GrandStaircase–EscalanteNational
Monument,awildernessofhigh-desert pla-
teaus and slickrock canyons that’s slightly
larger than Delaware. But where Ruess
had two burros, we have a new Porsche
Cayenne, a German sport-utility cross-
over vehicle with four-wheel drive, high
clearance, steel springs, leather interior,
satellite radio and 23.7 cubic feet of sup-
plies strategically packed into the luggage
compartment. We have five gallons of
water, a tepee, a table, a cookstove, freeze-
dried pad thai, fresh gourmet sandwiches
on focaccia (with side salads), books, paper
and colored pencils. And even so laden,
thanks to self-leveling air suspension
the rear end shows not a hint of sagging.
We begin our journey in eastern Cali-
fornia, maintaining an average velocity
somewhere below the Cayenne’s top track
speed of 135 mph, and cross Nevada in a
single bound. Given the car’s range ofmore
than 700 miles on a 26-gallon tank, fuel is
an a erthought. I do have to pull over on
occasion, out of deference to my passen-
gers—for a bathroom break, a snack or a
leg stretch to see somepetrifiedwood—but
otherwise, with my 18-way seat dialed for
comfort, I could go on like this forever.
We spend our first night in Utah at the
1920
s-vintage Lodge at Bryce Canyon, a
masterpiece ofNational ParkService rustic
architecture designed by Gilbert Stanley
Underwood (who also designed the Old
Faithful Lodge in Yellowstone and the
Ahwahnee in Yosemite). In the grand old
dining room, beneathmassive pine beams,
we slake our thirst with local cra beers
and Shirley Temples. We feast on locally
caughttrout,stuffedcodandbakedchicken
tenders. A er a stroll along the canyon rim
in the starlight, we go to sleep with win-
dows open to the smell of pines.
The next morning, we take on the
slaloming curves and brief straightaways
of Utah’s Highway 12: a 124-mile stretch of
well-canted asphalt, officially designated
by the Department of Transportation as
one of the nation’s most scenic byways,
that runs from the rosy sandstone spires
of Bryce Canyon to the white and vermil-
ion cliffs of Capitol Reef National Park.
Through the panoramic moonroof the
boys watch passing rock ba lements for
knights and saber-toothed tigers, while
the Cayenne’s variable torque delivery
and speed-sensitive power steering guard
against even the suggestionof carsickness.
In Escalante—Everett Ruess’ point of
departure—Imentionmy off-roading plan
to the proprietor at Escalante Outfi ers, a
modern-day log-cabin mercantile offering
everything from topographical maps and
nestingcookpotstoorganicfair-tradela es,
pesto pizza and the only free Wi-Fi within
a day’s walk. “You want to be prepared to
stay out there for a fewdays if youhave to,”
he says. “What kind of vehicle are you in?”
When I answer him, abashedandalmost
under my breath, I’m surprised to see him
give a half nod. “It hasn’t rained in awhile,”
he says. “You’ll probably be fine.”
Off we go. Establishing a primitive
base camp beneath a stately co onwood
alongside the Burr Trail road, wemake our
first foray onto dirt. I set the drive to “off-
road mode” and the suspension to “sport,”
and with a slight finger motion I bring the
SEEING RED
The iconic spires
of Utah’s incomparable Bryce
Canyon National Park
26
DISPATCHES
||
ROADTRIP
MAP BY JEFF QUINN
BOARDING PASS
A multicolored land
of mountains, canyons and deserts, Utah
offers vistas around every bend. United
can get you there with nonstop flights to
Salt Lake City from its U.S. hubs in Denver,
Chicago, Houston, L.A., San Francisco and
Washington, D.C.
To see schedules or
book your flight, go to united.com.
ESCALANTE
CAPITOL REEF
NATIONAL PARK
THE LODGE AT
BRYCE CANYON
BURR
TRAIL
12
12
UTAH
GRAND STAIRCASE–
ESCALANTE
NATIONAL
MONUMENT
