Trail Suggestions Needed - Moab

[Mbryson]

I just got back today from 10 days out there.

Stock Jeep, definitely do Potash Rd and the Shafer Switchbacks into the Canyonlands NP. Easy, and great views. It's a good primer to the area I think.

I was running a Rubicon on 40s solo so it's hard to know for sure what would be easy otherwise for a stock rig but the day we ran Poison Spider/Golden Spike/Gold Bar was our favorite day. Poison Spider might be doable but the Golden trails seemed to be more difficult to me. The only places I drug frame and slammed rear bumper all trip were on Golden Spike and Gold Bar.

Fins N Things and Hell's Revenge as others have suggested would probably be alright, everything can be done with pretty low throttle and low throttle means minimal chance of breakage, but the steep climbs will still be exciting. The whole Sand Flats Rec area just sort of felt like the Disney World of Moab to me. You just have to listen to the constant amplified-lawn-mower-herd drone of SXSs.

If you're into collecting badges the temporary Wipe-Out Hill was pretty easy to run, sans the hill itself. The Lost World trail is only listed as a 3 but it had areas that I thought were a 5 at least. So that one was kind of a surprise and more of a hike to get to than it looks but it offered good views.

Elephant hill required a limited permit for I think $6 but a really cool trail. I suppose a bit more technical with the switchbacks but nothing hard. You're almost certainly going to hit the frame and rear bumper in places, and you'll have to pick your lines in some spots. Very unique experience and worth it if you have the time. It's an hour and a half just to get there from Moab. I'd consider this a must-do given the uniqueness of being inside a national park and it felt different from everything else. There was a pretty stock looking WJ running it that we passed on our way through.

Great advice.

You can pick your bypasses on Hells Revenge so you don’t do anything outside your comfort zone. Fins N Things is pretty much the same. Poison Spider is doable but you’ll scrape the rear bumper everywhere. Onion Creek is a nice scenic out and back trail that runs through 26 river crossings. They’re all small though, probably only a few inches deep at most. It’s a 25 minute drive from Moab down the Colorado River, very easy on your rig. Chicken Corners is a nice scenic trail worth exploring as well.

I leave "Gladiator tracks" on Hells Revenge (no real damage to my rig) even with my 39" BFG. Stock JT would leave some belly and tail marks on the JT and on the rocks.

I lead Poison Spider at EJS and run the 39" tires on it. Again, doable with no damage and rare scraping but a stock unit will leave some marks.

I also lead Fins and Things as part of the Sophomore Package (1) at EJS. We run that on Wednesday. Again, occasional dragging of the trailer hitch.

Not that you can't run those trails in a stock rig, but you'll earn your way.

Nothing wrong with Onion Creek, in my opinion for a stock rig. Chicken Corners can be kind of a cool day. Run out there in morning. Take note of Dead Horse Point immediately north and higher elevation than you. Run back to town and grab a burger. Hit the highway and head towards Poison Spider parking lot. Drive past there and go UP Long Canyon. Enjoy that run and head out to Dead Horse Point and look where you were earlier that day. Enjoy the sunset and head out 313 hwy back to Moab and grab some dinner.

Very well could be. It's been quite some time since I've been to Moab

I thought Hey Joe Canyon was closed quite some time ago.

You are correct. It was closed with the Labyrinth Canyon 317 mile closure. If you check out blueribboncoalition.org there is some solid looking news there on getting that and other closures with that management decision re-opened.

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[trust]

Hurrah pass, cameo cliffs, elephant Hill and onion creek as mentioned, the la sal loop should be nice though you might run into snow. Top of the world is fantastic but its so heavily used maybe not solo. The visitors center is a good place for a map or guide book, maybe last year's EJS newspaper or just ask. You might also ask there if there is a place for soloists to meet to go touring as a small group

 

[Sweetums]

There are some really good suggestions in here. I'd recommend going to the bookstore in town, they always have copies of the Fun Treks guide book for the area. You could buy it on Amazon, but getting it in town helps local businesses.

