Ride Day 3, Day 4 of 2025 Epic Motorcycle Trip: Grand Junction, Colorado to Moab, Utah (less than 150 miles). State 21 on Blackie: Utah!

Today (ride day 3, day 4) Tony and I hit state #21 on Blackie: Utah!

Utah State Line

After our free Hampton Inn breakfast in Grand Junction, we gassed up and started out to Colorado National Monument’s Rim Rock Drive. We use our America the Beautiful National Park Annual Pass at the East Entrance and off we go.

Map, patch and sticker of the Colorado National Monument (Rim Rock)

Rim Rock Drive

Sheer wall of canyon straight ahead

First tunnel in Rim Rock

Per NPS website (https://www.nps.gov/colm/planyourvisit/historic-rim-rock-drive.htm ): “Colorado National Monument's Rim Rock Drive is one of the most spectacular drives in the United States. Redrock canyons, crisp blue skies, and verdant green juniper highlight the fantastic views along the road. The road is challenging, narrow, and steep in some sections with sheer drop offs. If you are afraid of heights, some sections of Rim Rock Drive could be difficult to navigate.

Independence 

Yes, to the NPS website! Unfortunately with the smoke and fires coming from Montrose, the sky was not “crisp blue” and was on the smoky, hazy side – it makes the whole vista with the rocks and sky monochromatic. We had the road to ourselves for the most part. Our pictures and our videos don’t do the views – and sheer canyon – justice. Wow. Tony thinks this ride was more challenging than Independence Pass. I agree. When we get back on the bike after stopping at the Visitors Center (just past Independence Monument), we hit the tunnels (we like tunnels)! I personally think this end of the ride was better than the middle. The entire 25-mile ride on Rim Rock was a bucket list ride.

After we leave the park and go through Fruta, we get back on I-70 until we are going to Exit 214 to Cisco to Scenic 128 W (also known as Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway). I-70 to Exit 214 and into Utah is pretty wide open (and 80 mph) and nothingness (and wind). We finally get to Utah and our 21^st state to ride Blackie in!

At Exit 214, we exit onto Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway. But first we have to go about 8 miles on a REALLY ROUGH road to 128 (they do have a sign that warns you of the roughness – there are also cattle guards at times because it’s “cattle open range”). In Cisco, we could have stopped for Ice Cream and Snacks at what looked to be a trailer park/junk yard (we didn’t stop). Once you turn left onto 128, the road improves IMMENSELY, including road paint. It starts off desolate and a bit boring (but nice pavement).

Before the scenic part of 128

And then, the river shows up and it gets awesome and scenic, lined with rocky cliffs and canyons (but not as steep of canyons as Rim Rock). It’s a federally designated National Scenic Byway and skirts Arches and Canyonlands national parks, follows the Colorado River through deep canyons near Moab. It’s an amazing ride.

The beginning of the beauty of 128 (and horses)

It dumps you right into Moab and we’re only a couple of miles from the Homewood Suites by Hilton Moab (132 N. Main Street, Moab, UT 84532). This is such a low mileage day that we’re way early. But they have our room ready (nice big suite with a kitchenette and huge room) and let us check in! And covered parking (it’s hot). We change into shorts and grab lunch next door at Moab Trailhead Public House and Eatery (https://moabtrailhead.com/). It was a good choice. Tony had a wagyu burger and I had a chicken salad (with cranberries, apples and goat cheese). Both were great choices. Now we’re resting up. Another short day. 

Checking in at Homewood Suites in Moab

Lunch at the Trailhead

Tomorrow is Arches (first up is the taco bar at Homewood Suites for breakfast) and then all of the way to Park City, Utah (about 275 miles total for day 4). We’ve been spoiled with three relatively short ride days.

Unless tonight we get on Blackie and go to Milt’s Drive In: https://miltsstopandeat.com/ (sunset isn’t until 8:45 pm tonight, so we doubt going into Arches to star gaze is on our agenda).

Bonus Videos from today's rides in Colorado National Monument and Dinosaur Diamond Prehistoric Highway/US 128 (hopefully they will play):

Note: we are not professional photographers and most of our photos and videos are taken on a moving motorcycle. And most of our pictures don’t do some of the vistas justice.