Backbone grill7/8/2023 ![]() ![]() They work with a number of local non-profits and are advocates for protecting nearby lands – both public acreage and sacred tribal grounds. The pair is committed to sustainable practices and environmental responsibility and strongly values community involvement. Meats and produce not grown on-site are sourced from local farms and orchards. In fact, the humble eatery has been a James Beard nominee or finalist every year since 2017.įocused on organic, ethically-sourced food, many of the fruits and veggies featured in their distinctive dishes are grown right there on their six-acre farm. However, in the last two decades they’ve cemented Hell’s Backbone as one of the best restaurants in the southwestern U.S. Neither had a culinary background or industry experience. Chef-owners Jen Castle and Blake Spalding opened the restaurant in 2000. Located on the property of the picturesque Boulder Mountain Lodge, Hell’s Backbone is a small, farm-to-table restaurant with a big reputation. The town is indeed small, boasting little more than a post office, elementary school, town hall, fire station, church, mini-mart, and a couple of hotels. The most scenic portion of the drive came along UT-24, as we passed under the imposing sedimentary towers of Capitol Reef National Park.Īfter driving through Capitol Reef, we picked up Scenic Byway 12 near the town of Torrey and followed it 35 miles south to Boulder. We hit a few pounding rain showers around Moab, but the weather fortuitously cleared as we continued west. As we followed 191 up through Moab and Canyonlands, the landscape was suddenly bursting with red rock and sandstone sculptures. ![]() Our somewhat circuitous route through eastern and central Utah was gorgeous. But how could we not stop? With the small, seasonal restaurant closing the day after we arrived in Monroe, this would be our only opportunity. When we inspected the map, we saw that it would add a good couple hours to our drive. An avid outdoor lover who’s extremely well-versed in the western part of the country, we were certainly keen to heed her advice. During our three-month summer in Montana, our AirBnb host’s daughter told us if we ended up in southern Utah, we had to check out a restaurant called Hell’s Backbone Grill. We decided to make a special stop in Boulder on our way from Durango to Monroe. The scenic thoroughfare earned the distinction of All-American road status in 2002, a designation claimed by just 31 (one-third) of America’s scenic byways. ![]() Boulder has long been considered one of the most isolated towns in the country, though its position on Utah’s Scenic Byway 12 has helped it see an uptick in visitors in recent years. Home to just two hundred residents, Boulder is nestled between the rugged terrain of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Capitol Reef National Park, and Dixie National Forest. Similar to those well-known Utah locales, the tiny town of Boulder is just over two hours from Monroe. Salt Lake City, Moab, Zion – all were about a 2.5-hour drive. Boston, the beaches, Providence, Hartford, Lake Winnipesaukee… I’m pretty sure no New Englander gauges distance in miles, rather we use ‘a couple hours’ as our precisely calibrated measuring stick. It kind of reminded me of growing up in rural New Hampshire where everything is two hours away. Located in south-central Utah, Monroe is one of those tiny, pastoral towns that’s near absolutely nothing yet not too far from anything. As we headed into the last week of October, we made our way from Durango, Colorado to Monroe, Utah for what would be our final stop for the year. ![]()
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