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I wrote this up on the other Forum and figured I'd crosspost. Just some of my favorite and bucket list Moab trails and my take on them.
Green 2-3
- Harrah Pass - relatively mild trail. Could be done in 2wd but higher clearance is suggested. Great views from the top.
- Chicken Corners - If you continue over Harrah Pass you'll drop down into the Colorado River basin. This area is sandy and overgrown. The Chicken Corners trail eventually takes you out to a river overlook. The trail is mild but it's easy to take a wrong turn. Bring a GPS.
- Gemini Bridges - Mostly a dirt road. Could be done in 2wd with high clearance. The bridge is actually an arch that you can walk out onto. There are several offshoots from the Gemini Bridges road that range from mild to wild.
- Secret Spire - Pavement and sandy dirt road. 4x4 required.
- Shafer Trail - Could be done in 2wd but you're going to want 4x4 low gear. Part of the White Rim trail. This trail starts in Canyonlands (park pass needed) and drops more than a thousand feet into the Canyonlands landscape via many, many switchbacks. The views are amazing but probably one to avoid if you're not good with heights. The switchbacks are one way and you can head out via Potash Rd (you can't miss the potash ponds; surreal blue).
- Mineral Bottom - Could be done in 2wd but you're going to want 4x4 low gear. The first 30 miles is washboard road. Tne you get to a series of switchbacks down to the banks of the Green River. Keep an eye out for the old wrecked car on the slope between the switchbacks. This is a route for one of the river tour companies so you may get stuck behind a large bus going down or up.
Others that I haven't actually done: Crystal Geyser, Tower Arch, Spring Canyon Point
Moderate 4-5 - 4x4 and low gear required
- Fins and Things - Quintessential Moab trail. The Fins are sandstone slickrock that have eroded into steep climbs and drops. The Things are sandy trails with some small ledges and a little bit of canyon driving. This trail is in the Sand Flats OHV area and requires a day or overnight pass. 4x4 is required and you'll want low gear for the fins. There are some views at the tops of the fins but this trail is more about experiencing the landscape than looking at it.
- Hells Revenge - Also in Sand Flats and very similar terrain to Fins. The climbs and drops are way steeper. Imagine driving up a hill and only being able to see sky until you got to the top. Or driving down a hill so steep that you feel the weight come off your rear suspension. That uncertainty freaks some people out. This is a blue trail if you bypass Hells Revenge and the Escalator. Both are dark red obstacles.
Jax Trax - Bounce around on top of a mesa. This trail is very rocky in spots and tippy in a few as well. There's a mix of sandy trails, rocky trails and slickrock. There are ledges to climb over and down. There are bypasses for most but not all of the larger obstacles. This trail uses old mining roads and there are a multitude of wrong turns to be had. Bring a GPS.
- 7 Mile Rim - This trail has a bit of everything; rocks, ledges, shelf road, tippy sections. Lunch can be had between Merrimac and Monitor Buttes and Uranium Arch is along the way.
- Dome Plateau - Another Mesa top trail. This trail starts ricky, turns sandy (baja, anyone?) and goes back to rocky. The trail is well marked with "DP" signs throughout. There is an arch, a cave with rock art, and mining ruins to explore along the way. A large amount of this trail has no shade; bring lots of water or your own shade with you.
- Elephant Hill - This is a dark blue trail in the Needles district of Canyonlands. You get to experience Elephant Hill immediately upon setting off. It's a narrow rocky hill that is actually two directional even though that's actual impossible to do at the same time. As soon as you go up you get to go down the other side. The inside hill is characterized by several switchbacks. They are too narrow for even the smallest truck to make the turn so you end up having to reverse down one section of the switchback. Once down the hill, the trail is much more mild as you drive through a series of box canyons. There are overlooks and rock art a plenty. The trail makes a big loop and you get to exit via Elephant Hill, complete with reversing up the same switchback.
Difficult - 6-7 Rear locker required. Front Locker highly recommended.
- Hells Gate - An offshoot of Hells Revenge, The gate is a long (70-80 feet) V notch climb that is very steep. To navigate the obstacle, the vehicle needs to straddle the V while keeping enough momentum to climb the hill. The most common accidents on this obstacle are, slipping off the V which lays the side of the vehicle up against the rock wall, or giving it too much gas causing the front wheels to lift and the truck to roll backwards. Having a second vehicle at the top with a winch ready is recommended. A rear locker is a necessity and a front locker is highly recommended. Understanding what you're getting into is imperative as the entrance to the obstacle is harder to climb than the obstacle itself. Once you're at the bottom, climbing the gate is the easiest way back up.
- The Escalator - I have not done the Escalator. It is similar to the Gate in that it is a narrow steep climb. The Escalator is less a V notch and more a series of very large ledges. You get very tippy and rollovers are common. This is exacerbated by the near constant presence of water on some of the ledges, making things slippery.
