Trails of Moab

[Quicksandpro]

Great thread on Utah trails, thanks. We just got back a couple weeks ago from Zion, and I really wanted to head toward Moab. We are going back as soon as possible, I love it up there. Maybe next time we'll start over at Moab and head toward some of the other Nat'l parks.

SS

 

[Bighead2001]

April-May-early June. Or September-October. It was crazy hot even in early June. Make sure your AC works.

Good dates to work with.

Memorial Day weekend is my cut off point...after that the heat gets a little rough. Maybe it's just been my bad luck but Sep-Oct has always been really wet when I've been there.

 

[STX4Runner]

Good dates to work with.

Memorial Day weekend is my cut off point...after that the heat gets a little rough. Maybe it's just been my bad luck but Sep-Oct has always been really wet when I've been there.

I've been four times and had great weather...most of the time. First trip was in mid April. Great weather on day 1, rain on day 2, less rain on day 3 and snow on day 4. Next two trips were late October. First one, the weather was perfect the whole trip. I don't think I saw a single cloud. Next trip we had rain on the first 2/3 of day 1, but perfect conditions the rest of the time. This year we went in mid May. Weather was great, partly cloudy and about 80 degrees. FWIW, I think October is the rainiest month and April is second rainiest. For my money, fall is my favorite. Crowds are gone, air is cool, and the weather has been great for my trips in October.

 

[jwkilgore]

I disagree. When I enter public lands, I don't do anything that costs anybody else anything. I don't damage anything, I don't leave trash, and I don't do anything criminal. As for roads, we already pay an arm and leg in gas taxes that are supposed to support maintenance and repair of roads. My "use" of the land costs the government exactly $0.

To try and bring it back on topic after my partial derail, here are links to NPS trail maps of the three National Parks in the area:
Glen Canyon: https://www.nps.gov/glca/planyourvisit/maps.htm
Canyonlands: https://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/maps.htm
Arches: https://www.nps.gov/arch/planyourvisit/maps.htm

Incidentally, someone had to come up with money to pay the cartographers who made all those detailed and well-rendered maps, plus money to develop and maintain the web site. Nothing the government does is "free", so someone has to pay for it.

 

[wadle5]

Agreed with White Rim trail and Schaeffer canyon. Did that when we were out there in late June last year. Moab is great for the numerous parks, and endless trails. We also took some old service road into the middle of Arches. Again not technical, but just a nice drive away from the populated areas.

 

[MeefZah]

Thanks for the replies. I didn't know if Moab was like a national park or something, where they want charge you just to set foot in it.

Moab isn't a park, but to address one point you made: you can buy a national parks pass that covers entry into almost all federal parks / lands that charge admission, it's $80 / yr and it covers 2 people in up to 2 vehicles. It's money well spent and a great way to support the outdoor lifestyle that most 4R owners subscribe to. In fact, if you go to just 4 parks you break even on admission fees.

My Moab experience is somewhat limited, having just been there once and only for a day; that said, there's awesome stuff everywhere and I intend to go back. We did Kane Creek, Chicken Corners, explored Arches NP and did some off road in and around Arches (unsure what road). Between a trail map that you can buy when you get there, local advice from just talking to people, and advice online and on this site / thread, you should have a good idea of what you can handle.

I would suggest some sort of radio communication equipment, lots of water, high protein food, sun and weather protection. Be aware that some roads shown as through roads don't go all the way through or if they do it's through a gnarly section (we had to turn around partially up Lockhart Basin which put us limping back into town well after dark) so take the amount of time you think a trail will take and then double it, because a lot of stuff is slow going, you'll make wrong turns, you'll want to stop and look at stuff, etc.

I was at the time in an open diff 4WD Xterra with OME 2" lift and I had no trouble at all on the stuff I did with the exception of Lockhart Basin which really requires lockers and a spotter, and I only was in 4WD a few times.

My Moab trip was part of a larger 8,000 mile US trip and trip info and pics are at:

https://meefzah.smugmug.com/Sept-2015-4WD-US-trip/

 

[JohnTheLuck]

My Moab trip was part of a larger 8,000 mile US trip and trip info and pics are at:

https://meefzah.smugmug.com/Sept-2015-4WD-US-trip/

Wow, this should have been a really wonderful trip. Amazing pictures also. Thanks for sharing.

I have a few trip of my own to share from my Blog, in french, sorry guys. may National Parks and backcountry roads there. Look on the right hand side for Sud Ouest (southwest):

Jean et Nancy en voyage
.

 

[Koddo]

As a person who owns multiple mining claims on BLM land here in AZ, I stand in the camp that your federal income taxes should be enough to do the BS that the forest service/BLM does on these lands - usually nothing. For the most part these agencies are a royal pain in the ass and most of the time look at the public as a infestation on "their" lands.

I support PLP - Public Lands for the People, a non-profit that supports outdoor groups against the constant gov't incursion on limiting access and rights to public lands.

Public Lands For The People

Don't ever fall for the gov't mantra of ever more fees and taxes to administer lands....they get more than enough.

 

[NVSteve]

Speaking specifically of the National Parks, no, they do not receive enough funding from the government. You can google it or speak to park staff when visiting-many of the parks have maintenance backlogs that are 10+ years. What this means is that if some type of repair is needed, it gets tacked onto a list & will most likely not actually get repaired for the next 10+ years (depends on the priority of the repair). Why? Visitation numbers and use of roads, facilities, etc. is growing quite fast from one year to the next, but the funding is never likewise increased. If anything, Congress is more apt to lower funding levels. Entry fees to National Parks are sorely needed, yet still won't cover all maintenance and staffing costs for the year. Those who feel National Parks should be free should be contacting their local congressman/women to convince the rest of Congress to up the funding for our parks.

 

[Koddo]

I agree, national parks are a different story. If there are a bunch of tourists using concrete paths/facilities/etc then there is obviously a greater funding need. This should be appropriated by congress and not be fee'd to the public - after all what are we paying taxes for in the first place, only to pay a fee on top of?

I was more addressing national forests/BLM land, which in many cases is one in the same. Although, the growing creep of government adding wilderness to protected areas and national parks should worry everyone. The environmental/special interests are hell bound on making these areas void of any human contact.

 

[jwkilgore]

As a person who owns multiple mining claims on BLM land here in AZ, I stand in the camp that your federal income taxes should be enough to do the BS that the forest service/BLM does on these lands - usually nothing. For the most part these agencies are a royal pain in the ass and most of the time look at the public as a infestation on "their" lands.
...
Don't ever fall for the gov't mantra of ever more fees and taxes to administer lands....they get more than enough.

BLM is a completely different animal than NPS. The BLM really doesn't do anything. No road maintenance, no police, no trash cans, nothing. I work in the electric power industry and we've crossed BLM land on multiple projects. In the area I've worked (mostly SoCal) I've never heard of a fee for the public to access any BLM lands. Mining claims and grazing, sure, but not to just drive down roads that were probably built and maintained by someone else (such as service roads for one of my lines).

NPS is different. They build, service, and maintain roads, restrooms, parking lots, camping areas, etc. They provide and service trash receptacles and RV sewage dumps. They provide a police force to keep the worst criminals away (can't count the number of probable drug operations I've run across on backcountry BLM roads... just look away and keep driving). They build and maintain comprehensive web sites for each park so you can get the info you need before you go.

But maybe I just have a different mentality. I'm one of those types who, if I stop at a service station to hit the restroom on a trip, I'll always buy something. It didn't cost the owner anything for me to use their toilet (maybe a few pennies worth of water and paper, and I never leave a mess). But my logic is that they provided a service for me. If they go out of business because no one ever buys anything, then I won't have a place to stop the next I'm driving through and that greasy hamburger needs some place to go NOW. If they provide a service for me, I return the favor, even if it's just buying an overpriced bottled drink.

 

[NVSteve]

I was more addressing national forests/BLM land, which in many cases is one in the same. Although, the growing creep of government adding wilderness to protected areas and national parks should worry everyone. The environmental/special interests are hell bound on making these areas void of any human contact.

Sorry, I was replying to the thread as a whole, since it seems to be jumping around all over the place. Can't/won't comment on the BLM thing as it would probably kill this entire thread. Short story is that you would like Utah-politicians here are the ones suing the Feds for ownership of all federal lands within the state. I, on the other hand, would prefer to take a tire iron to the heads of the aforementioned politicians.

To the OP: you'll end up enjoying Moab no matter what you decide to do while spending time there.

 

[Khjphoto]

To the OP: you'll end up enjoying Moab no matter what you decide to do while spending time there.[/QUOTE]

Thank you and yes I will. Been there before. This time will take the new TRD
For fun and photo shoots for my blog: See You Down The Road?A Diary of Motorcycle Journeys - Home

Most likely will expand the blog to include "Runner" trips.

 

[ZRunnerTRDpro]

Moab Rock Therapy

The trails I did Moab where Top of the World, Fins and Things and Hells Revenge. It was my first time to Moab, so like you I was nervous. I have many years experience behind the wheel of the 4runner off-road, but I just sold my 2002 and got a brand-new 2016. So I definitely didn't want to scratch up a new truck. The thing I will tell you is that if you take your time and move slow you will be fine there are lots of bypasses, and if you have something in your receiver hitch like the Smittybuilt D-ring receiver hitch it will scrape on that instead of your truck. Moab is definitely must do in my book. It is awesome and unlike four wheeling anywhere else I've been. I felt like I was driving some sort of rover on Mars.
Moab Rock Therapy 2016

 

[SLWRNR]

I now regret selling my 4Runner. I took my 16 TRD Pro Tundra up to Moab the surrounding parks. It was one of the best trips I took in my life, next to going to Hawaii and the United Kingdom.

We did the Jughead trail, which runs north off of Potash Road. We also did the Gemini Bridges trail and Shafer's Trail.

 

[ZRunnerTRDpro]

Here is a cool funny Video, of a 1ST gen 4Runner from youtub.
That talks about Moab.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcfnCdnvjSw