SUMMARY: This 275 mile circuit from St. George visits 3 spectacular parks in the red rock country of southern Utah: Zion, Bryce, and Cedar Breaks. There will be six days of cycling with one layover day in the Zion area for hiking and sightseeing. Daily cycling mileage ranges from 40 to 62 miles with one 25-mile day to allow for half a day of sightseeing in Bryce before riding to Panguitch. The climb from Panguitch to Cedar Breaks is 32 miles with 4000 ft elevation gain, topping out at 10,600 ft; the maximum gradient during this climb is about 6%. Otherwise, the terrain is hilly every day. The Ride Director for Section 1 (Lucy Ormond, who lives a block off the route) has led this tour several times for her local bike club, and she thinks this circuit provides some of the most beautiful cycling in the country.

The tour is timed to be after the peak tourist season and before the weather turns cold. The layover day in Zion includes the option to hike up the spectacular Virgin River Narrows, the ultimate in canyon-stream hiking. The half day in Bryce provides time to hike one or more of the trails that circle through the hoodoos and pinnacles of the Bryce amphitheatre.

OVERNIGHTS: The ride meets the afternoon of September 18 in St. George and ends the afternoon of September 25 when you complete the circuit by riding back into St. George. You spend nights in straightforward motels in St. George, Springdale (2 nights), Glendale, Bryce, Panguitch, and Cedar City.

LOGISTICS: The nearest airport to St. George is Las Vegas (120 miles away). You may fly into St. George, but that is more expensive. The shuttle from Las Vegas to St. George operates frequently and is about $35/ea one way. Contact the Ride Director if you need to ship a bicycle ahead of time.

ADMINISTRATION: The cost includes 7 nights in motels, 3 dinners, the daily happy hour, and daily luggage transport. Excluded is the cost for National Park entrance at each park. If you have a "Golden Age Pass" or a "National Park Pass", bring it along. If not, plan to pay $12 per person to enter each park. Accommodation is not included on September 25 in St. George, but rooms are available at the group rate for folks who want to spend a final night there.

The cancellation charge is the $50 BAC ride fee plus any unrecoverable lodging costs. After e-mail acceptance, please mail a $450 deposit to the Ride Director. BAC members may contact the Ride Director by "clicking" the name at the top of this Ride Description.