- Top of the World - THE BEST VIEW IN MOAB - This trail starts at Dewey Bridge. The first several miles are washboard and sandy road. Once you start to climb, the trail becomes rocky and ledgy. Lockers are recommended. The payoff at the end makes it all worth it. You get an expansive view of Onion Creek and Fischer Valley below. The colors are absolutely amazing. There is a jut of rock that you can drive your truck onto for teh poser shot. It's not as narrow as the pictures make it look, still an amazing shot.
- Poison Spider Mesa - This trail starts off Potash road and climbs to the top of the cliffs surrounding you. There are several obstacles, only some of which have bypasses. The waterfall is probably the hardest. The direct route up is blocked by an 18" tall boulder with enough space between it and the waterfall to eat your tire and beach you. Only REALLY big tires or an amazing amount of ground clearance will get you through that route. Everyone else has to swing around and approach the waterfall at an angle. Off camber up the obstacle is much easier with lockers.
- Lathrop Canyon - If you're on Shafer Trail and looking for something a bit rougher, Lathrop is a good option. Along the way you'll pass Musselman Arch. At the beginning of Lathrop Canyon you drop down more switchbacks, narrower and steeper than the Shafer ones. Once at the bottom, the trail is predominantly sandy. As you pinstripe your way through the last bit of canyon brush you're presented with a beach and Colorado River views. It's common for boat tours to use this spot for lunch.
- Metal Masher - This trail starts off Gemini Bridges Road. This trail is predominantly wide open sandy terrain with ledges to navigate through. Nearly every ledgy section has multiple lines to be taken. None are easy but most are doable. Two of the three named obstacles (Widowmaker and Rock Chucker) are bypassable entirely. Mirror Gulch is not. Mirror Gulch is a narrow spot of rock with multiple ledges to climb over. Wider vehicles will have to put a tire up on one or both walls making for an even more interesting climb. The final ledge is a sliver moon shape that is severely undercut. The larger the tire the better here as you spin against the undercut rock face to bump your tires out and over the edge.
- Porcupine Rim - This trail is in Sand Flats OHV. It combines the best (worst?) of shelf roads and ledges. As you make your way up the side of this box canyon, you'll often need to choose between the harder line that's well away from the edge or the easier line that has a tire hanging off. The view from the top is the best Sand Flats has to offer.
Trails I haven't done: Flat Iron Mesa, Steel Bender, Moab Rim, Kane Creek
Green 2-3
- Harrah Pass - relatively mild trail. Could be done in 2wd but higher clearance is suggested. Great views from the top.
- Chicken Corners - If you continue over Harrah Pass you'll drop down into the Colorado River basin. This area is sandy and overgrown. The Chicken Corners trail eventually takes you out to a river overlook. The trail is mild but it's easy to take a wrong turn. Bring a GPS.
- Gemini Bridges - Mostly a dirt road. Could be done in 2wd with high clearance. The bridge is actually an arch that you can walk out onto. There are several offshoots from the Gemini Bridges road that range from mild to wild.
- Secret Spire - Pavement and sandy dirt road. 4x4 required.
- Shafer Trail - Could be done in 2wd but you're going to want 4x4 low gear. Part of the White Rim trail. This trail starts in Canyonlands (park pass needed) and drops more than a thousand feet into the Canyonlands landscape via many, many switchbacks. The views are amazing but probably one to avoid if you're not good with heights. The switchbacks are one way and you can head out via Potash Rd (you can't miss the potash ponds; surreal blue).
- Mineral Bottom - Could be done in 2wd but you're going to want 4x4 low gear. The first 30 miles is washboard road. Tne you get to a series of switchbacks down to the banks of the Green River. Keep an eye out for the old wrecked car on the slope between the switchbacks. This is a route for one of the river tour companies so you may get stuck behind a large bus going down or up.
Others that I haven't actually done: Crystal Geyser, Tower Arch, Spring Canyon Point
Moderate 4-5 - 4x4 and low gear required
- Fins and Things - Quintessential Moab trail. The Fins are sandstone slickrock that have eroded into steep climbs and drops. The Things are sandy trails with some small ledges and a little bit of canyon driving. This trail is in the Sand Flats OHV area and requires a day or overnight pass. 4x4 is required and you'll want low gear for the fins. There are some views at the tops of the fins but this trail is more about experiencing the landscape than looking at it.
- Hells Revenge - Also in Sand Flats and very similar terrain to Fins. The climbs and drops are way steeper. Imagine driving up a hill and only being able to see sky until you got to the top. Or driving down a hill so steep that you feel the weight come off your rear suspension. That uncertainty freaks some people out. This is a blue trail if you bypass Hells Revenge and the Escalator. Both are dark red obstacles.
