Sacramento to Colorado Springs and Back (1 Viewer)

[Joe Bob]

Hey All,
My wife, 2 kids, 2 dogs, and I are headed from Sacramento to Colorado Springs to pick up a Conqueror UEV 490 Extreme and we want to do some wheeling and camping on the way back. Any suggestions along this route that will help make an epic experience? Your help is much appreciated and I will be posting the trip here as we progress! My rig is set to handle moderate wheeling and I'm gonna put 33s on the UEV 490, so I'm wanting to put it to the test!

Here's my rig... I'll add a pic of the trailer as soon as I get it.

 

[Cruiserdrew]

Go out Hwy 50 and stay at Great Basin. You'll pick up the 70 in Utah and Cruise right through the San Rafael Swell. Good primitive camping there. You'll go right by the Moab turn off-plenty to do there! You could go to Arches, Canyonlands, do the White Rim trail, endless stuff to do. Not sure I'd pull the trailer over that though.

In Colorado, once you get to Denver you could go to Slee offroad and say hello and buy some stuff.

But seriously the US50/I70 route has endless possibilities. If it were me, with kids and wife, I'd go to Moab and mess around in Canyonlands.

 

[Joe Bob]

Here's what I'm thinking: Google Maps
What do you all think? I need to know some trails in Moab and Zion... Help me out!

 

[Joe Bob]

But seriously the US50/I70 route has endless possibilities. If it were me, with kids and wife, I'd go to Moab and mess around in Canyonlands.

Moab is a for sure! And, I'm pumped to know Slee is in Denver... I'll see about possibly stopping by. I'm hoping the trailer can do all that my rig can do... I'd be mostly concerned if there are pinchy obstacles. Why do you say the White Rim Trail might not be good for the trailer? Thanks for your help! I appreciate it!

 

[Cruiserdrew]

I'd go 50 both directions since is much more lonely and interesting. Great Basin is a cool park with a cave (Lehman caves) that the kids will think is cool. 80 is not that scenic and I try and avoid it. Where as 50 is about the best highway drive in the US.

A decent plan to Go to Moab and then see Zion and Capitol Reef in Southern Utah. In that area, with a trailer, you might consider the Burr Trail which is scenic and interesting and doable with a trailer. Not sure I'd drag a trailer over the White Rim in Canyonlands. And if you go to the Needles district of Canyonlands, I definitely would not take the trailer over Elephant Hill.

I'd find a campsite, leave the trailer and go out and explore. The White Rim is spectacular as a first adventure with the family. It's a great 2 day trail. You can do it in one, but it will be ALL DAY. There really isn't a reason to take the trailer on any of the Moab trails.

A good half day trail with a bit of excitement is Fins and Things. It's mostly easy, has a couple of surprises and is a ton of fun. And you can be off the trail by lunch time.

I'm hoping the trailer can do all that my rig can do...

It can't. The weight on the steeps will likely unload the front suspension too much and you'll loose traction. The White Rim is actually fairly easy and you might be able to get the trailer over it. But the Murphy Hogback has 1 big step up that would be a challenge, and the steep climb out from the river back to the rim will also be a challenge especially if wet.

The guy to talk to about trailers and the 100 series is @spressomon . You'll find that with the trailer, especially one that heavy, you'l want to mostly stay on fireroad type trails. Not real 4WD trails.

 

[gungriffin]

I have no idea how challenging this is, but here is a long trail that I want to badly.

Rimrocker Trail

It starts in Montrose CO and ends in Moab. 160 miles offroad. It looks like it would have some challenges, but it doesn't seem like it is meant to be a hard trail. When you are in Montrose, Ouray and the San Juan trails are only about 50 miles south. This is the area that HIH is. If you haven't done HIH, then you should definitely look up some of the trails in the Ouray and Silverton area.

 

[Joe Bob]

Rimrocker Trail

It starts in Montrose CO and ends in Moab. 160 miles offroad.

Wow, this sounds epic. I'll call in the the ranger station to see how the road conditions are expected in mid November.

 

[Joe Bob]

I did some more research on the Rimrocker Trail and it sounds totally doable for the trailer! I'm gonna plan for this trail and as long as weather permits I should be able to do the entire 160 miles. Worst case I'll have to bypass the start to head out to a lower elevation entrance if snow is deep. Dispersed camping is allowed throughout the trail!

 

[gungriffin]

I did some more research on the Rimrocker Trail and it sounds totally doable for the trailer! I'm gonna plan for this trail and as long as weather permits I should be able to do the entire 160 miles. Worst case I'll have to bypass the start to head out to a lower elevation entrance if snow is deep. Dispersed camping is allowed throughout the trail!

There is a good chance that I will be doing it in October. If I do I will report in. It definitely seems like it will be a fun trail!

 

[Joe Bob]

So, I'd like to consider some alternative routes if the Rimrocker trail is down due to weather. What other long routes are suitable for November weather in Colorado, Utah, or Arizona?
Thanks