Planning Its trip to Moab, Utah area

[Moody Blue]

Hello all
I'm planning a trip for this April - May from Calgary Alberta to Utah. I will be crossing Alberta/US border at Carway into Montana and then heading south avoiding interstates - I want to stick to mainly backroads as much as possible a main purpose is to camp, explore and get some great landscape/wildlife photos. I have no specific timeline (retired) so open to any "must travel" routes and places to see.
Once in Moab area will mainly camp in BLM areas around the national parks. As I am travelling solo (2019 Ford Ranger with some suspension upgrades, recovery gear but with no winch) will probably be sticking to easy to moderate trails
Any ideas or suggestions?

 

[Neal A. Tew]

Sounds amazing!

 

[ZombieCat]

Unfortunately, The Going to the Sun Road through Glacier National Park will not be fully open in April or May. Depending on snowfall and avalanche conditions, it typically opens around late June to mid-July. Barring any recent storms, you should be able to use US-2, just south of the park, as a westbound route.
I highly recommend driving down from Canyonlands on Schafer Road, just north of Moab, but only if the road is dry. Fun and a bit scary! There’s an awesome hike out to Corona and Bowtie Arches along Potash Road (which intersects Shafer Road at the bottom, leading back towards Moab). There are some cool dinosaur tracks and petroglyphs along Potash Road - just a quick stop and 5 minute walk to view them.
South of Moab, drive through the La Sal Mountains. There are numerous dirt tracks with great views. The Abajo Mountains were nice, too, coupled with a visit to the Needles District and Newspaper Rock. There’s plenty of dispersed camping in Bears Ears National Monument, too.

 

[Akicita]

@ZombieCat - good suggestions for the Moab area. . . I would add the Onion Creek area as a very scenic and accessible trail for your Ranger to be sure it is on your list.

 

[zgfiredude]

I'll add in most of the routes through the San Rafael Swell area. There are lower elevation roads if it is still cool, and higher elevation roads if it's warmer. The Capital Reef, The Grand Staircase-Escalante, and Glen Canyon/Lake Powell (now kind of a puddle vs. a lake but still a sight), Dinosaur Nat'l Monument, Steamboat Rock/Echo Park, and more and more!

 

[Grit City Paul]

I'd highly recommend Charles Wells' "Guide to Moab Utah Backroads & 4WD Trails" which lists all the trails in the greater Moab area with trail descriptions, ratings, maps, and GPS coordinates (no association, just a satisfied consumer).

A few of us Ford guys will be there running trails around the 3rd week of May - - maybe run into you out there. . .
Paul

 

[Moody Blue]

Thanks all - i now have alot more ideas to add to the plan -enough anyways to get a feel of what’s out there around Moab area

 

[Paula - Canadian Explorer]

Hello all
I'm planning a trip for this April - May from Calgary Alberta to Utah. I will be crossing Alberta/US border at Carway into Montana and then heading south avoiding interstates - I want to stick to mainly backroads as much as possible a main purpose is to camp, explore and get some great landscape/wildlife photos. I have no specific timeline (retired) so open to any "must travel" routes and places to see.
Once in Moab area will mainly camp in BLM areas around the national parks. As I am travelling solo (2019 Ford Ranger with some suspension upgrades, recovery gear but with no winch) will probably be sticking to easy to moderate trails
Any ideas or suggestions?

Hey You! Did you go?

 

[Moody Blue]

Nope - delayed for next year or if really lucky maybe late sept- Oct this year but not looking to promising- just to many projects around the house this year

 

[KonzaLander]

Nope - delayed for next year or if really lucky maybe late sept- Oct this year but not looking to promising- just to many projects around the house this year

I visited Utah in late October and early November last year. It was phenomenal. There was very little traffic, little to no crowding and the weather was great except for some cold rain and snow in certain areas. Moab was great this time of year.