Return to Moab (and the west) - itinerary suggestions?

[ChrisNLA]

You mentioned Lockhart Basin, I recommend not attempting that trail, although its one of my favorites. The JT scrapes by on 37s on that one. Also, if you do fins and things on 33s, youll be OK on the first half (daylight side) but will scrape quite a bit with 33s on a JT on the second section. Its doable, just depends on the damage level you are ok with. Tails wash out and become worse regularly, you may find it different than it was 5 years ago. Hells Revenge is easier than FnT on the wheel base.

Nah, not doing Lockhart Basin - just mean Chicken Corner down to where it intersects.

Yea I've done Hells Revenge & Fins & Things in my two door twice and it was a breeze.

Not terribly concerned with some minor damage. Minor for me includes dented factory skid plates, damaged front or rear bumpers, scraped up rock rails, scraped mirrors or fenders. Basically anything that isn't painted sheet metal.

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[MPMB]

You mentioned Lockhart Basin, I recommend not attempting that trail, although its one of my favorites. The JT scrapes by on 37s on that one. Also, if you do fins and things on 33s, youll be OK on the first half (daylight side) but will scrape quite a bit with 33s on a JT on the second section. Its doable, just depends on the damage level you are ok with. Tails wash out and become worse regularly, you may find it different than it was 5 years ago. Hells Revenge is easier than FnT on the wheel base.

FnT from a couple weeks ago I scraped the back end/hitch coming off a couple downhills. 2.5"+ lift and 37s. Chain loop on the hitch bent up a little.

For anyone going for the 1st time or revisiting after a while - Other than the one downhill that I drug a ton on because I picked the wrong side to go down, the only spot that I would consider a bad spot was coming down the first slickrock after the turn.

The route: come in on the right (where it says 'Fins'), turn right onto the dirt and start to go up the slickrock. That leads to "the turn" that brings you back. Up and over, then you come down the slickrock on the top left side. After the text says "Fins & Things Safari Rte," the dark section is a trackwidth wide. The area with dirt-color and white rock is a ledge. It looked like it could put the JT in a bad spot.

 

[MPMB]

I had an idea when we were in Moab. Someone needs to offer day storage. Like self-serve lockers at airports/terminals/etc. $50-25/day or something.

But big enough to put the doors and/or roof in or anything you don't want to take on the trail.

For instance, it takes me about 3 hours to drive to Moab. 3 hrs in an open cab early in the morning on I70 & other highways doesn't sound fun to me. But I would have liked to drop my doors before I went on the trail.

Say, during a week, 100 lockers are rented @ $50. At 26 weeks, that's $130k. There's a lot in S Moab north of the golf course that's $265k. If able to clear 50% of that $130k - $5400/mo - possible to pay it off in less than 8 years. A 5x10 space should be big enough. That's only a ~5000sqft structure.

 

[ChrisNLA]

I had an idea when we were in Moab. Someone needs to offer day storage. Like self-serve lockers at airports/terminals/etc. $50-25/day or something.

But big enough to put the doors and/or roof in or anything you don't want to take on the trail.

For instance, it takes me about 3 hours to drive to Moab. 3 hrs in an open cab early in the morning on I70 & other highways doesn't sound fun to me. But I would have liked to drop my doors before I went on the trail.

Say, during a week, 100 lockers are rented @ $50. At 26 weeks, that's $130k. There's a lot in S Moab north of the golf course that's $265k. If able to clear 50% of that $130k - $5400/mo - possible to pay it off in less than 8 years. A 5x10 space should be big enough. That's only a ~5000sqft structure.

I wish it was that easy for me. It's 26 hours one way

Interesting idea, though.

 

[UTDieselRubi]

That is precisely why I bought a toy hauler travel trailer lol. I store my roof and doors in it when camping, throw them back on to go home. Its a win win. Before that I always liked the idea to just bring an enclosed cargo trailer. I'm the type to daily different tires than I wheel in. A trailer lets you take your trail tires and swap at camp.

 

[ChrisNLA]

Some ideas I am playing with so far (from my Google Doc - at bottom of this post). Not the final draft by far - I am toying with this as I research trails, travel time, etc.

May save a little money on the way in and stay in Monticello hit things on the way into Moab. Hotel room is cheaper and will save on gas by not doubling back later.

Cameo Cliffs looked really cool, so I think that is staying along with Seven Mile Rim (and both are new to me). Elephant Hill I will probably only go into if I have another Jeep with me. I run into a lot of other rigs at other places but its a bit desolate in that particular area.

I love FnT so a day at Sand Flats and time to hang out in Moab is a definite.

Dead Horse Point State Park I think is a must see for folks new to the area, so keeping that in the line up. Getting there via Long Canyon is icing on the cake. Gemini Bridges is really cool, and the way out past Gooney Bird Rock, etc is very pretty. If time allows on that day, Seven Mile RIm will follow. We are early risers and based on time on a previous trip, it should be no problem to get up to Dead Horse via Long Canyon and enjoy all of that before lunch. Seven Mile Rim is the one I am unsure of time wise.

Shafer Canyon Road, the switchbacks, and that portion of Canyonlands has been on the to do for a while, so it's staying. Not sure of any of the trails out that way that I have listed and if they are worth the visit or if I should re-allocate that time elsewhere.

Onion Creek to La Sal Pass. Not certain on this one yet. Is Onion Creek truly worth the drive? I can leave this as an open day that can be re-worked as needed. On previous trips we always had a 'take it or leave it' trail assigned to a day that we could replace with something else if we needed to pivot.

I have not been to San Rafael Reef, so considering trails in that area that looked cool. May relocate to Green River to save on gas and hotel rooms for a couple days unless there is a reason I should avoid the area (Green River appears to be pretty small).

