Another beautiful day in Southern Utah. The summer has been miserable with high heat and winds causing numerous fires across the state; however, over the past couple of days, a slight reprieve has been given in the form of no wind and cooler temperatures. I decided to head back to Color Country ATV Trail 27 again today and bag Spirit Peak along the way.

Getting There

Take I-15 to Exit 71, Summit, UT, and Old US Hwy 91. Pass through town heading east, around the long sloping turn toward Parowan, UT. Turn right on 4200 W (Summit Mountain Road). The intersection (37.80454, -112.92184) marks the beginning of Color Country ATV Trail 27. Today, the road is dry and dusty; however, the clay soil becomes impassable when wet.

Route

Primarily single-track and double-track OHV route, Color Country ATV Trail 27 travels from Summit, UT, to Brian Head, UT. It is suitable for ATVs, UHVs, and high-clearance 4x4s. The route is a mixture of high desert, forests, and switchbacks with dusty roads, ridgelines, and gentle meadow crossings. Trail 27 connects with other Color Country OHV trails, forming a loop system that includes Trail 26 and Trail 29. Today's route is 2.99 miles to the high saddle and my hike to Spirit Peak (elevation gain of 1,283), and 13.95 miles from Spirit Peak to the Town of Brian Head (3,762 feet gain). The total OHV section of the trip ranges from 16.94 miles and an elevation of 6,024' to 10,284' feet.

Conditions

The weather today is clear, sunny, and no wind. The temperature at the intersection of Old US Hwy 91 and Summit Mountain Road is a warm 81 degrees, cooling to 70 degrees at the lookout point for Cedar Breaks National Monument. The road today is dusty, with light traffic passing (or being passed) by only two vehicles the entire trip.

I'm still recovering from my hip surgery in March. The nerve that helps control my quad muscle was traumatized during the surgery and has had a long, slow recovery. Unfortunately, an atrophied quad muscle causes other issues as well, including balance and strength to walk up steps using more than one leg.

I've been exercising by hiking and using a step bench in the garage; however, after a recent successful hike along the Bristlecone Pine trail last week, I wanted to challenge myself a little more today. Spirit Peak is a small unranked peak that I can hike to from a saddle along Color Country ATV Trail 27.

Spirit Peak is a rocky, elongated ridgeline covered in Juniper Trees, and a recent hazing left a swath of cut trees and branches to navigate in trying to reach the summit. The hike was short (30 minutes) and manageable (no falls or stumbles), and I wandered the ridgeline (not unusual), trying to match the coordinates with the actual high point. Summiting the mountain peak, and an easy return trip, excited me more than it should have for the small rolling knoll. Peak-bagging is one of my favorite things to do, and with another upcoming surgery (knee) in October, my hiking-climbing season for 2025 is severely limited. So I'll take a win whenever I can.

Thanks for Reading!

Written August 13, 2025
Grammarly provided editorial assistance.