Moab Utah

First time here. The off roading is unbelievable. Going to stick to the trails listed as moderate difficulty. So gorgeous. Get to check this off our bucket list. This is the Gemini Bridges trail.

 

Very cool pics. I am jelaous, I have always wanted to go. Go to hells revenge and do the Gate!

 

I am planning to get out there next year

 

It’s on our list. Today is our first day here. Plan to do 1-2 per day. We are on a month long off roading trip. We were in Breckenridge CO last week then next week we will be in AZ. Always had Moab on our bucket list. They actually have trails marked “extreme”. We see the rigs in the parking lot doing those. The challenge for us is we want to push the limits but at the same time we can’t damage the 4Runner

 

Awesome. We have always been told….you have to try Moab. It is gorgeous here.

 

Yes be safe and take care of the rig at all times. Put this in there as a reminder.

 

I was in Moab a couple months ago. It’s one of coolest places I’ve ever been. I drove Hells Revenge and Fins and Things in a side by side. Craziest thing I’ve ever done. I wouldn’t do it if you are concerned about damage.

 

I’ve been to Moab a dozen times now and have done fins and things even though it’s a mild or moderate course it’s not for the faint of heart I’ve seen more than one built 4Runner freeze in fear because because they got scared thinking they would flip or roll their rig. I’ve done it in a side by side as well a lot more fun bombing it not worrying about fucking up your rig

 

The last time I was in Moab, the parking lot at my motel had three freshly wrecked Jeeps in the parking lot by the second day, two of them totaled. I hope you come out better! (I wasn't hitting the trails, I was off exploring other parts of Canyonlands.)

 

Enjoy it! We do Moab semi annually, more often on our dirt bikes. Fins and Things isn't that bad, looks worse for newbies to slick rock. There is SO much traction you can crawl a lot of inclines you normally couldn't. Just be extra careful on anything off camber, and if in doubt, walk it first.

A really picturesque route is Kane's Creek, and relatively moderate difficulty.

 

Check out Long Canyon another easy trail with great views. Glad I am not the only one thinking about making it out to drive home remainder of trip. Good idea on SxS rental to beat on hard trails.

https://youtu.be/R9kZ2KQthmI

 

Long canyon / Dead Horse Point SP (great views) / Shafer switchbacks / Potash road is a great loop. Nothing to technical

 

The house we rented was one of the last ones on Kane Creek Blvd before the river. All of the muddy jeeps and side by sides driving by made me jealous. Our Nissan Rogue rental wasn’t up to the task of exploring once the road became more than a smooth dirt road. I want to go back and rent a side by side for a few days and go exploring.

 

Onion Creek is a picturesque drive (nothing technical). Back door to Arches National Park is a nice loop too. Plus you avoid the long line at the entrance gate.

 

In 2020, we accidentally took a trail out of arches, it was fun, hope to do it again, but more prepared this time

 

I'll be out there soon but my 4runner will still be here. Thinking about a SxS tour that includes Hells Revenge and Fins & Things.

Are there really long lines with timed entry? We have a noon entry one day and 9am the next day. Probably going to Canyonlands that first day though. Gonna be in a rental (no idea what other than a "mid-size" SUV.

 

I haven't experienced the timed entry so I'm not sure about the lines. Back door gives you the opportunity to enter whenever you want. There are multiple ways to enter through the back country. The easiest is via a dirt road that would be fine for any passenger car. There are other options that require a 4x4. If you use Gaia or another mapping app I can send you GPX files.

 

I’d gladly accept the files if your willing to share

 

This is a very cool loop. If you start at the bottom near Long Canyon and head up to the switchbacks, beware of Thelma and Louis Point. The road just ends at the cliff with no barricade or warning signs. You could literally drive off the cliff if you're sight seeing and not paying attention. My buddy was driving my 4R and I could feel the canyon encroaching closer to the road. Call it intuition, but I had him stop so I could walk up the road to check it out. 40 ft later, over the rise, the road....just...ended. WTF? The Shafer switchbacks are a must see, and this trail is not in the guidebook. You can also start at the top, from Island-In-The-Sky in Canyonlands, a couple of miles past Dead Horse State Park. It's the gravel road on the left driving into the park.

 

Broken Arrow in Sedona is one of the must do trail.
Crowded on the weekend so if possible, plan on doing it on a weekday

 

Ugh, I really want to go to Moab and was planning to late spring next year but man the accommodation prices for what I'm looking for are crazy compared to say Southern Utah. Where does everyone stay while in the area if you're not camping?

 

If you plan on doing a side by side tour look into Moab Tour Company and ask for Tom for your guide. He was awesome. Here’s a couple photos.

The lines at Arches do get pretty long. We ended up not using our late morning timed entry passes and just went late afternoon when passes aren’t needed. It’s less crowded then and less hot. We went there two afternoons and Canyonlands for a full day. We spent 5 days in Moab but wish we had more time. It’s awesome. From there we hit the other three National Parks and flew home from Vegas.

 

Check out the VRBO rentals. It’s still not cheap but at least you can cook some of your own meals to save some costs.

 

You are right, that little mining town has become a major tourist attraction with high prices, you can stay in Monticello which is about 50 miles south on highway 191,

 

Then you will waste a ton of time driving back and forth to Moab though.

 

It’s my favorite place on earth, I try and go at least once a year. Everyone should do White Rim at least once

 

You only get one chance to do Hell's Gate your 1st time in Moab. I have an SR5, no locker.

https://photos.google.com/photo/AF1QipM-SMtyoL1eN6Wngk-mJae_tFR8kee4TnF9G3Ic

 

The photo link isn’t working.

 

Just don't get it wrong, it's not very forgiving if you don't have the correct line! I'd be hesitant to try it without a locker or at the very least a buddy up top with a winch just in case things don't go as planned.

 

Yeah we usually look for Airbnb's to allow us to cook our own meals. But traveling with a dog definitely limits what's available. Looked at staying North of Moab in Thompson Springs but as mentioned, you spend a lot of time driving.

Guess I'm just used to the prices in Hurricane in the south where you get better bang for your buck.