_________________


Day 1
Home to Tucumcari, NM - 940 miles / 14hrs 16m

Day 2
Tucumcari, NM to Moab, UT- 535 miles / 8hrs 26m
(or stay in Monticello, UT so that Day 3 activities are en route to Moab / cheaper hotel rooms)

Day 3
Elephant Hill (and/or Needles District in general)
-OR-
Cameo Cliffs (and/or Canyon Rims Recreation Area)
(or Elephant Hill may replace Onion Creek/La Sal)

Day 4
Fins & Things, Hells Revenge, Castle Valley Overlook, hang out in Moab

Day 5
Dead Horse Point / Long Canyon
Gemini Bridges / Gemini Bridges Road
Seven Mile Rim
Buttes & Towers (alternate)

Day 6
Potash Rd, Shafer Canyon Road to Canyonlands NP
Hellroaring Rim
Deadman Springs / Deadman Point

Day 7
Onion Creek to La Sal Pass Road (back to Moab)

Day 8
Behind the Reef
Eagle Canyon / Black Dragon
May stay in Green River for two nights to be closer to San Rafael Reef. Save on gas back and forth to Moab and hotel rooms are slightly cheaper.

Day 9
Moab, UT to Sanger, TX (via US 161 / Southern CO) - 978 miles - 16hrs 1m

Day 10
Sanger, TX to Home - 515 miles, 8hrs 11m

 

[azmojave]

Monument Valley is worth the trip if you’ve never seen it. Take the self guided offroad tour

 

[ChrisNLA]

Monument Valley is worth the trip if you’ve never seen it. Take the self guided offroad tour

I did not know this was a thing there. I will take note!

 

[Silverator]

Onion Creek to La Sal Pass. Not certain on this one yet. Is Onion Creek truly worth the drive?

I think so. See my video below. It's arguably one of the most scenic and cool trails in Moab.



Have fun. We just had to cancel our fall Moab trip. Wife broke her leg.... But we'll be back next year for sure.

 

[ChrisNLA]

I think so. See my video below. It's arguably one of the most scenic and cool trails in Moab.



Have fun. We just had to cancel our fall Moab trip. Wife broke her leg.... But we'll be back next year for sure.

The video definitely reminded me of the scenery around there. I think it will stay on the list for the time being - especially since I am looking for safe bets incase I am solo or only one other rig.

 

[ChrisNLA]

Doing some narrowing. San Rafael Reef is a good ways outside of Moab. Considering staying closer with our selections, so moved some to the 'parking lot'. Some videos indicated (to me) that Dome Plateau and Seven Mile were keepers.

On our previous trips, we kept Top of the World as the last day to close the trip out with a spectacular view. In lieu of not doing that trail, I think Dead Horse State Park with its sweeping vistas makes a good replacement, along with Seven Mile to wrap the day up. Or flip them and see Dead Horse at the end of the day / sunset as I did previously.

Or an alternate still, have Canyon Lands 'Island In the Sky' district as the last day, but I haven't been - so yall tell me. Day 8 may be a long one, and I try to keep the last day a little easier.

I am still churning through some videos of trails, and seeing who may be available to wheel with me - so final version TBD...

 

[Sweetums]

Dome Plateau is a lot of touring once you get up the initial climb. It's scenic, but routefinding can be difficult due to multiple criss-crossing trails, a good GPS app will be very helpful.

Onion Creek is nice and you can continue on to Polar Mesa if the weather over the La Sals is good that day, but watch the sky that time of year. The mountain weather can change very quickly and snow is possible.

Potash up the Schafer Switchbacks is an easy drive, from there you can pop into Island in the Sky and see some of Canyonlands National Park.

 

[ChrisNLA]

Dome Plateau is a lot of touring once you get up the initial climb. It's scenic, but routefinding can be difficult due to multiple criss-crossing trails, a good GPS app will be very helpful.

Onion Creek is nice and you can continue on to Polar Mesa if the weather over the La Sals is good that day, but watch the sky that time of year. The mountain weather can change very quickly and snow is possible.

Potash up the Schafer Switchbacks is an easy drive, from there you can pop into Island in the Sky and see some of Canyonlands National Park.

I'm familiar with Gaia and OnX and have both - but to that point I have noticed some of the trails I have selected will definitely require mindful navigation.

Yea, I saw a video from Onion Creek a year or two back. I think it was Ozark Overland. They did the Onion Creek portion no problem but heading up into the mountain quickly became impassable and they had to double back. Rain and some recent snow had made a mess of it.

That's my plan for Shafer. Enjoy the road and switchbacks, sight see Island in the Sky, and if time allows throw in a trail after lunch somewhere between there and going back to Moab.

At the end of the day, I'm keeping a secondary list of trails so if weather or other circumstance calls for it, I have some packaged back-up plans.

 

[stitch1]

If you are interested in camping at all, I always recommend spending a night or two out on the White Rim Trail. It's a great trail with fantastic views and some pretty epic campsites that overlook canyons/rivers. We had a blast on it and would love to go back.

 

[ChrisNLA]

If you are interested in camping at all, I always recommend spending a night or two out on the White Rim Trail. It's a great trail with fantastic views and some pretty epic campsites that overlook canyons/rivers. We had a blast on it and would love to go back.

On another future trip, I think camping will be in the cards for most/all of the trip, along with hitting Rimrocker, etc. The entirety of White Rim is definitely a 'to do'.

This next trip in mind though I think I'm bringing my mother in her mid 60s, and while she is reasonably adventurous, I do not want to set up and break down camp (ground tents, etc.) day after day in this circumstance - and it's not worth it to cart all the extra gear for a night or two.

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