Beef Basin/Ruin Park/Bobby's Hole

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4Cruisers

4Cruisers

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Me, a good friend, and my youngest son have been talking recently about possible trips to Utah in 2017, and one of the potential areas to revisit was the Needles District of Canyonlands from the south (Dark Canyon Plateau/Beef Basin/Ruin Park/Bobby's Hole). My friend told me a few weeks ago he thought that Bobby's Hole was now impassible due to severe washouts. Based on my recollection from almost 20 years ago, on a trip with my oldest son, there was a route from Beef Basin through Bull Valley and Imperial Valley back into Bobby's Hole, bypassing the now washed out section. So over the past two days I've been looking at satellite images and topo maps, and searching the Internet. This evening I ran across references to Impossible Hill, on a stub road from the main road that leaves Canyonlands and heads south up Bobby's Hole to access Beef Basin. Well, as luck would have it, some familiar MUD names came up - @cruiseroutfit, @Cruiserdrew, and @cbmontgo.

All of my past forays into the area have been in my stock '84 FJ60, purchased new from Toyota West in Las Vegas, NV. The first trip was in the spring more than 25 years ago with a couple of friends, through Canyonlands from the south, then out via Elephant Hill. One of my friends drove his '86 Ford F-250 on that trip (he still drives the truck on local trips) and I drove my '84. I was so impressed I took the family on the same trip that fall. A third trip (my most recent) was in the late '90s with my oldest son. On that trip we explored the area west of Beef Basin, travelling to the west end of the road through Bull Valley to an overlook of lower Gypsum Canyon, and to the west end of the road through Imperial Valley, including a stop at the abrupt head of Imperial Canyon. We did not explore the road that heads east through Imperial Valley and up Cross Canyon to Impossible Hill, the route you'd take these days to bypass Bobby's Hole. Even though none of my four Land Cruisers would be able to navigate Impossible Hill, even with a winch, I'm thinking it would be a great trip just to spend more time in the general area, without visiting Canyonlands.

Does anyone have any recent experience with the conditions of the roads/tracks in the area?

Here's a photo from our first family trip, near the top of the road through Bobby's Hole:

'84 FJ60-Bobbys-Hole.jpg
 
When did it wash out? I was just up and down it in spring 2016. No problems then. It's such a great part of the USA, that I hope you can go back.

There are a couple of spur roads from Beef Basin toward the river that were awesome. Certainly worth a couple of days explore.

@cruiseroutfit will have the most up to date info.
 
I'll have to check with my friend about the washout, it could be old news. That's good to know that you were there this spring.

I'm pretty sure the spur roads you mention are the ones my oldest son and I explored when he was in high school in the late '90s. One area I was thinking of going to in 2017 is the west end of the Dark Canyon Plateau - there are a couple of roads that go quite a ways to the west, one of them out Middle Point, the other one further south past a dirt airstrip.
 
You have to be careful about Dark Canyon since a lot of it is now "wilderness" and thus non-motorized. There is a kiosk on the Elk Ridge/Beef Basin road that has helpful info. @cruiseroutfit will be the best source of info about the Dark Canyon spurs. 3 years ago we were down the long one on the west side thinking it might go to the river, but it peters out and stops just short.

Sounds like fun. When is this trip going to be?

If you haven't done the Hole in the Rock trail on the same side of the river as Beef Basin area, you should make that a priority. Also, once in Beef basin right at the bottom, there are 2 or 3 canyons that radiate out from the basin with killer Anasazi Ruins. If you were not looking for them, you'd miss them, but the're there, including 1 spectacular one! A 2 story with timbers intact, multiple rooms etc.
 
I'll be sure to check on the status of the Dark Canyon Plateau roads.

We may plan a trip any time from early April to mid-May, that's when we usually explore southern Utah.

My youngest son and I did a part of the Hole-in-the-Rock Trail from the highway south of Hall's Crossing all the way to the very bottom of the climb up Grey Mesa from Iceberg Canyon. We were by ourselves in my stock '84 FJ60, so decided not to go any farther than that. We camped just short of that spot and hiked up the ridge on the east side of Grey Mesa to overlook the Great Bend of the San Juan. We walked westward along the south edge of the mesa until we reached a faint dirt road. We followed it due north across the mesa until it started dropping down the north side. It turns out it was the original Hole-in-the Rock route off the mesa, the current road is further west. It was interesting to see the rockwork (cuts and retaining walls) along the route. Sure enough - right at the bottom was the sign indicating the original route.

We have explored the various ruins in and around Beef Basin, similar to those in Hovenweep NP and here in northern New Mexico.
 
Cool, I know exactly where you were. A stock 60 by yourself is good work! We hiked up the rock cuts from that sign once as well. Super cool and super steep considering the wagons they had on the trail.

There's a lot more to do on that trail though, so you'll have tons of options. Enjoy.

Don't know if you saw this:

FAWKING MIND BOGGLING - HitR 2016
 
Bobby's Hole is completely passable as of approx. 2 months ago. Any change would have to be really recent and while we've some big snow, we've not had a storm event that would wash that trail (that I recall, southern Utah is crazy that way). I'll chime in on the Impossible Hill/Imperial & Dark Canyon/Peavine when I'm back on a computer.
 
cruiseroutfit said:
Bobby's Hole is completely passable as of approx. 2 months ago. Any change would have to be really recent and while we've some big snow, we've not had a storm event that would wash that trail (that I recall, southern Utah is crazy that way). I'll chime in on the Impossible Hill/Imperial & Dark Canyon/Peavine when I'm back on a computer.
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Thanks, Kurt. We've spent a lot of time all over southern Utah over the past 25 years, most of it in my '84 FJ60. Many of the trips are to access the numerous slot canyons, arches, and ruins. Technical canyoneering is the ultimate adventure trip IMO, and there's nowhere better than southern Utah.
 
cbmontgo said:
That all sounds about right. I am in awe of Southern Utah.

