put over 800 miles in two days going down to Zion and back. A great drive in a superb car!
I put over 800 miles in two days going down to Zion and back. A great drive in a superb car!