Jax Trax - Bounce around on top of a mesa. This trail is very rocky in spots and tippy in a few as well. There's a mix of sandy trails, rocky trails and slickrock. There are ledges to climb over and down. There are bypasses for most but not all of the larger obstacles. This trail uses old mining roads and there are a multitude of wrong turns to be had. Bring a GPS.
- 7 Mile Rim - This trail has a bit of everything; rocks, ledges, shelf road, tippy sections. Lunch can be had between Merrimac and Monitor Buttes and Uranium Arch is along the way.
- Dome Plateau - Another Mesa top trail. This trail starts ricky, turns sandy (baja, anyone?) and goes back to rocky. The trail is well marked with "DP" signs throughout. There is an arch, a cave with rock art, and mining ruins to explore along the way. A large amount of this trail has no shade; bring lots of water or your own shade with you.
- Elephant Hill - This is a dark blue trail in the Needles district of Canyonlands. You get to experience Elephant Hill immediately upon setting off. It's a narrow rocky hill that is actually two directional even though that's actual impossible to do at the same time. As soon as you go up you get to go down the other side. The inside hill is characterized by several switchbacks. They are too narrow for even the smallest truck to make the turn so you end up having to reverse down one section of the switchback. Once down the hill, the trail is much more mild as you drive through a series of box canyons. There are overlooks and rock art a plenty. The trail makes a big loop and you get to exit via Elephant Hill, complete with reversing up the same switchback.
Difficult - 6-7 Rear locker required. Front Locker highly recommended.
- Hells Gate - An offshoot of Hells Revenge, The gate is a long (70-80 feet) V notch climb that is very steep. To navigate the obstacle, the vehicle needs to straddle the V while keeping enough momentum to climb the hill. The most common accidents on this obstacle are, slipping off the V which lays the side of the vehicle up against the rock wall, or giving it too much gas causing the front wheels to lift and the truck to roll backwards. Having a second vehicle at the top with a winch ready is recommended. A rear locker is a necessity and a front locker is highly recommended. Understanding what you're getting into is imperative as the entrance to the obstacle is harder to climb than the obstacle itself. Once you're at the bottom, climbing the gate is the easiest way back up.
- The Escalator - I have not done the Escalator. It is similar to the Gate in that it is a narrow steep climb. The Escalator is less a V notch and more a series of very large ledges. You get very tippy and rollovers are common. This is exacerbated by the near constant presence of water on some of the ledges, making things slippery.
- Top of the World - THE BEST VIEW IN MOAB - This trail starts at Dewey Bridge. The first several miles are washboard and sandy road. Once you start to climb, the trail becomes rocky and ledgy. Lockers are recommended. The payoff at the end makes it all worth it. You get an expansive view of Onion Creek and Fischer Valley below. The colors are absolutely amazing. There is a jut of rock that you can drive your truck onto for teh poser shot. It's not as narrow as the pictures make it look, still an amazing shot.
- Poison Spider Mesa - This trail starts off Potash road and climbs to the top of the cliffs surrounding you. There are several obstacles, only some of which have bypasses. The waterfall is probably the hardest. The direct route up is blocked by an 18" tall boulder with enough space between it and the waterfall to eat your tire and beach you. Only REALLY big tires or an amazing amount of ground clearance will get you through that route. Everyone else has to swing around and approach the waterfall at an angle. Off camber up the obstacle is much easier with lockers.
- Lathrop Canyon - If you're on Shafer Trail and looking for something a bit rougher, Lathrop is a good option. Along the way you'll pass Musselman Arch. At the beginning of Lathrop Canyon you drop down more switchbacks, narrower and steeper than the Shafer ones. Once at the bottom, the trail is predominantly sandy. As you pinstripe your way through the last bit of canyon brush you're presented with a beach and Colorado River views. It's common for boat tours to use this spot for lunch.
- Metal Masher - This trail starts off Gemini Bridges Road. This trail is predominantly wide open sandy terrain with ledges to navigate through. Nearly every ledgy section has multiple lines to be taken. None are easy but most are doable. Two of the three named obstacles (Widowmaker and Rock Chucker) are bypassable entirely. Mirror Gulch is not. Mirror Gulch is a narrow spot of rock with multiple ledges to climb over. Wider vehicles will have to put a tire up on one or both walls making for an even more interesting climb. The final ledge is a sliver moon shape that is severely undercut. The larger the tire the better here as you spin against the undercut rock face to bump your tires out and over the edge.
- Porcupine Rim - This trail is in Sand Flats OHV. It combines the best (worst?) of shelf roads and ledges. As you make your way up the side of this box canyon, you'll often need to choose between the harder line that's well away from the edge or the easier line that has a tire hanging off. The view from the top is the best Sand Flats has to offer.
Trails I haven't done: Flat Iron Mesa, Steel Bender, Moab Rim, Kane Creek
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