A good friend and I are planning a trip to Moab in the spring. We'll be leaving eastern North Carolina probably following I-40 most of the way. I'm new to the group so I have questions. Is there a method setup to a route itinerary so that members can recommend stops along the way (sightseeing, public trails, events) that we might be interested in? Also, stops to see members along the way? We are die hard Jeep guys so Jeep people would be more inclined to be who we'd like to visit. We're always looking for fresh ideas on how to make our Jeeps better. Especially the KISS methods.
Planning a trip to Moab
- Thread starter JeeperJack
- Start date
Contributor III
Member III
I will be doing the same. We are thinking the first 2 weeks of June. We are driving out from Tampa FL. The whole family. We will be seeing the sites as well but I want to get some of the EPIC Moab trails, Imogene pass, and many of the sties within about 3 hours of MOAB. I just started my planning today.
Any suggestions, websites, etc let me know. I am going into this with a clean slate.
Thank you
Any suggestions, websites, etc let me know. I am going into this with a clean slate.
Thank you
This sounds like a great trip and have been looking at sites all morning. I hope to get a little mountain biking and 4x4 fun in. Mountain bike project actually had a lot of good information in regards to camping and other non biking information. Hope you ha e a great time.
We've not gotten too heavy into the route/sites to visit yet. I'll post as things progress. If our timeline crosses maybe we can meet up somewhere on the route. We'll be running on or near I-40.
Contributor III
I love Moab country but it's become such a damn zoo that I avoid it more often than not these days. Then, I'm not a wheeler or have any interest in running trails so, other than Arches, little there interests me anymore. And talk about a zoo - Arches. Sigh. We're loving our parks to death. Glad I've been to most that interest me multiple times in years past. Now, I look for the lesser known areas and don't post coordinates online when I find something good.
Here is a website I found that may help with a few trails. Have fun, I'm thinking of heading there shortly as well.
Influencer II
Unless you are more interested in the worlds biggest ball of yarn than wheeling red rock glory... Hammer down, sleep in shifts and just get to Moab. There is so much to do and see there that every minute you can save driving cross country is worth it. Get the Charles Wells guide book and hit every trail you can. Start right off on Fins N Things. There is great camping all along the Colorado river and down Kane Springs Rd.
I visit Moab frequently with my Jeep so if you have any Moab specific questions I might be able to help.
As for your drive to Moab, I would recommend checking out the Grand Canyon of Texas (Palo Duro Canyon State Park). I never tried it, but from the highway I remember seeing a bunch of rigs driving out in the semi-dry river beds near Amarillo. That would be fun. Also in Amarillo, if you can eat a 72oz steak by yourself in less than an hour it's free!
In New Mexico you can Jump on Historic Route 66 for part of the drive. I hear some abandoned parts of it can get a little rough and fun to drive. I haven't done that section, but the Historic part through AZ had some quirky nostalgic shops and restaurants.
It would add some time, but rather than heading North at Shiprock, NM, I'd include Monument Valley if you haven't seen it. There's a short easy dirt/4x4 loop through the Valley where you can drive through the monuments. Four Corners Monument is in that area as well as Mesa Verde National Park, but I like Monument Valley and the drive through Mexican Hat the most (by far).
Upon entering Moab, instead of taking 191 up you could exit near Montcello towards the Needles District of Canyonlands. From there you can 4x4 all the way up to Moab from the Hamburger Rock Campground, through Lockheart Basin, over Hurrah Pass, and down into Moab.
As for your drive to Moab, I would recommend checking out the Grand Canyon of Texas (Palo Duro Canyon State Park). I never tried it, but from the highway I remember seeing a bunch of rigs driving out in the semi-dry river beds near Amarillo. That would be fun. Also in Amarillo, if you can eat a 72oz steak by yourself in less than an hour it's free!
In New Mexico you can Jump on Historic Route 66 for part of the drive. I hear some abandoned parts of it can get a little rough and fun to drive. I haven't done that section, but the Historic part through AZ had some quirky nostalgic shops and restaurants.
It would add some time, but rather than heading North at Shiprock, NM, I'd include Monument Valley if you haven't seen it. There's a short easy dirt/4x4 loop through the Valley where you can drive through the monuments. Four Corners Monument is in that area as well as Mesa Verde National Park, but I like Monument Valley and the drive through Mexican Hat the most (by far).
Upon entering Moab, instead of taking 191 up you could exit near Montcello towards the Needles District of Canyonlands. From there you can 4x4 all the way up to Moab from the Hamburger Rock Campground, through Lockheart Basin, over Hurrah Pass, and down into Moab.
Any passes in CO may be closed into June depending on snowpack. The absolute best resource I would recommend for Colorado trails and Moab trails are the "Backroads and 4-Wheel Drive Trails" by Charles Wells. His rating system and trail descriptions are excellent.
Member III
MtnmanAlex thank you and I may take you up on the help. I did not think about the snow pack in CO. Thanks for the heads up on that we may have to go with plan B as you suggested above
Honeymooners
Rank IV
Off-Road Ranger I
April will be a good time as it will be after EJS and trails will be well marked. Also weather wise it won't be a scorcher yet. We hit Moab every November for the week of Thanksgiving. There's a nice camp ground in Moab called Pack Creek Camp Ground. Very affordable and nice bathrooms with showers if you want to stay in town. Also check out trail damage & red rock 4x4 websites.
Nice bathrooms and showers are really good to have out there. If you stay somewhere primitive without those amenities, the Moab rec center offers showers for $5/person.
Member III
I just got the books! Great resources. From trail knowledge and to what a Floridian has to get to do this legally. Thanks again
For those of you considering a trip this year, here are some thing to think about.
- April and May are extremely popular in Moab. In large part because it is cooler than the Summer months. But also because you have the Easter Jeep Safari and the first week of May is the Cruise Moab event for Toyota drivers. And wheeling is not the only kind of events going on during those 2 popular months.
- Therefore, accomodations can be more challenging to reserve. There are lots of campgrounds including a number that run up the Colorado River canyon but, again, they are often full. So don’t assume you’ll be able to arrive and find a campground.
- As for the Funtreks books, make sure you have the latest editions for Moab. Also keep in mind that some of the more challenging trails can literally change in difficulty season to season due to all of the traffic and wear on the trail.
- I saw that Arches NP was mentioned. The NPS is experimenting with a reservation system for access to the park due to the huge amount of traffic. That said, there isn’t an entrance station if you come in on the Salt Valley 4xr4 Road.
- Someone mentioned Imogene Pass. That pass is in the Ouray/Telluride area of Colorado and a fair distance from Moab. Though there is a new trail called the Rim Rocker that can get your from the SW area of CO (sort of SW) over into Utah. And an easier drive will take you from Gateway over to Castle Valley near Moab.
- For those approaching Moab from the south on 191, along with Monument Valley, consider driving up the Moki Dugway near Mexican Hat and at the top drive a few miles west to Muley Point for an incredible overlook. (Both can be researched on the internet.)
- If you have more time coming or going and want to see some less crowded and somewhat more remote areas of Utah, head over to the Escalante/Grand Staircase area. Consider driving the Nottam-Bullfrog road along the Waterpocket Fold just outside of Capital Reef NP then using the Burr Trail Rd to get over to Boulder, UT. From there you can head over to the Hole In The Rock road for access to slot canyon hikes, KodaChrome Basin State Park, Bryce NP and even Zion NP.
Man, what a debbie downer post. It must be rough living life so negatively.
