Originally published in snow brains | April 26, 2021
By Anson Brown
The Aquarius Trail system, spanning 190-miles from Brian Head resort to the town of Escalante, is one of Utah’s newest and coolest offerings for mountain bikers. This ride makes its way around some of Southwestern Utah’s most striking landscapes and famous natural features, such as Bryce Canyon National Park, Escalante National Monument, and the Aquarius Plateau, as it descends over 6,000-feet along the course of the ride.
What really makes this trail so incredible, though, are the five huts spread out along the trail. These huts form a network that allows for hut-to-hut mountain biking the whole way down the Aquarius Trail. You can book the whole system for five nights for $900 a person, or you can choose fewer nights for cheaper options and shorter rides. There are also guided trips for around $1,800 per person through Escape Adventures. While pricey, it will give you the chance to reserve the entire trail system for a group of you and your friends.
The huts themselves are environmentally friendly and the Aquarius Trail website claims that they have “no new environmental impact.” They are repurposed shipping containers and are designed to be completely off-grid, utilizing solar panels installed on the roofs of the containers as well as manual foot pumps for the sink and shower. The huts are stocked with food and drink, which is included in the cost, and Escape Adventures can provide beer as well. The huts even have charging stations for e-bikes.
As someone who loves mountain biking in Utah, I was intrigued by the sound of this adventure. While I haven’t done it yet, it is now on my bucket list! You can check out more about the trail system here.
Since 1992, we at Escape Adventures have been blessed to shape and lead adventure travel vacations through some of the most awe-inspiring natural destinations in the world. Each successive season, our passion for adventure grows through memorable moments with our guests. Fresh air, faith, fitness and friends are the building blocks for our ventures, the treasured experiences that keep us moving forward. For those of you who have trekked and traveled with us over the past quarter century, Heather and I express our sincerest gratitude. The memories are priceless.
