Moab advice
 

Hello everyone,

I am planning a trip to Moab this summer with my father and son. I’m looking on advise for what trails I can safely hit with my current setup. I’m running 5100’s with 2.5 in the front and wheeler 1.5 lift springs in the rear. I also have SPC UCA’s and RSG sliders. I currently have the stock 265 Nitto terra grappler tires. I’m considering going to 275 before the trip. I’ve done off roading few time at the state park in Bridgeport Texas. I’m new to the off road world, came from modifying mustangs the last 10 years so any advise or recommendations is appreciated.

So far from research fin’s n things, hells revenge and the white rim trail all seem like good options for my trip. Also I’ve reserved a hotel room so we won’t be camping.

Let me know your thoughts and any advice for the trip is always appreciated. Also I have a 2028 off road.

White rim trail is pretty long. It's nice to like spend one night on the trail but you have to reserve camping. Though you can do it in one LONG day, or atleast go down the switchbacks from the Island in the Sky area and head down that way for a while and come back.

Fins and things good, Hells revenge, just stay away from the optional sections :D

Chicken Corners is good. Elephant Hill is pretty amazing and doable but more on the hairy side the first time. (Actually some armor might be nice for Elephant hill...)

Lots and lots of trails, strongly suggest getting the moab trails guide: https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Moab-Ba...offroad+trails

That book was invaluable to me, well, every trip :D

Then there are the interesting and weird sights that are not 4x4 changeling but neat to see. The cave homes, the (free) dino tracks area, and the view from Hatch Point (Probably the best single viewpoint in the area)

I run 275s, they are really nice :)

I ordered the book. Thanks!

Yes, what the above poster said is spot on. And, yes, Charlie Wells is the best overall tool to start from. The intro has all the basic info you need. It is easy to get lost in this forum as good info is mixed with not so good.

I wrote this long post for another person:
https://www.toyota-4runner.org/3213414-post3.html

Specifically for what you mentioned, I will add these comments:

The White Rim Road is a drive of a lifetime. It is true, however, that when done in one day is difficult due to driver fatigue. Otherwise the surface is easy and the two named hills are moderate in terms of steepness and narrowness. You can get a day permit online here: Canyonlands Backcountry Permits This is where you get the overnight permits, too, but act fast. Camping spots disappear quickly as the WRR is easy to access. I have a pending Elephant Hill reservation, fingers crossed.

I have driven it both ways, but recommend Mineral Bottom to Shafer/Potash. This puts any potential rock slides or deep water behind you early in the day. If time does not suffice, maybe consider Mineral Bottom to just past Hardscrabble HIll and then back out. I like this segment the best for scenery and driving fun alike. Murphy Hogback is the other fun hill, but is right in the middle.

Fins and Things is a straightforward drive but do crawl and do watch out because you can roll if you are not paying attention. The white marks help as would a spotter on a couple spots. The route itself is bizarre. It is really one trail weaved out of several loops. Very unusual. The southern loop off the Sand Flats dirt road is a blast. There is one spot where you will drag your hitch big time so better put a recovery insert in it. Worked great for me. There is one super steep descent on this loop but it is not that hard on the angles. Moving to the northern loop, the first half is not as interesting and is bumpy. You can skip it by entering via the Radio Tower cutoff that you will see in Wells. Then you turn Left on the trail when you join and head towards a super fun section. If you choose to get on the Northern Loop from the start, there is one rocky hill where you will either need very precise wheel placement or you will get tippy. We got tippy, moderately so.

Consider Tower Arch in Arches National Park. It is a good intro to minor rock crawling for a short distance and more importantly it is an interesting trail with two outstanding arches (Tower at the start and then Eye of the Whale at the end). No permit needed. The sandy sections are fun to drive in cold weather.

We have not done Hells, but if you stick to the main route and avoid all obstacles, including the easier ones, which the legal route and bypasses allow you to do, it is rated the same as Fins by the Red Rock 4Wheelers who run the Jeep Safari. They are the experts.

