July 29, 2011, Friday, Day 2, Unicorn Ridge to Cedar Mountain

July 29, 2011, Friday,  Day 2

Unicorn Ridge to Cedar Mountain

From Unicorn Ridge, back to hwy 6, a stop in Price, UT for gas & a couple of grocery items I forgot yesterday, then S to Cleveland, UT where I picked up county rd 206.  CR206 is 20 miles of a very good gravel road to the top of Cedar Mt.  Only 1 area of washboard and that was only about 50 yards.  Cedar Mt is really an anticline (I think).  The Mountain slopes from about 5800’ to 7600 feet in about 13 straight line miles.  The mountain ends in a 5-8mile long bluff or cliff dropping off from 1300’ to 2000’ facing south & east.  For about a 2-3 mile stretch the road runs about 100 yards to ¼ of a mile from the edge of the bluff.  You can’t see the view from the road.  There are about 6-7 places where you can drive to the edge, and camp for the night on the edge of the bluff.  

There are also 2 fenced overlooks and a Picnic area along the ridge. Beautiful views anywhere you can get to the edge. 

I backed BF about 100 yards down one of the roads to edge, and was able to turn it 90 degrees so my front door was right on the edge of the bluff.  I had juniper (cedar) and pinion pine trees shielding me from the main road, so I had good privacy.  Wonderful views to the S & SE.  In the far distance I could see the dark gray outline of three mountain ranges.  The Henry Mts 80 miles due south, Abajo Mts 110 miles SE, near Monticello, and the southern slope of the La Sal Mts 90 miles E, near Moab.  If the weather had not been so hazy I could have seen the Mts very distinctly.  Great views of mesas and canyons and a big chunk of San Rafel Swell from my front door.  Only one vehicle came by on the road all afternoon and night.  About 7am the next morning (Saturday) about 4 cars & truck came roaring by.  I’m not sure they even saw BF parked here, they were going so fast.   

Great info about San Rafael swell & Cedar Mt:    http://science.uvu.edu/wilson/srsn.asp

Gravel road leading to Cedar Mountain:

Afternoon views from my campsite:

This rock formation in the distance looks like mule ears peaks in Big Bend National Park.