It is a year of firsts for ATV jamborees in Utah. The state has more jamborees than any other state in the Union. I count 16 jamborees for this year, and yet I know that in giving that number, someone is going to tell me about one that I have missed.

Cedar City holding its first ATV jamboree

Cedar City is the home to the newest one. They have named it the Iron Off-Road Rally because it is taking place in Iron County. It is scheduled for Aug. 25 – 27. The Rally is sponsored by the Cedar City Chamber of Commerce and Triple S Polaris. Rally headquarters are located at the Diamond Z Arena west of town.

Registration is reasonable

Registration is a bargain at $40 per person. It not only includes three days of guided rides through an amazing variety of Iron County country, but a T-shirt and one meal as well.

Aug. 24 is a travel day for participants, with registration at the arena from 5 to 9 p.m. The rally opens on Thursday morning at 7 a.m. as riders pick their rides and attend briefings on the rides they have chosen. This first day a lunch will be provided for each of the five rides offered.

Jamboree will take you through history

I mentioned the variety of country that riders will experience at this rally. Paiute Indians roamed the Parowan Valley. Evidence of their lives was carved into the walls of the Parowan Gap northwest of Parowan. The Domínguez-Escalante expedition traveled through the Iron County area and fur trapper Jedediah Smith is the first recorded Anglo-American to be here.

Iron County has to have a mining history because of its name. Not only did early settlers find rich iron and coal deposits, but they also found silver, lead and gold. Previously neglected signs of ore deposits had been overlooked because gold had not been found in the stream gravels, but serious mining efforts began in 1888. There are 327 mines located in Iron County today.

The rides are the reason to go

That being said, here are some of the ride descriptions you will find at https://www.ironoffroadrally.com/trail-maps:

The State Line Trail

This trail will take you through 56 miles of old mining ghost towns. You will see old mining machinery at the Stateline, Fay and Ophir mines. Wild horses can also be seen on this ride.

The Old Iron Town Trail

This 30-mile trail goes to the Old Iron Town Kilns where you will see evidence of mining activities back in the day. There is also a beautiful overlook of Bullion Canyon.

Red Rim Parowan Gap South Trail

This trail has a more advanced rating. It will take you to the petroglyphs in the Parowan Gap, dinosaur tracks in red rock country, and a breathtaking view into the Parowan Valley.

The Summit Mountain Trail

Choose this easy 33-mile ride in the cool mountain air of the forests of Summit Mountain. This trail features spectacular views of Cedar Breaks and a visit to the Brian Head Resort where you can purchase lunch or bring your own.

The Cedar Mountain Trail

A 45-mile cool mountain ride through the red rocks of Kolob Canyon will take you to Kolob Reservoir for a lunch break at the lake.

The Little Creek Peak Trail

Fifty miles of intermediate to advanced trails follow the Old Spanish Trail through red rock canyons to Little Creek Peak and Red Creek Reservoir.

The Yankee Meadows Trail

I know of more than one place called Hole-in-the-Rock in Utah. One of them is in Iron County. Situated at a little over 8,600 feet high above the depths of Parowan Canyon, a trail with an advanced rating will take you there. You will enjoy the cool mountain air at Brian Head Peak and a refreshing stop for lunch at the Yankee Meadows Reservoir,

The Panguitch Lake Trail

Fifty miles of easy trail with some intermediate sections will take you into the cool mountain air to the shores of Panguitch Lake with views of Clear Creek and the Vermillion Castle. Lunch will be at the Burger Barn, which would be reason enough for me to choose this ride.

A well-planned rally

This is a well-planned rally for this being their first annual event. If you are not excited enough about this rally yet, you need to go back to the top and read it again. When you go, take plenty of water, keep the rubber side down, and there are 75 slots still open for you to sign up for this rally.

Photo supplied, Lynn R. Blamires

Photo supplied, Lynn R. Blamires

Contact Lynn R. Blamires at quadmanone@gmail.com.

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