Moab and Ouray Advice: How to get the most of our time there?

[Land_Shark]

We will be in Moab for 3 full days in August and in Ouray for 2 full days shortly after.

In Moab, 1-day will be spent exploring Arches National Park and another day for Canyonlands NP. The 3rd day is reserved for exploring trails.

Can anyone with experience there recommend what trail(s) to run on that 3rd day? Top of the World? Fins n Things? Both? That too much for 1 day? What about trails inside the parks?

Same with Ouray - Our current plan is for 1-day to run the full Alpine loop and the next to take Black Bear Pass to Telluride for lunch and then Imogene back to Ouray for dinner?

The 4Runner has 2 in lift, armor underneath, front and rear bumpers, winch and Cooper Discoverer S/T Maxx tires in 32 in size (275/70).

I appreciate any tips and tricks to maximize our time!

 

[wadle5]

White rim trail and canyonlands...not as crowded as Moab and some of the most amazing views you will ever see.

 

[Land_Shark]

White rim trail and canyonlands...not as crowded as Moab and some of the most amazing views you will ever see.

Right on, thanks. I had a star next to that one on my list. I think you need a permit, but can get it 24 hours in advance. We will probably try for that trail.

 

[STX4Runner]

I'd vote for Top of the World. You're well equipped for that trail and the views are awesome at the end. Also, It's never crowded. After TOTW go run the first leg of Fins N Things for a taste of slickrock driving.

 

[Land_Shark]

I'd vote for Top of the World. You're well equipped for that trail and the views are awesome at the end. Also, It's never crowded. After TOTW go run the first leg of Fins N Things for a taste of slickrock driving.

THat was the exact original plan (purely by chance as I only researched it a little bit). I think this could be our 3rd day right here. Thanks for the tips

 

[Borezack]

Expect delays at Arches. They are doing road improvements. They are also closing the park at night and no camping until the fall.

 

[fourwd1]

Moved to the OffRoading section.

 

[Land_Shark]

Expect delays at Arches. They are doing road improvements. They are also closing the park at night and no camping until the fall.

Thanks for the heads up - I'll be sure to check in with them for closures before we go.

 

[Borezack]

Lots of other places near Moab if arches dosn t work out. Hole In the rock , calf creek. Caineville awesome. If you like to do crazy jumps. If your by here give me a heads up and will have blocks of ice for you.

 

[Borezack]

Also in late August for hiking here isn't to fun just have lots of water. The view is good at visitor center look on NPS web site on how big it is and 3 different parts. Unless you like hiking in dry heat with no water or flash floods. But the experience is good. Have done it. Would not to it again alone.

 

[Jimmy_D]

I've done a good many of the trails in Moab and nearly all of them have pretty spectacular scenery so you'll probably be happy with whatever you choose. Black Bear to Telluride and then Imogene back to Ouray is a great day. Lots of nice places to pick from in Telluride for lunch. There's really nothing challenging about either run unless you go looking for challenges. Some of the switchback turns on Black Bear will definitely get your attention, and since some of them are more than a bit off-camber and you'll be backing away from the edge during the however-many-point turns you'll be making, it would be a very good idea to have traction control enabled in order to make sure you do indeed back up. Finding where Imogene actually starts in Telluride can be a bit challenging but not all that difficult. Be prepared for people that have little to no idea of proper trail etiquette and are completely unaware that the downhill vehicle has the right-of-way.

 

[ajordan1975]

Moab in Aug is going to be HOT! Bring tons of water! Other than that enjoy!

 

[Land_Shark]

2 Wonderful places to visit. We actually took a trip this past summer in July and both were destinations we visited.

Moab: Arches is pretty awesome for hiking and a cool site to see if you've never been. Worth the wait and visit. Delicate Arch is an easy hike and pretty cool to see. Top of the World & Fins N' Things can both be run in the same day. It's a full day of wheeling but it's able to be done. Fins N' Things is an awesome trail to get your feet wet and experience slick rock and what it's like driving on it. Great choice of trails to knock out in 1 day.

As recommended above, White Rim is a great trail as well because it's pretty desolate and you won't come across many other people. Amazing views and scenery. It's a pretty easy trail until the last leg where you really start to get into some narrow shelves and loose rack crawling your way out. Weather will change everything on this trail so if you go this route, make sure it's a clear report. It really should be done in 2 days because it's so many miles. Some have done it in 1 day but it's a really long and tiring day. I would recommend visiting it when you have 2 days to spare.

