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Boulder, Bryce and Zion Bike Tour: Utah Bike Tour

The mountains and high desert of southwest Utah are a cycling and hiking mecca. Our Boulder, Bryce and Zion Utah bike tour delivers a combination of nearly car free roads, jaw-dropping scenery and plenty of time to stop and explore. The BBZ tour rides all 124-miles of Utah’s Highway 12. Highway 12 is a bucket list cycling route that is not ridden in its entirety on most Utah bikes tours. If one thinks they have already “done” Utah, they have not ridden Lizard Head Cycling’s Tour of Utah!

We incorporate easily accessible mileage options so that both intermediate and advanced riders can enjoy this land of the petrified red and white sand dunes of the Aquarius, Colorado and Paunsaugunt Plateaus.

Highlights of the Boulder, Bryce and Zion Utah Bike Tour

The Boulder, Bryce and Zion bike tour visits Utah’s most famous natural wonders including Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Zion National Park among others.

Is it too Hot in Utah in the Summer?
Utah is hardly the flat desert many believe it to be, it has mountains and our Boulder, Bryce and Zion tour rides along at elevations from 6,500-feet up to 10,000-feet. With every 1,000-feet of elevation the temperature is 4 to 5 degrees cooler. So the heat is moderated (like it is in Colorado) due to Utah’s significant elevation.  For example Moab sits at 4,500-feet and is usually 10 to 20 degrees warmer than the BBZ region.

Additionally in July and August this region of Utah receives afternoon rainfall on almost a daily basis. One would not expect this in a “desert”, but Utah topography creates cloud cover that is great for bike riding because it cools the atmosphere.  And finally on warm weeks, we depart early in the morning to ride when it is still cool.

Lizard Head Cycling Guides is a proud member of the Grand Staircase-Escalante Partners in support of their commitment to education, stewardship and restoration of the full National Monument.

What is the difference between the 7-day Utah Mountains & 6-day Boulder, Bryce and Zion? These are essentially the same tours. The Boulder, Bryce and Zion Bike Tour is similar to our Utah Mountains & National Parks Bike Tour in that it offers fantastic riding, stunning vistas and world-class accommodations. The difference is that the Utah Mountains has a day on the front end riding in the Fish Lake Mountains to Torrey, Utah and then a 1/2 day in Capitol Reef National Park on the morning of Day 2.

Both our Utah bike tours are designed to offer mileage options for intermediate to advanced level cyclists.

NOTE: Plenty of challenging terrain remains on this tour for those that seek it! 😀

Boulder, Bryce and Zion Bike Tour: Testimonials

Read what previous guests on our Boulder, Bryce and Zion Bike tour have been saying…

Wow! What a great trip. I have done a dozen cycling trips with six companies, large and small. This Lizard Head trip is top of the heap. Of course Bryce and Zion are magical, and Boulder is a new-found joy that I hope to revisit. All three lodges exceeded our expectations and the food was a treat every night. My experience is that trips are only as good as the trip leaders. Eli and Lauren were excellent. Many thanks to you and your team for a wonderful trip. We hope to join Lizard Head again on future adventures. – Rick

Thank you David and Scott. The experience was epic, and as I emotionally stated earlier, it’s always more than cycling. We overcome mental and physical barriers, but most of all leave with shared memories and new friends. – Rodney

I went on the BBZ bike trip in June 2020 and it was wonderful! Great Guides, Food and they adjusted the trip to meet the Covid guidelines. A little flexibility goes a long way in enjoying a great trip to discover the outdoors! I recommend this trip to anyone who enjoys biking and the beauty of the national parks! – Kim

You guys run a really smooth, smart, inclusive, appropriately challenging operation, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of it! I am going to waste no time in telling my riding mates what a serious mistake they made in not joining me for this trip. – Peter

Amazing bike tour with amazing guides. This is an experience not to be missed. This was the first bike tour I have been on and it certainly will not be the last with this team! Looking forward to my next tour. – Denise

On our first trip … there was a group of 13 guys who were maniacs. They wanted a century every day and John helped make that happen with alternate routes for them. The nice thing was, even though these guys were hard core cyclists, at the end of the day, everyone had a great time chatting. – Barb S.

