Grand Staircase

THE GRAND STAIRCASE:
The Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument is the unknown crown jewel among public lands in the United States.  Set in the desert landscapes of south-central Utah and equal in grandeur and size to Yellowstone National Park, the Grand Staircase will redefine one’s understanding of desert beauty.  

Epic’s journey on this majestic tour passes desert waterfalls, ruby red cliffs, and the intricate canyons of the Escalante River.  The Henry Mountains, the last mountain range to be explored in the lower 48 states, tower about riders as they pass over the elaborate canyons of the Waterpocket Fold.

Attempting to explain why one should travel to the Grand Staircase is difficult since the experience defies descriptions.  A deep silence abodes this land of mind-boggling super-natural geologic creations.  Each visitor will create their own memories and depart touched by their own personal relationship to this ancient and haunting landscape.

The tour begins with two nights of lodging at the exclusive Boulder Mountain Lodge and with meals at the delectable Hell’s Backbone Grill in the tiny town of Boulder, Utah.  The tour ends on the shores of Lake Powell.

Since this tour offers two nights at a lodge and three nights of camping, it is the perfect introduction to mountain bike touring.  Riders of all abilities will marvel at the scenery.

Grand Staircase at a Glance:

• Beginner to expert cyclists  
• A great introduction to camping and cycling.   
• Two nights at the Boulder Mountain Lodge
• Three nights of Epic style camping

Epic mountain bike tours create vacation memories that will stand the test of time and that are retold year after year when friends and family gather.   Our top notch guides and support vehicles take the bumps out of backcountry by providing a chef, masseuses, mattresses, and campsites that offer starlight, camp fires, and camaraderie.   Most of our mountain bike tours are appropriate for riders of all abilities.

Your EpicQuest adventure begins in Moab, Utah’s mountain biking Mecca. Here your EpicQuest guide will pick you up to take the four and a half hour, afternoon shuttle ride from Moab to Boulder Mountain Lodge.

The Grand Staircase trip starts at around 9000ft and descends all the way to the shores of Lake Powell at about 6000ft.  We ride through incredible rock formations covered with sparse Juniper and Pinyon trees into the massive Water Pocket Fold of Capital Reef.  The route is smooth double track and county roads. Throughout the ride we stay deep in the backcountry, away from any significant traffic.

Riding Surface: Variable, dirt roads, broken slickrock, clay, pavement
Technical Difficulty: Easy to moderate.
Physical Difficulty: Easy to moderate.
Altitude: 4,000 - 8,000 feet.

The temperatures range from the mid 40’s at night to the mid 80’s in the day.  Afternoon rains are not uncommon.  But remember, there is no such thing bad weather, only bad clothing. Please bring everything on our gear list and you will have a wonderful time no matter what.