Panguitch NICA Course

The Panguitch NICA Course, also called the Panguitch (Red Canyon) Race Loop, is a purpose-built youth mountain bike race course near Casto Canyon southwest of Panguitch, not a hiking trail. It was developed jointly by the Garfield County Roads Department, the BLM, and the Utah Mountain Bike League for the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) high school racing circuit, and it still hosts league events.

What's on the course

• A 5.8-mile loop at around 7,100 feet, crossing pine forest, sage flats, and juniper-pinion hills
• Named sections that riders will recognize from race day, including Scrambling Hill, Holy Cow, Pet Cemetery, and Agate Hill
• Riding season runs roughly mid-May through October
• Trailhead: from US-89 south of Panguitch, go 2.9 miles east on UT-12 toward Bryce Canyon, then turn onto the gravel Casto/Losee Canyon road for about 3 miles to the Casto Canyon trailhead