Boulder, Bryce and Zion Bike Tour: Dates

Also consider our 7-DAY Utah Mountains & National Parks tour which is almost the same as the 6-DAY Boulder, Bryce & Zion tour; the difference is that the Utah Mountains & National Parks tour is 1-DAY LONGER.

Potential tour dates are listed below and not all tour dates will run. Lock in your preferred tour date early as unopened tour dates will be closed. Please see the Spring/Autumn Tour Calendar and the Summer Tour Calendar for confirmed departures. Any unopened date can be a Custom Week (9 riders required). Please contact us via email or call 970.728.5891

To easily register for a particular tour, please click the Book Now! link after the tour date listed below. This will select the tour name and the appropriate date on the registration form.

2023 Tour Dates

This tour runs from Monday to Saturday unless noted otherwise.

• April 24 to 29, 2023 (Book Now!)

• May 8 to 13, 2023 (Book Now!)
• May 15 to 20, 2023 (Book Now!)
• May 22 to 27, 2023 (Book Now!)
• May 29 to June 3, 2023 (Book Now!)

• July 10 to 15, 2023 (Book Now!)
• July 17 to 22, 2023 (Book Now!)
• July 24 to 29, 2023 (Book Now!)
• July 31 to August 5, 2023 (Book Now!)

• August 28 to September 2, 2023 (Book Now!)

• September 4 to 9, 2023 (Book Now!)
• September 11 to 16, 2023 (Book Now!)
• September 18 to 23, 2023 (Book Now!)
• September 25 to 30, 2023 (Book Now!)

• October 9 to 14, 2023 (Book Now!)

2023 Utah EPIC Tour Dates

Two Week Combined Tours of 14-Days/13-Nights

• May 7 to 20, 2023 (Book Now!)
  1st Week: Redrock Canyons & 2nd Week: Boulder, Bryce, and Zion

• September 3 to 16, 2023 (Book Now!)
  1st Week: Redrock Canyons & 2nd Week: Boulder, Bryce, and Zion

• September 24 to October 7, 2023 (Book Now!)
  1st Week: Redrock Canyons & 2nd Week: Utah Mountains & National Parks

 

Tour Status Notes: NO STATUS = Date Set, no riders have signed up. TOUR OPENED = Tour Opened, rider minimums not met. TOUR A GO! = Tour is Go, rider minimums met. SOLD OUT = Tour Full, rider maximums met.

Boulder, Bryce and Zion Bike Tour: Overview

Tour Length: 6-Days Cycling/5-Nights Lodging

Starting & Ending Town: St. George, Utah. Fly in and out of Las Vegas, Nevada (LAS), or St. George Utah (SGU). Shuttle service from and back to Las Vegas is available through the St. George Shuttle.

Total Miles: 195 up to 400 (Can I keep up on this tour?)

Daily Mileage Range: 10 to 95

Ability Levels: Upper Intermediate (3) , Advanced (3/4)

Group Size: 6 to 15 riders

Tour Cost: $3,190 per person with shared accommodations. Add $495 per person to this Tour Cost for a private room each night of the tour (5-Nights). Group discount of $200 per person for groups of 4 or more.
Please see our Tour Discounts Policy.

Tour Includes: 6-Days guide service, 5-Nights lodging, all meals, entrance fees, daily lunch en route, energy food, liquid refreshments, in-tour shuttles and mechanical support. Alcoholic beverages, bike rental, massage (if available), and St. George/Las Vegas pre-tour and post-tour shuttle are additional.

Non-Riding Spouses & Partners on Tour: If a non-riding spouse or partner would like to join you on tour and they have their own transportation, they can stay in your room for the cost of the tour's single room supplement. Non-Riding spouses and partners can join a tour's meal plan of three meals a day for $85 per day.

