This week’s post will be a little out of the ordinary, as it will focus on a single “attraction.” Some people also may consider it sacrilegious because I’m recommending going someplace other than our beautiful state—or New England—to view fall colors.
But the Alpine Loop may be the most gorgeous drive in Utah, and perhaps anywhere in the West, if your goal is viewing fall colors.
The drive is not long—about 20 miles—but if you’re driving, you’ll be bummed because you can’t see everything your passenger can. The Wasatch Range is spectacular in its own right, and winding through the valleys gives you an appreciation for geology.
One of the dominant features of the Alpine Loop is Mount Timpanagos, and a short side trip to the Timpanagos Cave Monument is worth a little effort. You’ll need to hike a little, and the hike is not for the faint of heart . . . Literally . . . but I have not seen a place like it. Yes, you’ve got your stalagmites (they grow from the ground up) and stalactites (they grow from the ceiling down), but I liked the formations called draperies. Water trickles down an inclined ceiling and forms “curtains” no more than an inch thick. If you like color in your rock, helicites are like straws through which water traveled, leaving a small crystal deposit at the end.
Another detour worth the effort is Cascade Springs. Take the half-mile-long hike around this natural wonder to enjoy a nearly perfect blending of mountains, grasses, and rushing water.
There aren’t a lot of places to stay right on the Alpine Loop, and it’s a little hokey, but you’re in the neighborhood, so . . . you probably should visit Robert Redford’s Sundance Resort. The setting is amazing, and the “Quiet Time” specials being offered right now are pretty good deals. They include breakfast at the Foundry Grill, which does hearty western breakfasts the right way—enough food to make lunch superfluous.
I’ll close by including a link to a brochure that includes descriptions of 31 fall color drives in Utah. I can’t vouch for all of them, but the Alpine Loop is included, so I can’t question the taste of the people who put the brochure together.
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