Wellsville Canyon – Bad Roads for RVs is on U.S. Highway 89/ U.S. Highway 91, two miles north Dry Lake. It is steep and should be avoided in the winter. This is part of the descent from Sardine Summit.
Of course, you could say that RVs should avoid traveling in the winter in the Rocky Mountains and I would agree. It goes double for steep roads in the winter.
The beginning of the descent starts as the road turns east into Wellsville Canyon between Cart Hill and Murrys Hill and ends in the town of Mount Sterling.
In the summer, U.S. Highway 89/ U.S. Highway 91 is merely a steep road but I think you should know what you are getting into before you go there. Really the road is very a nice four-lane divided highway and overall the grade alone isn’t a good enough reason to not travel on U.S. Highway 89/ U.S. Highway 91 in Wellsville Canyon.
In the winter expect snow and ice. The road is maintained well but melting snow will run across the road and turn to ice nightly making for very hazardous driving.
Expect large vehicles to be traveling at very slow speeds relative to traffic or speed limits.
See also our comments on the same road. Box Elder Canyon – Bad Roads for RVs
As for the Utah Department of Transportation, they have adopted twitter to get the most up-to-date road information to the public. They also have their own Apple and Android App. Tweets and App information is on this website. UDOT
Details
Elevation: 5400 feet at the top – 4750 feet at the bottom.
Length: 3 miles – for the steepest section, near the top.
Terrain: 3-6% grades on the northside of the summit for seven miles. The steepest areas are not at the top, but warning signs caution preceding the steepest sections.
Lanes: Four-lane highway
Turns: In the steep sections the turns are gentle.
Turnouts: None
Turnaround locations: None
Chain up areas: One chain up area in Mount Sterling
Restrictions: U.S. Highway 89/ U.S. Highway 91, in Wellsville Canyon, will occasionally close in the winter for deep snow. More likely than being closed, snowplows will continuously operate clearing the snow both night and day, when required.
Runaway truck ramps: None
Wellsville Canyon – Bad Roads for RVs, Our Experience
We traveled up Wellsville Canyon in our RV on September 29th, 2020.
I would not hesitate to travel down U.S. Highway 89/ U.S. Highway 91, in Wellsville Canyon, in our RV — in the summer. For us, it would be a normal travel day.
Here is our link to our interactive map. Bad Roads for RVs