It will have a ton of trails with waypoints, trail guides, and difficulty rankings.

 

[ChrisNLA]

Very well could be. It's been quite some time since I've been to Moab

Closed in 2023 I think it was, with that closure of 313 miles of other odd and end trails and accesses.

 

[Coldtoes]

Thank you everyone for the great recommendations. Especially those that added notes about the trails, very helpful.

I’ll get a book locally when I arrive as Sweetums suggested. I knew there were many ways of getting ratings but asking this group is the only way to get feedback from people who know Gladiators with our big butts, and how they will do on the trails as compared to a butt-less 2 door wrangler.

I have On-X and will download all the maps ahead of time for the area so I’ll have that in addition to paper maps I expect to find locally.

Thanks all!

 

[Sweetums]

As good as OnX is, anything with batteries is always the backup to paper maps. The book is great, but couple it with good topographical maps of the area. I like Latitude 40 maps for Moab East, and Moab West. Really great maps printed on waterproof plastic, and usually available in town. Even the red Delorme Gazetteer Utah atlas is enough to navigate by - but Latitude 40 has all the trails highlighted to make it easier.

Closed in 2023 I think it was, with that closure of 313 miles of other odd and end trails and accesses.

That trail mileage is misleading - the majority of those miles were illegal bypasses and other trails that should never have existed. They were the problem, and closing the area was in part due to people tearing it up and driving off the marked trails.

 

[Mbryson]

That trail mileage is misleading - the majority of those miles were illegal bypasses and other trails that should never have existed. They were the problem, and closing the area was in part due to people tearing it up and driving off the marked trails.

I'd definitely agree with some of the mileage being closed. Trail weaving or shortcut type things I can see. I definitely do NOT agree with some of the closed routes and some fully closed trails. Full 4x4 and 2 track trails were lost

 

[ChrisNLA]

That trail mileage is misleading - the majority of those miles were illegal bypasses and other trails that should never have existed. They were the problem, and closing the area was in part due to people tearing it up and driving off the marked trails.

I never looked into it deeply, but I figured so much.

It's definitely frustrating - those that treat areas as free riding spaces, create more paths, etc.

When I was into riding ATV's years ago I would go to a local ATV park that is on some heavily wooded land. The first time I went I remember a particular trail being one bike wide and had a few little holes you'd have to work through.

The next time, the hole would have a bypass to one side.

The next time, it would have two bypasses.

A couple years in, this area had expanded into a labyrinth of criss-crossing bypasses and holes.

Apply that to government owned landed placed in a fragile landscape - you end up with closures...

 

[Sweetums]

I'd definitely agree with some of the mileage being closed. Trail weaving or shortcut type things I can see. I definitely do NOT agree with some of the closed routes and some fully closed trails. Full 4x4 and 2 track trails were lost

Yes, there were legit trails and roads that were closed - and I can see why, since they were the main access points to an area that was being systematically destroyed. We have really good open wheeling in Utah, the state set aside all of Sand Hollow Rec Area as an off-highway motorized playground. You can drive anywhere, only limited by your vehicle and the size of your cojones, I wish people would use those areas instead of treating the entire state like it's their personal sandbox.

 

[Mbryson]

https://www.jeepgladiatorforum.com/...ts-please-stick-to-those-if-commenting.73314/

If we want to debate the closures, that link is a great place. The red routes got closed. Some I'd agree with. The bulk... not so much

 

[Aberk]

Did you do the hill? When I rolled up solo it looked like a big challenge. Once you see someone else do it and know a good line it was easy with a JT. I liked it so much I did the hill twice.

We did the hill last Friday when it was damp out, but we didn't come from the main entrance. We came from 7 mile rim trail. My brother was driving at the time and I was a bit nervous despite having already done hells gate and the hot tub 2 days earlier.

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