The entrance to the national park is essentially right around the corner, so we rode a few minutes, sat in line for a bit, then there we were! Just a few turns later, we were surrounded by some amazing rock structures, which is one of our favorite things about Utah riding. No matter where you go, there's always something cool to see along the road. As we wanted to check out a handful of spots throughout the day, we couldn't see all of the park, but we did make sure to hop off of the bikes and explore some nearby iconic arches. 

We pulled off and walked the trail to the North and South Window Arches as well as the Turret Arch. They look massive from the road, and even more astonishing when you get up close! To think about the time it took for these features to form is pretty wild. Millions of years of rain and wind working their magic to carve out these unique structures, and this is what we're left with!

We read up on some history, explored the trail for a bit, then got back on the bikes to head out of the park and make our way to Mexican Hat. As we left Moab, the landscape changed from towering red rocks to open green plains with views of hazy mountains off into the distance. Even at 7,000 feet above sea level, the weather was perfect and we were enjoying our time stacking up the miles.

Once we reached the 163, the red rocks began to re-appear, and the temperature was back in the 80's! We turned off onto a dirt road, did a little ripping, and there we were, at Mexican Hat Rock, a unique, sombrero-shaped rock in the middle of the desert! We've made it to the area several times, but figured we'd get up close and personal and even get some aerial shots while we were at it. It's hard to appreciate the size and beauty of the rock structure from a far, but that thing is huge!

Up next on the list for the day was Monument Valley, a scenic valley full of sandstone buttes near the Arizona-Utah state line within the Navajo Nation Reservation. We've passed through on our way to Sturgis and a handful of other trips, and the view never gets old. Our favorite place to stop and soak it all in is Forest Gump Point, an iconic spot made famous by the 1994 film. From the road there is a clear view of the long stretch of road ahead with the towering rock structures and mountains off in the distance. 

From there, we filled up the tanks and turned onto the 261, which would lead us to something we've been looking forward to re-visiting for quite some time..the Moki Dugway! During our ride to Sturgis in 2020, we tried to take the young guns there to show them, but ended up missing a turn and didn't have time to back track and go see it. The last time we filmed there was during one of our very first videos, so we were stoked to be able to capture it with a little more camera time under our belts and share the true beauty of the area!

The Moki Dugway is a 3 mile stretch of road with some steep hills and switchbacks running up 1,200 feet from the valley floor near Valley of the Gods to atop Cedar Mesa. We had some fun riding in the dirt and rocks, and watched the valley floor get smaller and smaller as we climbed to the top. It's pretty crazy to see the seemingly instant change in scenery when reaching the top of the mesa after climbing up from the red rock valley floor! 

There are plenty of other amazing things to see in Southern Utah, but we did our best to share everything we could in the time we had. This is our general route, but can be changed as needed. If you decide to take the Moki Dugway, be cautious, and ride safe!

*2LaneLife is not responsible for peril**