Lodging for 5 Nights: (subject to change and availability)

• Nights 1 & 2: Boulder Mountain Lodge or Boulder Mountain Guest Ranch, Boulder, Utah (elevation 6,703′)
• Night 3: Bryce Canyon Lodge Cabins, or Ruby’s Inn, Bryce, Utah (elevation 7,664′)
• Nights 4 & 5: Cliffrose Lodge & Gardens, Springdale, Utah (elevation 3,898′)

Additional Activities: Slot canyon hiking, swimming, waterfalls, massage, and yoga.

Ability Level: Can I Ride This Tour?

Definition of Ability Levels

= Intermediate (2/3) Rides and/or takes spin classes 1 to 3 times a week for a total of 50 or more miles.
= Upper Intermediate (3) Rides and/or takes spin classes 2 to 4 times a week for a total of 75 or more miles.
= Advanced (3/4) Rides and/or takes spin classes 3 to 5 times a week for a total of 100 or more miles. Has ridden multi-day tours and done a century ride.
= Expert (4) Rides 4 or more times per week totaling 150 or more miles. Rides E.F.I. with regularity. Has done numerous multi-day tours, century rides and races.

How Fit do I Have to Be? If one month prior to the tour, you can ride 2 to 3 times a week equaling a total of 75 or more miles a week, you'll do just fine. We like to jokingly say that "one is ready for a Lizard Head Cycling Tour when they are finished with tour" and this is true! The only way to simulate a week long bike tour is to go on a week long tour.

Our average rider age is 55 years. These are bike tours, not races so we take our time to stop, take pictures and see the sights. We have all day to reach our destination and most riders take "bumps" at some points. We offer reduced mileage options for each day. Of course if someone wants to ride E.F.I. (Every Freaking Inch), we love to show them all the extra climbs, loops and hidden canyons that can be included!

Do the Bump! Daily mileage options allow cyclists of varying abilities to enjoy this tour. One of our favorite options is to give cyclists a "bump" via the support vehicle, or a 10 to 20 mile lift down the road representing an hour of pedal time. After the bump the rider is "off the front" and riding at his or her own pace without feeling they are being left behind the group. They'll then have time to linger and take in the spectacular scenery. All cyclists come together in time for lunch. Afterwards, cyclists can take another bump and/or continue riding.

Seamless Mileage Options: Lizard Head Cycling Guides designs multiple mileage options for each tour – something we're well known for in our business. This technique is similar to heliskiing in that one does not ski everything, they ski the best. 🙂

Slow or Fast? Many cyclists who sign up for our tours have worried themselves silly about not being able to keep up, but then they're surprised to find that all the worrying was about nothing. They do just fine! Slow and Fast only exist relative to other cyclists. Speed does not matter as long as one is moving on the bike. As long as one is moving, they are truly going fast enough.

If you have questions about your ability to ride this tour, please contact our office via email or call us at 970.728.5891 - we'll more than happy to guide you!

Please also see this blog post for more information.

Road Bike Rentals

NOTE: The make, model, and specifications of rental bikes may differ from what is described below. Please contact us if you have any specific needs for a rental bike or have any questions about rental bikes.

Lizard Head Cycling Guides is proud to rent Scott Bikes. The Scott Addict 10 Disc was designed from the ground up with those longer days in mind. With geometry that is less focused on racing and more on enduring, the Addict 10 will be your go to when you’re looking to put the miles in.

The Scott Addict 10 Disc features: Carbon Frame and Fork, Shimano Ultegra 2x11 Drivetrain, 34x32 Compact Gearing, 30mm Tires, and Hydraulic Disc Brakes. Approx. Weight: 16.89 lbs / 7.66 kg (without pedals)

Learn More: Click Here to learn more about our Road Bike Rentals including pricing.

Road E-Bike Rentals: Click Here for more information on our Road E-Bike Rentals including pricing. Please note that E-Bikes are not available for certain tours including those that involve camping. Please contact us for more information before registering for a tour. NOTE: E-Bikes are great, but our tours are designed to be ridden without motorized assistance. We offer "bumps" along the road so that everyone can stay together.

Couples Bike Rental Discount: Sign up as a couple and receive a $125 discount on the second bike rental for a one week tour. (Standard road bikes only. E-Bikes and east coast based tours excluded.)

