We rode The Palisades State Park Loop in 5.5 hours for a distance of 60 miles at 11 mph. Plan this trip around a visit to Palisades or some of the other camping destinations in the area that make for a long half-day ride with plenty of time for exploring and stretching your legs on a summer hike. This easy ride will take you into the mountains of the Manti-La Sal National Forest to escape the summer heat or to enjoy a fall excursion.

We highly recommend you get GAIA GPS for your smartphone or tablet mobile device. GAIA GPS will allow you to download this trail complete with the photos you see here so you can be sure where you are at all times. Simply install the GAIA GPS app and save this trail from here: DOWNLOAD THIS TRAIL

Here is an embedded live link to GAIA GPS to allow you to explore the trail. Each of the blue markers indicates that a photo was taken at that location. To view the track and photos click here: GAIA GPS – Palisades State Park Loop


Would you like to see the Palisades State Park Loop in an animated 3D flyover map?  If it appears to pause that is likely a place we stopped for a while. It will continue, just wait a few moments. Link to 3D flyover.


Here is the 360 view at the trailhead. Feel free to tour around a bit inside Google Street Views. We have recorded the trail in 360, and it is now part of Google Street Views so you can take a virtual tour of the trail to see if it is for you. While we didn’t have time to ride all of the trail we think you will find this fairly representative of what you will find. We’ve made it a bit easier to navigate, scroll down and you will see more 360 embedded tours as we encounter intersections, trail markers or interesting places along the trail.

On any image, you can click the ‘X’ in the upper right corner and the view will change to an overview map showing the Google Street View blue lines. You can click anywhere on that blue line and drop down to the 360 ground-level views at that point.

You can move the image 360 degrees, click the arrow to move further down the trail and zoom in and out to take a closer look. Clicking the box in the upper right-hand corner will enlarge to full screen for a better view.


Palisades State Park presents a good place to base your adventure from with some time to relax by the lake after your ride.


From Palisades head east up Six Mile Canyon Road.


Continue on east following the trail marker 35 for the Arapeen Trail.


There are some camping spots at the Upper Six Mile Ponds Campground (medium use area). Learn more at USFS.


Continue on Route 35. There is a sign to the left indicating trailheads for Blue Meadows and Sand Ridge.


A sampling of the incredible views from the trail!


Turn left to head east on Forest Road 0022.


Take another left to follow route marker 2 for the Arapeen Trail.


Ferron Reservoir and Gunnison Valley are a short jaunt from the trail we took. We continued straight to head to Skyline Drive. The Twelve Mile Flat Campground is in view from this point of our trip. More information at USFS


Turn right to head west on Forest Road 0150.


Turn slightly left following Arapeen Trail Marker 9 heading south.


Up ahead there is a carsonite sign indicating you are on Route 9 of the Arapeen Trail.


Turn right to follow Route 94.


View from the trail of Julius Flat Reservoir and White Mountain (10,817 elevation) in the distance.


Here is a photo gallery of all of the images we took along the way. Not necessarily in any order or sequence. Many are at trail intersections. You can see the photos and exactly where along the trail where taken: Click here for Photo Locations.


Emergencies

  • The closest medical help is Gunnison Valley Hospital, 64 E 100 N Street, Gunnison, UT 84634. (435) 528-7246.
  • Dial 9-1-1 for emergencies.
  • Sanpete County Sheriff: Dial 9-1-1 or (435) 835-2191. 1500 S Hwy 89, Manti, UT 84642
  • Utah Highway Patrol: Dial 9-1-1
  • We highly recommend you purchase a Utah Search and Rescue Assistant Card (USARA), learn more: https://secure.utah.gov/rescue/

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