This time, we staged in the quaint little town of Marysvale from the oldest active hotel in Utah – Moore’s Old Pine Inn. Built in 1882, the Inn has been under new ownership for the last two years. Rooms are now available at the Inn. Rates are reasonable, and the list of amenities is long. They even have a free wash bay to clean ATVs after a dusty ride. Every room has a theme, making every stay an adventure.

A good breakfast in Marysville is hard to find in the middle of the week this time of year. We did the best we could at the convenience store that used to be Tugs. It is now Nate’s Place. However, on Friday, owner Rodney Mayo and his wife, Julie, served a delicious breakfast of sour cream pancakes, homemade buttermilk syrup, sausage, hash browns, orange juice, and coffee.

Our little caravan of seven UTVs left the Inn and headed west up the Beaver Creek Road. There isn’t a lot of color in this canyon. The Silver King Fire came very close to Marysvale last year, and we saw just how close it came as we climbed the trail along the canyon wall.

The canyon has a different look, stripped of its foliage by the fire. The canyon contours stand out more clearly. One bright spot emerged from this devastation – the ground is coming alive with patches of green. I expect to see more aspen trees covering the walls of the canyon on future rides.

Lynn R. Blamires, Special to the Standard-Examiner

We stopped for a bathroom break at a rest area near the pass at the top of the mountain in the shadows of Mount Belnap. These stops are essential from a social aspect. It is a good time to drain the radiator, kick the tires, and chew the fat.

We continued our climb to the top, where my GPS registered an elevation of 11,479 feet. I always look for mountain goats through this section. We didn’t see any this time, but some people who climbed another 400 feet above the pass saw some on the other side.

From this point, we got our first look at the lower peaks on the west side. We could see patches of yellow and orange blanketing the mountainsides. The descent on this side of the mountain is on a winding road. We could see other vehicles moving back and forth from the top.

We took our turn and began our downward spiral. We rode by Mud Lake and followed the road through Big John’s Flat. We rode to the south end and found a shady spot in the woods for lunch, providing another opportunity for enjoyable social chitchat.

After the break, we continued on the road, but at this point, a sign barred anyone not riding a street-legal machine. We all qualified, so we proceeded. We were in the color now, and the scenery was picturesque.

Lynn R. Blamires, Special to the Standard-Examiner

The trail took us down to Highway 153. We were hoping to find a different route back to Marysvale, but we didn’t want it to be an asphalt trail. We turned back and retraced our route.

That wasn’t a bad thing – the ride back was delightful. However, on the way, we discovered a side trail to Kays Meadow. It proved to be a bonus. It was a dead end, but it was a scenic dead-end, and we enjoyed it. To my surprise, I looked at the map after the ride. We could have made a loop, had we continued. That is a good reason to go back.

We made our way back through Big John’s Flat, over the pass, down the mountain, through the burned-out woods, and back to our rooms at the Old Pine Inn. Our ride was a delightful 74 miles.

There is only one game in town for dinner, but it is a good one. An Italian place called Tomatoes is located on the north side of town. They have a variety of choices on their menu, and the service is as good as the food. It is a popular place with the locals. When you go, take plenty of water, keep the rubber side down, and consider Moore’s Old Pine Inn.

Lynn R. Blamires can be reached at quadmanone@gmail.com.

Courtesy photo