Ouray: Alpine Loop is a great set of trails. Black Bear Pass is awesome and will give you a true taste of some wheeling on the edge. Again, I wouldn't hop on Black Bear Pass unless the skies and forecast are clear. It can get really nasty with some rain and pretty dangerous quickly. Unbelievable view of Ouray and Telluride from up top. Telluride is one of our favorite cities in Colorado. Wonderful people, great atmosphere, and a good time. High Pie Pizzeria is a great place to grab a good pizza and a beer.

Right on, thank you for the great advice and the detailed response. Quick follow-on question; can I do a quick out and back on White Rim Road? Or is it one-way traffic only? Sounds like I'll have to find some easier backup trails in case the weather is sloppy. We'll make sure to stop at High Pie for some pizza and a beer! Cheers! I'll go check out the Overland Shop now...

 

[Land_Shark]

Moab in Aug is going to be HOT! Bring tons of water! Other than that enjoy!

Yeah a few folks have said that - we'll be sure to pack extra water with us. Thanks!

 

[Land_Shark]

I've done a good many of the trails in Moab and nearly all of them have pretty spectacular scenery so you'll probably be happy with whatever you choose. Black Bear to Telluride and then Imogene back to Ouray is a great day. Lots of nice places to pick from in Telluride for lunch. There's really nothing challenging about either run unless you go looking for challenges. Some of the switchback turns on Black Bear will definitely get your attention, and since some of them are more than a bit off-camber and you'll be backing away from the edge during the however-many-point turns you'll be making, it would be a very good idea to have traction control enabled in order to make sure you do indeed back up. Finding where Imogene actually starts in Telluride can be a bit challenging but not all that difficult. Be prepared for people that have little to no idea of proper trail etiquette and are completely unaware that the downhill vehicle has the right-of-way.

Thanks for the heads up - much appreciated. I really hope the weather holds up for that trail combination. We'll still have about 2,000 miles of driving after Ouray, so we'll take er easy.

 

[drivermod]

I just did this trip last fall in my 05 LJ. Your plan sounds really good. All of the trails we did in Moab were beautiful. TOTW and Fins-n-things will give you a nice mix of trail types. You could probably squeeze Hells Revenge in as well to take in a beautiful sunset. It's right next to Fins-n-things. Imogene pass was probably my favorite. Absolutely beautiful. Have fun.

 

[Photoventurer]

Hi there, I'm new to the forum but not new to Moab. Great place, awesome scenery. As others have said, it is very hot there, especially in August. Take more water than you think you'll need. Also, the first time I was there, I was extremely surprised at how many biting no-see-ums where there. On later trips they weren't so bad so maybe it is just certain times of the year. Anyway, bug spray is a must have, even in the desert.

As for trails, we didn't have a 4Runner at the time but last year we rented a Jeep while we were there and did a loop by going from Moab up the Gemini Bridges trail, then turning left onto Highway 313 into Canyonlands National Park and taking the Shafer Switchbacks and Shafer Trail to Potash Road and and back to Moab via Scenic Byway 279. I'll have to say it wasn't a very challenging 4 wheeling route but the scenery was awesome!

The jeep rental company we used has a trail guide online which you might find useful.
https://canyonlandsjeep.com/wp-content/uploads/Trail-Guide16-proof.pdf

Also, if you like BBQ, I highly recommend you stop in The Blu Pig for a bite, It's right on South Main in Moab.

 

[RonJR]

You can do out and back on White Rim. It's a two-way road. You can go part way from the east side without a permit, but I'm not quite sure where the cutoff point is. Maybe Airport campground? To go the whole way you need a permit even if not camping, but it shouldn't be hard to get one. Camping reservations are another matter.

 

[iBison]

I'd recommend the ouray inn, great people and a nice clean hotel. Stayed there last September. We did Ophir pass there and it was pretty mild. If you get to silverton handlebar's has good food and great little place. Last dollar road was scenic but longer than I thought it would be.

 

[theMayor]

When you hit Imogene, make sure you take the Yankee Boy Basin spur.


And as TheOverlandShop said, I wouldn't mess with Black Bear if it is raining. The switchbacks going down into Telluride are literally shale rocks on top of loose sand.