If you only had a day in Canyonlands?

[dcs111]

Canyonlands is massive and as others have pointed out broken up into 3 distinct districts broken up by rivers. I realized you're asking this on a Land Cruiser forum but I'm going to go a different route. If the weather isn't super hot (September can go either way) hike the Joint Trail in the Needles District. It's quite possibly the most scenic hike in all of Utah if you take it all the way to the Confluence and mostly flat so good for kids. Possibly too long but you mention your kids are accomplished. Plenty of info online about it. I did it when I a kid back in the 80s and continue to go back. I've spent lots of time in all 3 districts and Needles always impresses. Elephant Hill could be tricky in a stock truck. I see scratched bumpers in your future but a great wheeling trail for newbies to Utah.

White Rim trail was mentioned. Can be done in a long day. Not ideal but with a tight schedule it would be fine. Last time I did it in a day was in my Tundra supporting friends doing it on mountain bikes in a single day. Leave the trailer in town and head out early and you'll be fine. I prefer doing it counter clockwise.

We are actually coming up to Moab from Page and would be good to stop in Needles, but after watching a few videos of Elephant Hill, I think I need to make a trip to see Slee first! From looking at the map there does not appear a way to drive near the confluence or Joint trail? It looks like a 10+ mile hike and thinking we need to keep the kids to <8miles round trip (We have done a couple 6ers with them)... Thanks for the notes here -very thought provoking.

 

[dcs111]

Fellow Cruisers,

We are gearing up to make what is likely a bucket list trip driving our LC with an Rpod in tow from Atlanta to Moab and back in September and I am seeking opinions on how to maximize the trip, given that we will have the truck with us. Normally we would be the family to fly to this type of destination and rent trucks/ equipment, but given the state of our world, I have convinced my Wife this is the thing to do!

So, we have a mostly stock LC with 33” KO2’s and the Tupperware is basically scratch free, at this point... I have picked up some traction boards for sand events, water/ fuel cans to extend our abilities, kinetic rope and soft shackles in the event we need an assist, portable compressor and tire kit to manage tire pressures, and other basic kit. The kids are 5 and 7 years old and are fairly accomplished hikers for their age.

we are visiting several parks and will post separately on those... my question is: If you only had a day with your truck and family in Canyonlands, where would you go and what is considered a must see (wheeling, hiking, etc)?


I know this post likely belongs in expeditions or some other location on the forum, but I have a lot of respect for the 200 community and value the opinions here, particularly on what to do with our rigs...

thanks in advance for your input!

Thanks to all for the great responses! As an FYI this is part of a 13 day trip and we are tackling several NP's and so I will post separately for the others! Thx again!

 

[zapatius]

Ditto. But if you have time, consider going past the cutoff to Shafer switchbacks along the White Rim for a while. There are some really awesome views along that way. Musselman Arch is only about an hour or so past the turn off to the switchbacks. You can then backtrack to the Shafer Trail.

This. Drive out past Musselman Arch about 4 or 5 miles. There's some great scenery out there. We went a few years ago with the kids and camped at White Crack. The area around Shafer was crowded. The farther you drive, the more the crowd thins. Musselman Arch was awesome. I would highly recommend the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trail that runs off 313/191 as you go to Island in the Sky.

As someone else may have said - don't do the whole White Rim. Just do Potash Rd to White Rim, go out a few miles past the arch and back. It's such a beautiful area, you can't go wrong. I've been going there for over 20 years and you never run out of things to see.

 

[linuxgod]

Thanks! we will proceed with caution on Long Canyon. Hey, just curious... in looking at the Nat Geo map for the area, I found "Long Canyon Road" which basically runs E-W from Moab to north entry to Canyonlands and passes by Dead Horse and includes Pucker Pass... Am I on the right track?

That sounds right. We went west-to-east so we didn't make it very far before we had to turn around, but Pucker Pass is part of the route. It was pretty obvious for us at the time that it was unpassable - not like most folks would've gotten into trouble there unless they were completely not paying attention. Really wish I'd taken photos of that section though I don't think pics would've done it justice.

 

[dcs111]

This. Drive out past Musselman Arch about 4 or 5 miles. There's some great scenery out there. We went a few years ago with the kids and camped at White Crack. The area around Shafer was crowded. The farther you drive, the more the crowd thins. Musselman Arch was awesome. I would highly recommend the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trail that runs off 313/191 as you go to Island in the Sky.

As someone else may have said - don't do the whole White Rim. Just do Potash Rd to White Rim, go out a few miles past the arch and back. It's such a beautiful area, you can't go wrong. I've been going there for over 20 years and you never run out of things to see.

Thx, Zapatius. maybe we will take the "truck-boat-truck" too!

 

[Bunga]

Elephant hill is really a trick. Do not attempt unless you consider yourself an expert, and even then a patient expert. I have done many routes out here and that will bend some sheet metal if you aren't on it.