It’s been eight years since I first went to the top of the Book Cliffs through Alrad Canyon, and I went there for a second time today. The first time, I rode–ok, pushed–my mountain bike most of the way up, and today I rode my ATV. There were still a few snow drifts up on top, so there was a little bit of running water higher up in the canyon. The last time I was there the route was mostly cow trails above the waterfalls. Somebody has done some work on the trail and now you can get a 4-wheeler most of the way to the top. I parked a quarter-mile short of the top because the trail was uncomfortably steep. The hike up the remaining distance was strenuous but not too serious.
I scoffed at the “No Trespassing” signs near the top of the ridge. They were placed on BLM land a few hundred yards from the boundary with some private property. I’m sure the land owner placed the signs there because it was a nice, narrow choke point before the trail reached the plateau at the top of the Book Cliffs, at which point it would be impossible to contain motorized travel. There were some fence posts placed in the middle of the trail and I was tempted to rip them out, but absent some conversation with the land owner, my actions wouldn’t have been productive. It would have been nice to explore the ridges on top of the Book Cliffs, but on foot that would have taken more time than I had. If I can figure out a way to haul my mountain bike up there on my ATV, I may one day return to check out some of the roads up top.

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