The Cassidy and Losee trails lie on Claron Formation limestone, creating colorful rock formations. Photos by Bruce, July 31, 2004.
Cassidy and Losee Trails
The Cassidy Trail is a little-known but awesome ride. The trail starts on Highway 12 in Red Canyon. It connects to the Casto Canyon and Losee Canyon trails. Because the Cassidy trail is often combined with Losee Canyon, the Losee trail will also be discussed on this trail page.
The Cassidy
trail is upper-intermediate technical, moderate aerobic. The Cassidy trailhead is at
7200 feet. Over 4.1 miles, the trail climbs 700 vertical feet then
descends 100 feet in elevation before joining the top of the Losee trail.
Ponderosa pine are the dominant trees on the upper
elevations.
You'll have plenty of scenery to enjoy as you twist
through pinion.
The Losee trail runs along the bottom of Losee Canyon, crossing and
re-crossing the broad wash at the canyon bottom. It's 3.1 miles long, with
600 feet of elevation change.
Ride options for Cassidy include
out-and-back (to Braxton Point 5.5 miles round trip), loop with Losee
Canyon (14 miles), or a loop with Casto Canyon (20 miles).
The most popular ride is the 14-mile combination of the lower Red Canyon paved trail, Cassidy up to the top of Losee Canyon, Losee Canyon trail downhill, and two miles on the gravel Casto Canyon road.
The Claron Formation limestone looks a lot like
Bryce Canyon.
Trailheads and access
Trailhead bathroom.
Cassidy (Red Canyon) Trailhead
From US-89, drive 4.2 miles east on U-12 (towards Bryce Canyon National Park). Pass the Thunder Mountain trailhead, the Visitor's Center, and a campground. Watch for a turnoff into a well-hidden parking area on the left, signed "Red Canyon Trailhead." The Cassidy Trail begins at the northeast corner of the parking area.
From US-89, drive 4.2 miles east on U-12 (towards Bryce Canyon National Park). Pass the Thunder Mountain trailhead, the Visitor's Center, and a campground. Watch for a turnoff into a well-hidden parking area on the left, signed "Red Canyon Trailhead." The Cassidy Trail begins at the northeast corner of the parking area.
The Losee trail heads uphill right at my front
bumper.
Losee Trailhead
From US-89 south of Panguitch, drive 2.9 miles east on U-12 (towards Bryce Canyon National Park). Turn left on the gravel road marked for Casto and Losee Canyon. Drive 2 miles. Turn to the right into the Losee trailhead. Begin the ride on the Losee singletrack next to the kiosk. It's 3.1 miles uphill to reach the northern end of Cassidy.
From US-89 south of Panguitch, drive 2.9 miles east on U-12 (towards Bryce Canyon National Park). Turn left on the gravel road marked for Casto and Losee Canyon. Drive 2 miles. Turn to the right into the Losee trailhead. Begin the ride on the Losee singletrack next to the kiosk. It's 3.1 miles uphill to reach the northern end of Cassidy.
At the end of Thunder Mountain in the lower Red
Canyon trailhead.
Lower Red Canyon (Thunder Mountain and paved trail)
Drive east from US-89 on U-12 (about 3 miles) until you reach the Thunder Mountain parking area on your right, just before the "Red Canyon" sign. This is a paved parking lot. Ride 1.7 miles up the paved trail, then connect across Highway 12 to the Red Canyon trailhead and start uphill on the Cassidy trail.
Drive east from US-89 on U-12 (about 3 miles) until you reach the Thunder Mountain parking area on your right, just before the "Red Canyon" sign. This is a paved parking lot. Ride 1.7 miles up the paved trail, then connect across Highway 12 to the Red Canyon trailhead and start uphill on the Cassidy trail.
Cassidy Trail
View from Braxton Point, top of Cassidy Trail.
The Cassidy Trail climbs from a small trailhead on Highway 12 to an overlook above Losee Canyon, then descends into the head of the canyon. There are some optional meanders on the Rich Trail that make the mileage variable, but my route was 4.1 miles with 700 vertical feet of climbing.
Navigation is fairly straight-forward. Just keep heading
north. When in doubt, use the most-traveled option.
The ride's highest point comes around mile 2.5, but there's some up-and-down once you're at the top.
Climbing uphill through widely spaced long-leaf pine.
![Bruce pilots "Banana Thunder" down Losee Canyon, many many years ago.](https://cdn2.utahmountainbiking.com/trails/panguitch-race/images/losee-lg-04-large.jpg "Bruce pilots "Banana Thunder" down Losee Canyon, many many years ago.")
Bruce pilots "Banana
Thunder" down Losee Canyon, many many years ago.
This is probably the
greatest ride you've never heard of. Done by climbing Cassidy then descending Losee Canyon, it's a world-class ride.
The scenery is colorful limestone with a sprinkling of manzanita, cedar, long-leaf pine, pinion, and bristlecone pine. Temperatures are warm but tolerable at mid-day in summer.
At the bottom of the drop into Losee Canyon, you can keep to
the right and climb toward Casto Canyon, or head left down Losee.
Looking up at a spire as we drop into Losee Canyon.
Losee Canyon Trail
Looking across Losee Canyon at the limestone cliffs.
The Losee Canyon trail is 3.1 miles long, with 600 vertical
feet of climbing when done from the bottom to the top (where it joins the Cassidy trail). It closely follows the large wash in the canyon bottom,
crossing it several times.
The trail rides pretty well uphill and down, although it will vary with
erosion activity in the wash. Unlike the ATV route in Casto Canyon, Losee
is singletrack.
Bruce makes yet another wash crossing in Losee
Canyon.
Lots of pretty stuff to look at, without the hard
work of Thunder Mountain.
A downhill on the Losee trail will seem like easy cruising after Cassidy.
When you reach the trailhead, turn left on the Casto Canyon road and pedal 2 miles to
Highway 12. Turn left and pedal to the Red Canyon paved trail to climb
back up to the Cassidy (Red Canyon) trailhead.
Cassidy to Losee Canyon Loop,
counterclockwise
0.0 Trailhead on U-12, N on ST
N 37° 44.111' W 112° 18.089'
0.9 Fork R (L = Rich Trail)
N 37° 45.320' W 112° 17.890'
2.3 Rich Trail rejoins
2.4 Fork L (R = Rich Trail)
N 37° 45.775' W 112° 18.349'
2.8 View, Braxton Point N 37° 46.062' W 112° 18.352' Alt=7860
3.2 Trails rejoin and split, veer R (L = Rich)
N 37° 45.944' W 112° 17.963'
0.0 Trailhead on U-12, N on ST
N 37° 44.111' W 112° 18.089'
0.9 Fork R (L = Rich Trail)
N 37° 45.320' W 112° 17.890'
2.3 Rich Trail rejoins
2.4 Fork L (R = Rich Trail)
N 37° 45.775' W 112° 18.349'
2.8 View, Braxton Point N 37° 46.062' W 112° 18.352' Alt=7860
3.2 Trails rejoin and split, veer R (L = Rich)
N 37° 45.944' W 112° 17.963'
3.5 Rich Trail rejoins on L N 37° 46.036' W 112° 17.724'
5.2 Begin steep descent
5.7 Bottom of canyon, L to Losee
(R = Cassidy continues to Casto)
N 37° 46.638' W 112° 17.292'
9.1 Losee Canyon trailhead, L on gravel road
N 37° 46.183' W 112° 20.054'
11 L up paved road
12 Transfer to paved bike trail along road
14.1 Watch for trailhead (hard to see across road)
5.2 Begin steep descent
5.7 Bottom of canyon, L to Losee
(R = Cassidy continues to Casto)
N 37° 46.638' W 112° 17.292'
9.1 Losee Canyon trailhead, L on gravel road
N 37° 46.183' W 112° 20.054'
11 L up paved road
12 Transfer to paved bike trail along road
14.1 Watch for trailhead (hard to see across road)
Map of Cassidy, Casto, and Losee.
Getting there:
From US-89, drive 4.2 miles east on U-12 (towards Bryce Canyon National Park). Pass the Thunder Mountain trailhead, the Visitor's Center, and a campground. Watch for a turnoff into a well-hidden parking area on the left, signed "Red Canyon Trailhead." The Cassidy Trail begins at the northeast corner of the parking area. N 37° 44.111' W 112° 18.089'
From US-89, drive 4.2 miles east on U-12 (towards Bryce Canyon National Park). Pass the Thunder Mountain trailhead, the Visitor's Center, and a campground. Watch for a turnoff into a well-hidden parking area on the left, signed "Red Canyon Trailhead." The Cassidy Trail begins at the northeast corner of the parking area. N 37° 44.111' W 112° 18.089'
Riding resources for this trail:
One-page guide to this trail
Medium-res topo: View
High-res topo includes Casto (700 KB): View
Lodging, camping, shops: Links to Red Canyon area resources
One-page guide to this trail
Medium-res topo: View
High-res topo includes Casto (700 KB): View
Lodging, camping, shops: Links to Red Canyon area resources
Wide view showing area trails.