Tandems and Recumbents: Lizard Head Cycling Guides happily accommodates both tandem and recumbent bikes on our tours.

If you have any further questions, please read more on our Rental Bikes FAQ page. You can also email us at info@lizardheadcyclingguides.com or call us at 970.728.5891

Meals On Tour

Lizard Head Cycling Guides provides most meals on all tours (unless otherwise noted) including breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Guides will prepare a daily lunch en route for nearly every tour, both road and off-road, as well as provide nutritious snacks at periodic aid stations during the day.

Most of our road tours utilize local restaurants for all meals and occasionally guides may prepare a dinner or two during a tour. Due to the nature of being "off the grid", most of our off-road tours feature guide prepared meals for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. FUN NOTE: When guides prepare a meal in camp and the guests sit around and watch, this is called "Guide TV".

We also pride ourselves on being able to cater to specific dietary requests and needs, so rest assured that you will be able to get the nutrition that works best for you during your tour. Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Vegan, or a someone who loves it all – we will keep you well fed during the tour!

Lunches: Lizard Head Cycling Guides prepares healthy lunches to keep you going. We will serve you fresh organic fruits and veggies, salads, hummus, sandwich fixings, nuts, gourmet cheeses and, of course, plenty of salty/sweet snacks such as chips and cookies.

Dinners: On our road tours, Lizard Head Cycling sources our favorite restaurants in each town that we visit. Our guides focus on establishments that offer fresh and local ingredients and guests choose whatever they desire to eat off the menu including: appetizer, salad, entrée, and of course, dessert... yum! Also, while on tour if a guest wants to dine early before the group and go to bed, this is fine. We understand that on some days sleep is the most important post-ride element.

Overall Route Map

Boulder, Bryce and Zion Bike Tour: Itinerary*

*Tour itineraries are subject to change and modification based on the group, available accommodations, road construction, road closures, and other unforeseen circumstances including weather, wildfires, flooding, hurricanes, landslides and/or other acts of nature. Also, the distances and elevation profiles shown below may not reflect the actual distances and elevations while on tour as these are provided here to give an idea as to the anticipated mileage and terrain. Please view this itinerary, the distances, and elevation profiles as a general outline as to what to expect while on this tour.

Day 0: Arrival in St. George, Utah

Guests fly into Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) and arrange for their own shuttle to St. George, Utah via one of the available St. George shuttles (St. George Shuttle; St. George Express) or a rental vehicle. The tour meets early morning on Day 1. Exact time will be sent in the tour’s confirmation document.

Alternatively, guests can also fly into the smaller SGU Regional Airport (SGU) which is serviced by Delta Air Lines from Salt Lake City, Utah and United Airlines from Denver, Colorado.

Day 1: Boulder Mountain Ride – Torrey to Boulder, Utah
Standard: 36 miles with up to 2,900 feet of climbing
Lower Mileage: 25 mile option cuts off some of the climbing

The tour meets in St. George and departs via shuttle for Torrey, Utah at the start of Utah’s Scenic Highway 12.

Day 1 of our BBZ Utah bike tour is one of the most spectacular and most challenging starts to any of our tours. The 36-mile route from Torrey to Boulder, Utah climbs the Aquarius Plateau to 9,300-feet (a.k.a. Boulder Mountain) and as one gains elevation the views far below of Capitol Reef National Park, the Waterpocket Fold and the Henry Mountains are what Utah’s famed canyon country are all about.

Normally, Lizard Head Cycling starts its trips out with a descent, but during this tour we ride all 124-miles of Utah’s fabulous Highway 12 and Hwy-12 starts at the base of Boulder Mountain. While ascending, take your time, stop to rest and soak in the views. Getting off the bike and walking for a bit to stretch the legs is a good idea. So, although this can be a humbling climb, the reward is well worth the effort. There are two aid stations along the way.

Cyclists can choose to engage the entire climb or take a bump from the first aid station towards the top. From the summit it is a 15-mile/3,000-foot descent to our favorite lodge and restaurant combination of them all: Boulder Mountain Lodge and a personal favorite of the Lizard Head staff, Hell’s Backbone Grill.

