Tag Archives: biking hut to hut

New Hut-to-Hut Biking System in Utah – Aquarius Trail

by Sam Demas May 2021

This new 190-mile bike trail passes through some of Utah’s most beautiful high desert country, starting at Brian Head Ski Resort and ending at Escalante. The trail (which includes some single track and lots of double track gravel road) wends through the Dixie National Forest, passing by the towns of Panguitch, Hatch and Bryce (apparently close enough for a side trip to Bryce Canyon National Park) and ends in town of Escalante in the region of the Grand Escalante Staircase. Along the way you stay at five huts on a trip described by the owners as a “luxury bikepacking experience”. I haven’t visited this system yet, so what follows is based on what I’ve read.

This enterprise — operated by Escape Adventures, a Las Vegas, NV tour operator that

Aquarius Trail Hut Shipping Containers
Container huts under construction. All photos courtesy Escape Adventures.

offers a wide range of bike tours for folks of all abilities — started operations in Fall 2020. This six day, five night hut-to-hut tour operates July – October. 3-6 day tour options are available. Each of the five hut locations has two 6-bunk units. You can rent one or both units at each site depending on the size of your group. See the Aquarius Trail website for prices and reservation information.

In terrain and amenities this hut system resembles the two original biking systems operated by San Juan Huts of Ridgeway Colorado. However, the Aquarius huts are made of 9′ high shipping containers cut into 20′ long sections, each converted into what appear to be well appointed rustic huts. Like San Juan Huts, the huts are self service plus, i.e. stocked with water, snacks, food and, on request, beer; and they provide cooking/eating implements and stove, a propane heater for cold nights, sleep sheets and sleeping bags. In addition they provide an amenity rare in most hut systems: hammocks, showers (foot pedal powered), a towel for each person

Aquarius Trail Hatch Hut from above
One hut site with two huts

, and a free pillowcase (which is the map for the hut system in addition to GPS tracks provided). Apparently gear shuttle is available for a fee. The huts are apparently ADA accessible. Guided or self-guided tours are available. At $889/person for the 6 day/5 night version of the experience, this is one of the most expensive hut systems in the USA; but if offers a higher level of amenities than most.

Editorial note: This latest in a series of new hut systems under development, the Aquarius Trail, looks way cool, but is leaning towards the luxury/glamping territory that I personally hope will not come to dominate hut-to-hut travel in USA.

For more details see the Aquarius Trail web site and a collection of articles available on the site: Two of these articles include: one by Tess Weaver and one by Dan Meyer.

Hut-to-hut in USA: situation and outlook

Hut to hut in the USA: situation and outlook

by  Sam Demas and Wilson Josephson

[Note: This 2015 post is out of date.  See our book for more recent analysis of huts in USA.  Will update later.]

Sam August 2021

This is a preliminary overview of the 15 hut-to-hut systems in the USA.  There are a number of systems under development or expanding, and I’m hoping readers will tip me off to others that should be included.  Currently these 15 systems comprise 107 huts, yurts, and cabins, and offer 1,496 beds for long distance hut-to-hut hikers, bikers and skiers. This sketch of hut-to-hut infrastructure in the USA provides an overview by region, and very briefly discusses: business models, recreational uses, staffing, and some. Based on the data presented, it concludes with some musings about the future of hut systems supporting long distance human-powered travelers in the USA.  hut to hut in usa

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News: Oregon Bike-Hut Trail Planning

Oregon Bike Trail and Hut System in Planning Stages

Travel Oregon is in the conceptual stage of planning a hut-to-hut single track biking system that they hope will eventually go from the Oregon/California border to the Oregon/Washington border. The initial planning involves coordination with the US Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, and the International Mountain Biking Association, as well as a number of Oregon organizations and businesses.  The proposed trail will not go through federally designated wilderness or tribal lands. I’ll report further on this project over time as the concept develops.

– Sam Demas