Utah Trip in 4Runner - Looking for Input/Suggestions
- Thread starter Unner
- Start date
ColtonAdkison
New member
When I went, we went to the La Sal Mountains and went fishing for rainbow trout! Not only was it beautiful but up caught upwards 40 trout.
Top of the world is a must!
Top of the world is a must!
JohnTheLuck
Member
[MENTION=116387]Unner[/MENTION] You could take a look at my previous trip report from 2016 in my Adventure thread. I had a blast in October, and a shortened trip in March. A lot of pictures for you. Enjoy!
KidVermicious
New member
Some notes - the best dispersed camping outside of Moab is along the Gemini Bridges road, north of Moab, or along the Behind The Reef road (not trail), specifically at Prostitute Butte, south of Moab. Bring a portable toilet system - it's required for Parkland like the White Rim, and it's required on some BLM land too.
Picking up your boy in SLC - there is some wheeling in the mountains east of the city, but they're snowed in this time of year and gated or groomed for snowmobiles. There's lots of wheeling in the desert to the west of the city, I can recommend some cool spots if you're into western railroad/mining history. If you're just looking for scenery and mildly technical trails, the Swell is where you wanna be. Eagle Canyon is good, Devil's Racetrack and Fixit Pass are right in the same area and a step up in difficulty if you want. Goblin Valley is cool. There's rock art and old uranium mines everywhere if that's your speed. The MK Tunnels are a neat piece of Cold War history.
White Rim is super. You didn't mention if you'd gotten campsite reservations yet, do that now if you haven't already. This time of year there might not be anything left if you wait and get your permits at the ranger station. Top Of The World is a great trail, if you're ready for some decent ledge action. If I remember right you're lifted on 32s, is that right? That should be enough truck, as long as you know where to point it
. Combine it with Onion Creek to add some great scenic driving to the day.
On your trip back from Moab area to SLC you could explore more of the Swell, or check out old coal mines and ghost towns around Price and Helper, or drive up Diamond Fork off of US6 and maybe find some snow, lots of options.
Hit me up when you're in town. If I'm free I'll come play for a bit.
Picking up your boy in SLC - there is some wheeling in the mountains east of the city, but they're snowed in this time of year and gated or groomed for snowmobiles. There's lots of wheeling in the desert to the west of the city, I can recommend some cool spots if you're into western railroad/mining history. If you're just looking for scenery and mildly technical trails, the Swell is where you wanna be. Eagle Canyon is good, Devil's Racetrack and Fixit Pass are right in the same area and a step up in difficulty if you want. Goblin Valley is cool. There's rock art and old uranium mines everywhere if that's your speed. The MK Tunnels are a neat piece of Cold War history.
White Rim is super. You didn't mention if you'd gotten campsite reservations yet, do that now if you haven't already. This time of year there might not be anything left if you wait and get your permits at the ranger station. Top Of The World is a great trail, if you're ready for some decent ledge action. If I remember right you're lifted on 32s, is that right? That should be enough truck, as long as you know where to point it
. Combine it with Onion Creek to add some great scenic driving to the day.On your trip back from Moab area to SLC you could explore more of the Swell, or check out old coal mines and ghost towns around Price and Helper, or drive up Diamond Fork off of US6 and maybe find some snow, lots of options.
Hit me up when you're in town. If I'm free I'll come play for a bit.
ajordan1975
New member
Have your buddy fly in to Grand Junction. it's an hour and a half from moab.
Unner
New member
Thanks everyone for the posts while I was on my trip! It was amazing, a full trip report is in the works as we speak.
Top of the World was amazing and the La Sals were a great backdrop pretty much everywhere we went. It was still snow packed up there so we didn't get to go into the mountains.
Looks like you had a great trip John! It's an amazing area, I can't wait to go back.
Man, wish I would have seen this earlier or I would have hit you up. We ended up just staying in Moab until we had to leave for SLC and pretty much just driving straight up and back. The old mining stuff sounds cool though. Top of the world was great, I'm amazed at how easily the truck climbed without a locker. She went everywhere I pointed her haha. We did excatly what you suggested, we camped at a neat campground about 12 miles into Onion Creek, running the trail at night the first time and then driving it out in the day. Then we went straight to Top of the World. Pretty crazy how you can look down off the canyon and see Onion Creek trail.
I had reservations for white rim, Shafer and Labyrinth. Both beautiful campsites, although I doubt there is an ugly one anywhere along that trail. Also, just so you know, white rim doesn't require portable toilets. Not sure if this is something new or not, but every campsite has a toilet at it now that's open for anyone on the trail to use. Some of them seemed pretty new so I don't know when they added those, but it sure is convenient.
Didn't get to do much around there, but I was blown away by the mountains that surround the SLC area. Beautiful place. One of the few big cities I've been to where I didn't want to get out as fast as I possibly could...
Top of the World was amazing and the La Sals were a great backdrop pretty much everywhere we went. It was still snow packed up there so we didn't get to go into the mountains.
Looks like you had a great trip John! It's an amazing area, I can't wait to go back.
Some notes - the best dispersed camping outside of Moab is along the Gemini Bridges road, north of Moab, or along the Behind The Reef road (not trail), specifically at Prostitute Butte, south of Moab. Bring a portable toilet system - it's required for Parkland like the White Rim, and it's required on some BLM land too.
Picking up your boy in SLC - there is some wheeling in the mountains east of the city, but they're snowed in this time of year and gated or groomed for snowmobiles. There's lots of wheeling in the desert to the west of the city, I can recommend some cool spots if you're into western railroad/mining history. If you're just looking for scenery and mildly technical trails, the Swell is where you wanna be. Eagle Canyon is good, Devil's Racetrack and Fixit Pass are right in the same area and a step up in difficulty if you want. Goblin Valley is cool. There's rock art and old uranium mines everywhere if that's your speed. The MK Tunnels are a neat piece of Cold War history.
White Rim is super. You didn't mention if you'd gotten campsite reservations yet, do that now if you haven't already. This time of year there might not be anything left if you wait and get your permits at the ranger station. Top Of The World is a great trail, if you're ready for some decent ledge action. If I remember right you're lifted on 32s, is that right? That should be enough truck, as long as you know where to point it
On your trip back from Moab area to SLC you could explore more of the Swell, or check out old coal mines and ghost towns around Price and Helper, or drive up Diamond Fork off of US6 and maybe find some snow, lots of options.
Hit me up when you're in town. If I'm free I'll come play for a bit.
Man, wish I would have seen this earlier or I would have hit you up. We ended up just staying in Moab until we had to leave for SLC and pretty much just driving straight up and back. The old mining stuff sounds cool though. Top of the world was great, I'm amazed at how easily the truck climbed without a locker. She went everywhere I pointed her haha. We did excatly what you suggested, we camped at a neat campground about 12 miles into Onion Creek, running the trail at night the first time and then driving it out in the day. Then we went straight to Top of the World. Pretty crazy how you can look down off the canyon and see Onion Creek trail.
I had reservations for white rim, Shafer and Labyrinth. