Moab trip tips

[timB10]

Hey y'all, planning a trip to Moab with my girlfriend at the end of this month. Going to be a 4 day trip. I normally do just 2 day rock crawling trips but I'm trying to get into the over landing side of things. So far I have a two person tent, 7 gallon jug of water, cooking stove, and all the normal tools and Gear for rock crawling. I've never been on any trips outside of Colorado though. Also have never done a 4 day trip before with another person. As you all know tj's suck for storage space, so just the necessities and all around Just looking for tips for starting out overlanding and advice as far as gear goes, food, bathroom, meals, just basic tips in general! Thanks in advance!

 

[MtnManAlex]

Nice Jeep! Hopefully some of this is helpful info:

Bathroom—toilet rules are strict around Moab. If the campground doesn’t have a vault toilet, you can get a ticket for not bringing one. No cat holes in the desert.

Food/meals—I don’t have any special camp food recommendations, but if you have a meal in town Zax has a rooftop and an awesome unlimited salad/soup/pizza deal. The Moab Brewery is another favorite.

Special gear—No trees=increased exposure. Be prepared to add guy lines to protect your tent from wind (I’ve seen quite a few tents, including my own, destroyed by wind there). The heat shouldn’t be too brutal at the end of March, but bringing some kind of shade can be nice. Also, there is no firewood to collect so you gotta bring it or buy it.

There are full grocery stores, hardware stores, etc. in town if you forget anything. I’d avoid the state liquor store though.

 

[MtnManAlex]

Moab is so cool!

 

[timB10]

View attachment 88136
View attachment 88137
Moab is so cool!

Very very helpful! Thank you!! And nice Jeep as well!

 

[Anchor Mtn]

Please BUY LOCAL WOOD!!! Bringing wood from another area can lead to invasive species being introduced to an environment(plant and animal).

Moab is an incredible place that Im lucky enough to call my backyard. The key to packing for a multi-day trip with limited space is knowing whats available along your route. The more remote your trip, the more you will be required to carry with you. With a destination like Moab, you just need the minimum since most things will be readily available once you are here. A hitch receiver basket adds a LOT of space to a TJ too.

Shelter: Tent, sleeping bags. March still gets pretty chilly at night and I have been snowed on a few times in Moab in late March. Sleeping pads might be required depending on where you camp.
Water: A 7gal jug will be a good thing to have at camp. You can refill all water bottles for free at Gearheads downtown. You will want smaller bottles for trail use.
Food: City Market downtown... you will most likely pass right by it going from camp to the trails anyway, just swing in and get what you need daily. No need for a giant cooler. Theres also about 40 restaurants in town for whatever hot meal you dont want to cook yourself. My favorites: Zax Pizza, Moab Diner, Milts(Burgers), Blue Pig BBQ, Moab Brewery and Gilberto's Tacos.
Camping: You will need a portable toilet to camp off grid but there are plenty of campgrounds with vaults for ~$15/day. The spots along the Colorado River get windy and always have road noise. Go West at McDonalds and drive out Kane Creek to The Ledges Camping area. Way less people and still only 10min from town on one of the most beautiful dirt roads known to man.
Trails: I tell everyone to start out with Fins N Things for the true Moab experience. Traction is unbelievable on the sandstone and the trail is a ton of fun. Hurrah Pass and Chicken Corners is another "must do"... and its even better if you stay at The Ledges campground sing you are right at the base of Hurrah Pass. The FunTreks book by Charles Wells is probably the best guide book for the area for more trails.

 

[BCBrian]

Learn what CryptoBiotic soil is and avoid driving or stepping on it. There are YouTube posts on most of the trails in the area so do some research for trails you would be comfortable on. Even green trails in the area have challenges and incredible scenery, so don't hesitate to start on easier routes and work your way up the scale.

Don't go alone as many of the area's have no cell service and getting stuck could be disastrous!

 

[timB10]

Please BUY LOCAL WOOD!!! Bringing wood from another area can lead to invasive species being introduced to an environment(plant and animal).

Moab is an incredible place that Im lucky enough to call my backyard. The key to packing for a multi-day trip with limited space is knowing whats available along your route. The more remote your trip, the more you will be required to carry with you. With a destination like Moab, you just need the minimum since most things will be readily available once you are here. A hitch receiver basket adds a LOT of space to a TJ too.

Shelter: Tent, sleeping bags. March still gets pretty chilly at night and I have been snowed on a few times in Moab in late March. Sleeping pads might be required depending on where you camp.
Water: A 7gal jug will be a good thing to have at camp. You can refill all water bottles for free at Gearheads downtown. You will want smaller bottles for trail use.
Food: City Market downtown... you will most likely pass right by it going from camp to the trails anyway, just swing in and get what you need daily. No need for a giant cooler. Theres also about 40 restaurants in town for whatever hot meal you dont want to cook yourself. My favorites: Zax Pizza, Moab Diner, Milts(Burgers), Blue Pig BBQ, Moab Brewery and Gilberto's Tacos.
Camping: You will need a portable toilet to camp off grid but there are plenty of campgrounds with vaults for ~$15/day. The spots along the Colorado River get windy and always have road noise. Go West at McDonalds and drive out Kane Creek to The Ledges Camping area. Way less people and still only 10min from town on one of the most beautiful dirt roads known to man.
Trails: I tell everyone to start out with Fins N Things for the true Moab experience. Traction is unbelievable on the sandstone and the trail is a ton of fun. Hurrah Pass and Chicken Corners is another "must do"... and its even better if you stay at The Ledges campground sing you are right at the base of Hurrah Pass. The FunTreks book by Charles Wells is probably the best guide book for the area for more trails.

Super super helpful! Thank you much!!!

 

[timB10]

Learn what CryptoBiotic soil is and avoid driving or stepping on it. There are YouTube posts on most of the trails in the area so do some research for trails you would be comfortable on. Even green trails in the area have challenges and incredible scenery, so don't hesitate to start on easier routes and work your way up the scale.

Don't go alone as many of the area's have no cell service and getting stuck could be disastrous!

Awesome! Thanks for the tip! Definitely going to look that up!

 

[RootedWanderers]

Awesome info folks... I too am planning a few days in Moab the week prior to Expo West in Flagstaff, so this has been some good info.

 

[DashTrash]

Great info for a trip planned next month. Thanks for sharing y'all.

 

[cruiserfien]

episode 001 of Black Sheep Cruisers, Moab