moab ideas in early oct (1 Viewer)

[rc51kid]

i am going to be going through moab in early oct. i might only have a day or two, maybe three. What would be on your short list of must do? i will have my GF with me and have about 3000 miles to drive home. So no hardcore wheeling. but it would be fun to explore some. it would be even better to explore or wheel out to a fun location and then hike or something. Tell me what would be on your short list.

 

[ajax1]

Poison spyder, fins and things, hells revenge, are all easy trips. You can go to arches for hikes and drive se if back rds in there for no people like whale eye arch

 

[rc51kid]

thanks for the ideas. are any of these a good trail for a novice driver? my only wheeling has been forestry roads. also my 80 is more of a expo build, OME stock springs, BFG 33, factory lockers. alao we will be solo out there. so no spotters. that is unless someone local wants to show us the way.

 

[Mr Cimarron]

I do fins n things all the time alone. Your basically driving in and around the camp ground so you don't feel alone and usually see vehicles in front or behind me. Lately it's a popular side by side trail as well. . It's a good one for anyone's first time to Moab. One or two spots you will land on your rear bumper so be prepared for that.

 

[ChaseTruck]

I wouldn't send a newbie on those trails w/o another vehicle and a more experienced driver coming along. Those trails are not hard, but there are places that have oh-sh!t potential where one can get into trouble.

I suggest driving out to Chicken Corners, or Long Canyon (trail) up - Dead Horse State Park (pavement) - Canyonlands Island in the Sky (pavement) - Shafer Switchbacks (provided it's dry... trail) down, then back to town. No Classic Moab slick rock, but high on scenery.

 

[DSRTRDR]

X2 on the Shafer switchbacks - and the Canyonlands lookouts have gorgeous views

 

[Source3]

I may be able to join.

PM Sent.

 

[Corbet]

I wouldn't send a newbie on those trails w/o another vehicle and a more experienced driver coming along. Those trails are not hard, but there are places that have oh-sh!t potential where one can get into trouble.

I suggest driving out to Chicken Corners, or Long Canyon (trail) up - Dead Horse State Park (pavement) - Canyonlands Island in the Sky (pavement) - Shafer Switchbacks (provided it's dry... trail) down, then back to town. No Classic Moab slick rock, but high on scenery.

I agree with this. Especially if you don't have bumpers. 90% of trails in Moab can be wheeled with the truck the OP describes by an experienced driver with a spoter with no damage. But he claims to be a novice.

I'd add the road out to Tower Arch in Arches National Park, hidden canyon, spring bottom canyon, and Thrusher Tunnel. Spring bottom is pretty isolated so keep that in mind. But is a graded road for the most part down to the Green. There are a couple dinosaur track sites if you find that kind of thing interesting. After a day or two if your confidence is high head to Fins and Things. Your butt will drag but it's a good initiation to slick rock.

 

[rc51kid]

thanks for all the advice guys. I think I am going to hit the San Rafael swells on the way south and explore them first. Any trail suggestions there would be great. We are doing a rim to rim to rim hike in the grand canyon. Then we will head to Denver. I will swing through Moab then. I am thinking I really want to try Fins and Things. I am new to off roading but feel relatively comfortable with things in general. I just don't want to get in way over my head. But it looks like Fins and Things is a manageable trail if you take your time and take it SLOW on the steep parts. If you guys think this is a terrible idea pleas feel free to speak up. If you think it is doable and a good intro to a "real" trail please feel free to give me any advice about the trail you think I could use.

 

[BrotherRob]

GF will be highly traumatized

 

[VuickB6]

I wouldn't do any of the ones ajax1 listed unless you're with someone experienced and that has recovery equipment. But to get an idea of what it will be like on fins & things you can do baby lions back right next to the slickrock bike trail parking lot. The eye of the whale in arches national park was closed off when I went through a few weeks back but you can still get out to Tower Arch which like Corbet said is a fun trail. Gemini Bridges is an easy one and is worth seeing. If you want to get away from the heat then head out through sand flats to the la sal mountains.

 

[DSRTRDR]

if you are going from the South Rim of the Grand Canyon to Moab, Valley of the Gods is an easy trail but very scenic

 

[vapilotda]

Where are you driving from (home?)

 

[Summiteer]

Check out top of the world. Trail's pretty moderate and the view at the end will leave you speechless.
I've done hells revenge, poison spyder, and fins on my own plenty of times. I don't think they're that bad and would recommend them too.

 

[JohnnyOshow22]

When are you going to be out there? I'm headed out there the first weekend of October with another mud member

 

[Heckraiser]

If your truck isn't too built up or you are afraid of body damage, Fins N Things is a good trail to give you a Moab experience and fun factor without much risk. It's really pretty easy, just a little intimidating in spots. Just drive straight up/down the steep inclines. And you're never farther than a 30 minute walk from a park ranger

Hells revenge doesn't require a spotter, but best to follow someone so you know where to go (traffic tends to build up on this trail anyway). And you will need to get out and self-spot a few times since there are some dropoffs where you really can't see what's below your hood. You will drag your bumpers on this trail.

Top of the world is an amazing view. The trail has gotten tougher in the last couple years due to erosion, but still probably a 2-banana trail. This one is a little more off the beaten path, maybe an hour out of town.

:edit: FWIW, I have run all of these trails with 265 tires

 

[profro]

I went last year for the first time and I can not suggest the Moab Trail Guide book enough. Just ask for it in town. They are everywhere. Very well written and will help to ease nerves if you are alone as I was. I did Fins and Things and did all the "harder" lines. That rock is so grippy and if you go straight up and down you will be fine. We started with a big group that we happened to meet at the start and quickly moved on alone. We also did Kane Creek. It was more remote I guess and really only had one bad ledge but very scenic. Definitely do one of the slick rock trails right in town.

 

[rc51kid]

This was last year that I was there. I love the place. Mostly we explored the parks and did white rim trail. Really just a beautiful experience for me and the wife. I wish I could be back again in a week or so. But I have some obligations at home.

 

[Heckraiser]

My stepdad biked the white rim trail, all 100 miles of it, in one day. I was his support crew in a J**p

 

[FranceJohnson]

The Swell is probably one of the best places in the area, there is hardly anyone in it, and there are lots of great things to check out. The Buckhorn Draw is the quickest and easiest way through the North Side. There are a few awesome camp spots, my personal favorite is near the Head of Sinbad pictographs. The South Side is a little less refined, but some great sites down by Red Canyon and Hondu Arch.

There are a bunch of Salt Lake guys itching to get down there around that time, so it would not take much to rope in a couple tour guides to show you the way. PM me if you need details.