A Moab friend of mine drove Elephant Hill twice in 2018 in his stock GX 470 but you will want a spotter and very precise driving to do it without a lift.

Speaking of lift, since we are in the offroad section, allow me to offer a bit of critique on yours. No, I am not a suspension expert. But I don't need to be to tell you that once you get beyond 1.5-max 2, you'd better use high quality kits and replace more than just shocks.

You do not technically need any lift or any aftermarket skids for any of the mentioned trails. The issue is that we get distracted, get tired, and so on. Therefore, a small lift or good armor do make a real difference. My armor shows why. But while a lift helps and is more cost effective than armor, it should not tax the suspension and should not come at the expense of dependability. A basic 2.5 lift sounds too much to me. Maybe dial that back to about 1.5 to allow for proper travel and angles. The simple 2.5 lift may ok on road, but offroad it is another story.

The entire area there is amazing. You should have great time!

EDIT: when it comes to tires, I am fine with 265 70 17. If they are P metric, don't air them down excessively except in sand. I would keep them between 20 and 30+ depending on preference, I really just keep them at street pressures. If you have LTs, then airing down is part of the deal. I don't think that 275s will make any difference, depending on which one you get vs which one you have that could be as little as 1/8 in extra clearance since all tires vary slightly in size.

Gemini Bridges and Bull Canyon north of town are also fairly straightforward and have worthwhile scenery.

I agree White Rim in a day is too much. We spent two nights on it and still felt like we could have used more time.

I would save Elephant Hill and the other Needles District roads for another trip when you've gotten a bit more experience. Plus, it's a pretty good haul down there from Moab for a day trip, anyway.

Gemini Bridges and Bull Canyon north of town are also fairly straightforward and have worthwhile scenery.

I agree White Rim in a day is too much. We spent two nights on it and still felt like we could have used more time.

I would save Elephant Hill and the other Needles District roads for another trip when you've gotten a bit more experience. Plus, it's a pretty good haul down there from Moab for a day trip, anyway.

I the book mentioned above came it. It’s great and has so much information. Thank you for recommending it!

Heh just passing the info along. It was recommended to me when I first asked about Moab :D

Top of the world is easy enough.
Take plenty of water as it will be hot! A different hot than Texas. Dry heat can be dangerous.

If you're in the Dallas area join the "Toyota Trail Riders" or even the "Lone Star Land Cruisers" off road clubs. No way to get more comfortable w/ wheeling than w/ a club of like minded individuals.

You'll have mass amounts of traction in Moab because of all the sandstone. Whatever you end up doing I can guarantee you will have a fantastic time (excluding accidents...those are never fun). Fins n Things and Hell's Revenge are a good combo, right next to each other, close to town, and relatively short (3-4 hours) compared to something like Steel Bender that would take up to 7 hours. Those two are also really easy to follow as well, unlike Steel Bender, which if you've never done it before you might get lost a few times.......Steel Bender wasn't very fun at all when I did it a few years ago

Anyway, I'd highly highly recommend Fins n Things and Hell's Revenge. Moab itself is a whole other world, it has the rugged ancient beauty to it that not many other places have. If you have time go to Arches Nat park and hike to Delicate Arch, that rocks my world every time I see it.

Also if you do Hell's Revenge, sometimes you can catch a group of wheelers trying out the devils hot tubs, high quality stuff right there

Any idea when you are going to be there? I will be visiting my brother in Colorado and we are throwing around the idea to hit Moab for a few days. He has a lifted Lexus GX and I have my 4runner. Looking at the end of June or the first part of July.

I live 3 hours from Moab and would gladly meet up with any fellow T4R members any time :)


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Good to know. Thanks

Nice! I plan on going next week and was also recommended Chicken Corners

Yes, Hurrah Pass-Chicken Corners offers some of the best scenery in Utah. It is also the closest thing to White Rim alternative for people not having the time for the WRR.

Hurrah Pass is the trail to the top of the pass. CC starts there.