Day 2: Burr Trail, Long Canyon and Calf Creek Falls
35 Standard-miles with 3,000′ climbing
6-Mile world class hike to Calf Creek Falls
E.F.I. Option: 65-miles of riding with 4,700′ climbing

On Day 2 be amazed as you ride the Burr Trail past the 400-foot tall Wingate sandstone walls of Long Canyon to a dazzling view across the high desert canyonlands (35 miles round trip).

After experiencing Long’s Canyon, one can ride (or shuttle) 11-miles across the Hogback’s to Calf Creek falls where  cycling shoes are exchanged for hiking shoes. It is a 3 mile hike to reach the desert oasis of the 126-foot tall Calf Creek Falls (an all time best swimming hole)!

Following Calf Creek Falls, cyclists can pedal 11-glorious miles back to the Boulder Mountain Lodge or shuttle. For dinner we’ll unwind and dine at the award-winning Hell’s Backbone Grill where gracious owners and wonderful hosts, Jenn and Blake, treat you to a truly delicious and eclectic offering of fine dining choices. Their restaurant has received numerous praise, including this New York Times Story.

Day 3: Boulder, Utah to Bryce Canyon National Park
E.F.I. 78-miles with 2,000′ to 5,900′ of climbing
35-45 Lower Mileage options

Today we head southwest towards Bryce Canyon National Park along Utah State Highway 12 – arguably one of the best cycling roads in the Beehive state, and perhaps the country. It twists and turns and climbs and dives among the ridges, mesas, and valleys of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, a 1.9 million acre spectacle of multi-hued cliffs and terraces, with distances that defy human perspective.

There are multiple mileage options available for today of between 30 to 78 miles from Boulder, Utah to Bryce Canyon. Do multiple “bumps” and cherry pick the sections you wish to ride, or go the full distance and experience the entire route. No matter what mileage option you choose, the highlight of today’s ride is certainly Highway 12 along the ridge of Hell’s Backbone – an awe inspiring exposed piece of highway dropping hundreds of feet on either side.

Lodging tonight is at The Lodge at Bryce Canyon within Bryce Canyon National Park. After a group dinner in the dining room at The Lodge, prepare to take an exhilarating night hike under the stars inside the park.

Day 4: Bryce Canyon National Park to Red Canyon to Zion National Park
Standard: 57 miles
E.F.I. Option: 73-miles

Segment #1: 32 or 48-miles
Segment #2 15 or 25-miles

Today offers a two-segment ride from the high point of Bryce Canyon National Park through the spectacular Red Canyon and then into Zion National Park.

On segment #1 we ride to Sunrise Point, the top of Bryce Canyon National Park, for a spectacular early morning view. From the top of the park we ride mostly down through the park and onto the Red Canyon Bike Trail, a marvelous bike path which descend 7-miles to the Red Canyon visitor center. NOTE: This first segment’s mileage can be reduced by 16-miles with a shuttle to the top of the park.

From the Red Canyon Visitor center we shuttle to Segment #2. NOTE: The shuttle is 22-miles long along a road that can be a bit busy. If riders wish to ride this section, they can do so.

Segment #2 offers 15 or 25-miles with 1,400-feet of climbing and 2,700-feet of descending. The ride starts from Mt. Caramel Junction and proceeds into the west entrance of Zion National Park. Jaw dropping sights await including: Checkerboard Mesa, 2,000-foot high sandstone walls, the Zion Tunnel, deep canyons and the switchbacks into the town of Springdale, Utah!

 

Day 5: Layover in Springdale, Utah
Hiking Options in Zion National Park
Optional Ride: Kolob Terrace Out & Back, 70 miles with up to 6,200 feet of climbing

With a layover day in Springdale, optional on-your-own unguided hiking in Zion National Park certainly beckons and we highly recommend you take advantage of it as Zion offers some of the most scenic hiking of all the national parks. Take the free Zion Canyon Shuttle from Springdale into the park for hiking and then back again when you are finished. The shuttle runs every 10-15 minutes throughout the day, so you will have plenty of time to enjoy your hike.

