Drive 2 miles [3.2 kilometers] north of Moab on U.S. 191, then turn right on Rte. 128 for the Colorado River Scenic Byway. Along the road a band of vegetation provides a lovely counterpoint to the red and orange hues of the sandstone cliffs. Three miles [4.8 kilometers] in, the road passes Negro Bill Canyon, named after an early settler. A 2-mile [3.2-kilometer] hike up the canyon leads to views of Morning Glory Natural Bridge. High across the river from the trailhead lie 1,000-year-old Pueblo granaries.
The Big Bend Recreation Area offers a rest spot and sand beaches as the river makes a sweeping U-turn. Above Big Bend the Colorado picks up speed, and rapids begin to riffle the water. Several miles later, the canyon widens, and the road leaves the river. At about Mile 15, Castle Valley Road heads east, winding up through knolls to Castle Valley and views of the high, often snowcapped La Sal Mountains.
Continuing north on Rte. 128 for several more miles, you’ll see to the south the impossibly slender shape of Castle Rock, site of several recent car commercials. At about Mile 21, a 2.2-mile [3.5-kilometer], graded dirt road turns right off Rte. 128 toward Fisher Towers Recreation Site, with views of soaring rock pinnacles. The 900-foot-high [274.3-meter-high] Titan and other pinnacles are remnants of an ancient floodplain. A 2-mile [3.2-kilometer] hike crosses to the foot of the spires, ducks through narrow canyons, crosses a steel ladder, and passes convoluted rock formations. The hike ends with spectacular views of adjacent Onion Creek Canyon. Five miles [8 kilometers] beyond Fisher Towers, the road crosses the river near the 1916 Dewey Bridge and heads through desert to I-70 near Cisco.