I hope you are able to return in 2017!
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It's only a 3-1/2 hour drive to southern Utah, so one or more trips is guaranteed :-). If you have a choice photo of one of your previous trips you could add it to one (or both) of the batons on your leg of the cross-country expedition. I could do likewise.
 
I just heard on the radio today that the Bears ears monument went through. Don't know how this will effect motorized access or when it wil take effect. I do know that beef basin will be in the monument.
 
I hope that does not impact travel through the area. Utah is really good about that, but the feds can be bastards. With no motorized access, that huge area (and it is a massive chunk of real estate) will be basically unvisited, since there's no other way to get there.
 
Cruiserdrew said:
I hope that does not impact travel through the area. Utah is really good about that, but the feds can be bastards. With no motorized access, that huge area (and it is a massive chunk of real estate) will be basically unvisited, since there's no other way to get there.
Click to expand...

There's hiking, mountain biking, and boating. When my oldest son and I drove west through Bull Valley we got to a fantastic Gypsum Canyon overlook. I did some reading when we returned from our trip and learned that Major John Wesley Powell and a companion climbed out of Gypsum Canyon from the Colorado River to the same general spot my son and I had been. On that (or another) trip he and a companion climbed out from the Green River just above the confluence with the Colorado River. They topped out on the south side of the river due north of the Dollhouse area of Canyonlands, an overlook I've visited a couple of times on long day hikes, including a Dollhouse/Water Canyon/Shot Canyon/Dollhouse loop. And Powell only had one arm.

There are lot of paved roads criss-crossing the areas included in the new monument, with the main exception being the Dark Canyon Plateau area. A lot of the area has previously been designated a wilderness, so not a lot of changes there. I envision the main impacts would be the network of faint roads and two-tracks in the Beef Basin area. Recent experience has shown that access is still pretty good even after the designation of monuments. A number of years ago my wife and I drove from our home in Nevada to the Grand Wash Cliffs in the Arizona trip (NW AZ), a part of the Grand Canyon - Parashant National Monument. The Grand Wash Cliffs Wilderness is part of the monument. We camped at the south end of the wilderness and hiked northwards on the old road along the north-south bench. Previously you could drive through either direction, now you have to hike in from either end, but it's still pretty accessible.

The east end of the Hole-in-the-Rock road south of Hall's Crossing isn't included in the monument, nor is Red Canyon and the area between Red Canyon and White Canyon to the north.

Here's a link to an article, with map:

With new monuments in Nevada, Utah, Obama adds to his environmental legacy
 
Cruiserdrew said:
I hope that does not impact travel through the area. Utah is really good about that, but the feds can be bastards. With no motorized access, that huge area (and it is a massive chunk of real estate) will be basically unvisited, since there's no other way to get there.
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It will absolutely impact motorized travel... Absolutely.
 
@cruiseroutfit: can you illuminate a bit since I know you were involved in some of this on the use-side.

I had a call today with @Cruiserdrew discussing the monument and I was in Bluff last week and all of the locals were discussing it as well.
 
Well frankly we don't know, but OHV use was a major target of the monument is its an absolute that access will be curbed and limited. We are simply hoping to have a seat at the table when that stuff is discussed in depth. I would expect to lose Dark Canyon, Peavine, spurs off of Beef Basin, Elk Ridge, etc. with GSENM it took many years for the access losses to come to light and still things quietly get signed all pointing back to a management plan that seemingly had little/no public input. Time shall tell but I'm super disheartened to see this type of "protection" used.... This sums up my thoughts nicely:

image.jpg
 
cruiseroutfit said:
Well frankly we don't know, but OHV use was a major target of the monument is its an absolute that access will be curbed and limited. We are simply hoping to have a seat at the table when that stuff is discussed in depth. I would expect to lose Dark Canyon, Peavine, spurs off of Beef Basin, Elk Ridge, etc. with GSENM it took many years for the access losses to come to light and still things quietly get signed all pointing back to a management plan that seemingly had little/no public input. Time shall tell but I'm super disheartened to see this type of "protection" used.... This sums up my thoughts nicely:

View attachment 1373219
Click to expand...

Kurt

That was my exact fear with the designation of GSENM. I haven't been there for a few years to check out the roads we used to drive to access trailheads, canyons, arches, etc. to see what's been closed.

This morning I clicked on a BLM link to GSENM (to see if the BLM has a link to a Travel Management Plan) and here's where it was redirected - didn't take long.

Programs: National Conservation Lands: National Monuments: Utah | BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT

Let me know if there's any way to provide input and help influence decisions on continued road access to the backcountry of Bears Ears National Monument - I'm more than willing to make the relatively short drive up there (I'm probably closer than you are) to attend meetings, etc.

John
 
The most current travel plan maps (released September 16, 2014) consistent with the Final Environmental Impact Statement and Record of Decision (November 17, 2008) are available as PDFs, and are found at the very bottom of the linked page. These maps would be the baseline (No Action alternative) for any future decisions regarding proposed changes resulting from the designation of the Bears Ears National Monument. Any proposed changes require (under the National Environmental Policy Act) evaluation within an Environmental Assessment (EA) or an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Under the Department of Interior NEPA implementing regulations, an EA does not require any public input. An EIS does require public comment on the draft EIS, however, I haven't yet discovered wheter or not public involvement in the EIS scoping process is required - the scoping process provides a valuable mechanism for public input into the issues addressed in the EIS. If the BLM were to decide to prepare an EA instead of an EIS, that would be a red flag.

https://eplanning.blm.gov/epl-front...ame=dispatchToPatternPage&currentPageId=98873
 
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