Some of the trails we recommend in Zion National Park are Angel’s Landing, The Narrows through the Virgin River and Weeping Rock… among many others!

An optional on-your-own out and back 75 mile route from Springdale to Kolob Terrace and back can also be ridden. This route offers tremendous views of Zion from above through a diverse landscape.

Day 6: Springdale, Utah to Virgin River Narrows
Zion Sunrise Ride: 16-miles with up to 1090 feet of climbing

On our final day of the tour, we breakfast early and then embark on an early morning sunrise ride into Zion National Park.

First we will ride a flat 7 miles on a park road closed to private vehicles as bikes rule here. Upon entering Zion, the riding experience is sublime with canyon walls towering over 2,000-feet above the road and early morning sunlight dancing along the tops of the white rock peaks… it is gorgeous! Upon reaching the end of the ride, there will be more options to hike around Zion canyon. Another option instead of the riding or hiking is to relax in the quaint downtown of Springdale.

In the mid-afternoon (Saturday), you can take the shuttle back to our meeting hotel in St. George. Choose to spend a night in St. George, or take the shuttle back to Las Vegas.

If you would like to extend your stay in Zion National Park, you are welcome to do so, but all reservations are on-your-own to make in advance. We will even transport your bike back to the shop and have it shipped for you, if you brought your own wheels.

Well Done!

Boulder, Bryce and Zion Bike Tour: Logistics & FAQs

Bike Shipping

Lizard Head Cycling recommends shipping with BikeFlights.com. Bikes can be shipped either to our partner bike shop in each meeting town for professional assembly or directly to the meeting hotel for self-assembly. Bike boxes can generally be left at the meeting hotel during the tour. Bikes shipped across the continental US should be shipped 8 days prior to your tour.

Tour Support: A 15-passenger van and trailer that carries luggage, food and equipment supports Lizard Head Cycling’s tours. Cyclists keep a day bag that is accessible within the support vehicle.

The vehicle will sag and then pass riders to set up aid stations every 20 to 25 miles. This allows cyclists to linger at the back and then take a ten-mile, fifteen-mile or whatever mile “bump” forward to catch-up or get ahead of the group. Energy food, drink mixes, and fresh fruit are available throughout each stage.

The Daily Schedule: Cyclists ride their own pace. Lizard Head Cycling does its best to support riders in their varying desires and efforts. Cyclists can either use our tours to simply support their tour experience or to engage in a guided experience along the route.

Cue sheets with directions, profiles and locations of aid stations are given out for each stage.

General Tour & Cancellation Policies

Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with all of our tour and cancellation policies, which can be found by clicking here.

Travel Insurance

If you have not already, now would be a great time to consider adding travel insurance to your tour. You are welcome to use any travel insurance company you would like. We recommend Generali/Trip Mate.

Generally, if contracting COVID causes clients to cancel or interrupt their tour, trip insurance companies would treat it as any other illness as long as it is contracted after the insurance was purchased. Please check your individual plan documentation for details. Please note that quarantine is usually only covered if clients are actually sick with COVID. If a state requires quarantine upon arrival because of standardized state law, coverage is generally not covered. Again, check your individual plan documentation for details.

American Guests - use this link: http://www.generalitravelinsurance.com/get-a-quote.html?partner=LIZA0855

• The Premium Plan is the only plan which offers Pre-Existing coverage so long as the plan is purchased prior to Final Payment.
• The Premium Plan is the only plan that offers an optional Cancel For Any Reason - the policy must be purchased within 24 hours of initial trip deposit, the full trip cost must be insured, and if they cancel for Any Reason, it must be 48 hours prior to departure, and the reimbursement for an Any Reason claim is 60% of pre-paid, insured, non-refundable trip cost.
• Customer Service can be reached at 1-800-874-2442 for coverage questions and policy modifications or to purchase by phone. Agency Code: LIZA0855

Canadian Guests - use this link: https://tripmate.catravelins.ca/?utm_source=lizardhead

 

Lizard Head Cycling Guides is a permittee of the Dixie National Forest.