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So we drove the Bronco to and from Moab. About 3,000 miles round trip. Did a stopover in Amarillo coming and going to break up the drive. This was a great trip. If you are undecided I would definitely recommend you do the Off Rodeo. Don't miss it!!!
Lodging
So we stayed at the Red Cliffs Lodge the first 3 nights there and then swapped over to the Best Western Canyonlands in Moab for the last 2 nights. Both hotels were great but you can't beat the views and the drive into Red Cliffs. Also, it is really convenient to be there for the Off Rodeo. If I did it over I would probably have just booked 2 nights done the Off Rodeo and swapped over a day earlier just to save a little money. Worth the stay at Red Cliffs for the view and the convenience but once you get past the Off Rodeo you can save money by swapping to a hotel in town and the Best Western Canyonlands was top notch!!!
Off Rodeo and Onion Creek trail 7/24
Our guide was Tyler. Good guy was fun and very informative. We managed to snag the only 2 Dr. Bronco they had out for the run that day. It was a Basesquatch. I never felt it was lacking in capability it did great. Spoke with Tyler after for advice on trails to run and we had finished early enough that he recommended we run Onion Creek trail that evening. Didn't get any pictures or video of that but it was a fun run and the scenery was great. Was getting dark as we came out and got to see a mule deer just off the trail on the way out.
Arches National Park and Willow Spring Rd. 7/25
Had a timed gate entry for 0700 hr. went in and drove the scenic drive until lunch. Went back to Moab for lunch and then returned to Arches by driving in on Willow Springs Rd. so we could see the dinosaur tracks.
So this is sand dune arch below. It is in a little slot canyon. When I hiked in to see it there was a thunderstorm nearby and it was drawing air through the canyon. The floor is sand so 30 - 35 MPH wind plus sand equals mini sandstorm. I videoed my walk back out and sand got into the lens mechanism on the camera and disabled it for the rest of the trip. Got it fixed at home by blowing the sand out with compressed air. Had 2 cameras with me so was still able to take pictures.
THE balanced rock
Gemini Bridges and Four Arches trail 7/26
Plan was to just do Gemini Bridges but we missed a turn and ended up driving all of Four Arches trail including all of the blind canyons before we backtracked and found our error. While we were running back out of one of the blind canyons we met up with a family in a rented jeep. They took the same wrong turn and were following our tire tracks. We had the trail guide but they didn't even have a map. Once I got back to the hotel and looked at the trail guide map I realized we had ran all of Four Arches while trying to find our way out. Wife was not amused!!!
Canyonlands National Park, Shafer Trail and Potash Rd. 7/27
Great large views of the canyons from the overlooks. Run down the switchbacks to the canyon floor is cool and then riding out past the dehydration ponds for the potash mine is worth seeing for the color contrast with the surrounding rock. Rode the whole park and then went back to Moab via Shafer Trail and Potash Rd.
Shafer trail running out from the switchbacks
The switchbacks
Green River overlook
PePe on the trail.
Overlook on Shafer trail of Colorado river at a horseshoe bend. This is actually the same view you would get from Deadhorse State Park as Deadhorse Point is behind and above me.
There were interesting rock formations all along the trail
Potash mine dehydration ponds
A balanced rock (not THE balanced rock). So this is a landmark in the trail guide. We had an action cam on the device rail filming. The wife and I are looking all around for THE balanced rock. on the action cam audio you can hear us talkiing about we don't see THE balanced rock. Meanwhile on the cam footage a balanced rock is square ahead of us.....DOH. Looking high when we should be looking ahead.
Overall the best vacation I think we've ever taken. Did Off Rodeo, 2 National parks and 5 trails (not counting Dome Plateau we did during Off Rodeo). Came away with hundreds of pictures and video for all the trails except Dome Plateau and Onion Creek. Already talking about when we can go back.
Lodging
So we stayed at the Red Cliffs Lodge the first 3 nights there and then swapped over to the Best Western Canyonlands in Moab for the last 2 nights. Both hotels were great but you can't beat the views and the drive into Red Cliffs. Also, it is really convenient to be there for the Off Rodeo. If I did it over I would probably have just booked 2 nights done the Off Rodeo and swapped over a day earlier just to save a little money. Worth the stay at Red Cliffs for the view and the convenience but once you get past the Off Rodeo you can save money by swapping to a hotel in town and the Best Western Canyonlands was top notch!!!
Off Rodeo and Onion Creek trail 7/24
Our guide was Tyler. Good guy was fun and very informative. We managed to snag the only 2 Dr. Bronco they had out for the run that day. It was a Basesquatch. I never felt it was lacking in capability it did great. Spoke with Tyler after for advice on trails to run and we had finished early enough that he recommended we run Onion Creek trail that evening. Didn't get any pictures or video of that but it was a fun run and the scenery was great. Was getting dark as we came out and got to see a mule deer just off the trail on the way out.
Arches National Park and Willow Spring Rd. 7/25
Had a timed gate entry for 0700 hr. went in and drove the scenic drive until lunch. Went back to Moab for lunch and then returned to Arches by driving in on Willow Springs Rd. so we could see the dinosaur tracks.
So this is sand dune arch below. It is in a little slot canyon. When I hiked in to see it there was a thunderstorm nearby and it was drawing air through the canyon. The floor is sand so 30 - 35 MPH wind plus sand equals mini sandstorm. I videoed my walk back out and sand got into the lens mechanism on the camera and disabled it for the rest of the trip. Got it fixed at home by blowing the sand out with compressed air. Had 2 cameras with me so was still able to take pictures.
THE balanced rock
Gemini Bridges and Four Arches trail 7/26
Plan was to just do Gemini Bridges but we missed a turn and ended up driving all of Four Arches trail including all of the blind canyons before we backtracked and found our error. While we were running back out of one of the blind canyons we met up with a family in a rented jeep. They took the same wrong turn and were following our tire tracks. We had the trail guide but they didn't even have a map. Once I got back to the hotel and looked at the trail guide map I realized we had ran all of Four Arches while trying to find our way out. Wife was not amused!!!
Canyonlands National Park, Shafer Trail and Potash Rd. 7/27
Great large views of the canyons from the overlooks. Run down the switchbacks to the canyon floor is cool and then riding out past the dehydration ponds for the potash mine is worth seeing for the color contrast with the surrounding rock. Rode the whole park and then went back to Moab via Shafer Trail and Potash Rd.
Shafer trail running out from the switchbacks
The switchbacks
Green River overlook
PePe on the trail.
Overlook on Shafer trail of Colorado river at a horseshoe bend. This is actually the same view you would get from Deadhorse State Park as Deadhorse Point is behind and above me.
There were interesting rock formations all along the trail
Potash mine dehydration ponds
A balanced rock (not THE balanced rock). So this is a landmark in the trail guide. We had an action cam on the device rail filming. The wife and I are looking all around for THE balanced rock. on the action cam audio you can hear us talkiing about we don't see THE balanced rock. Meanwhile on the cam footage a balanced rock is square ahead of us.....DOH. Looking high when we should be looking ahead.
Overall the best vacation I think we've ever taken. Did Off Rodeo, 2 National parks and 5 trails (not counting Dome Plateau we did during Off Rodeo). Came away with hundreds of pictures and video for all the trails except Dome Plateau and Onion Creek. Already talking about when we can go back.
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