Burr Trail

The Burr Trail is a road that runs from the town of Boulder south through the southern section of Capitol Reef National Park and into the Waterpocket District, then east to Bullfrog Marina on Lake Powell — about 120km in total. The paved section from Boulder ends at the park boundary; beyond, the road becomes unpaved switchbacks climbing the Waterpocket Fold.

From Torrey, heading south on Highway 12 to Boulder and then turning onto the Burr Trail offers some of the most dramatic desert driving in the American West — the switchbacks up the fold are particularly striking. A high-clearance vehicle is strongly recommended for the unpaved section; in wet weather, four-wheel drive is needed. Allocate a full day for the round trip from Torrey to the fold and back.

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A story
The Burr Trail was originally a cattle route used by rancher John Atlantic Burr in the 1870s — named after both the man and his unusual middle name, which his parents chose in honour of a notable sea battle. For nearly a century it was a rutted track; only the first section from Boulder was paved (controversially) in the 1980s after years of dispute between environmental groups and local ranchers.

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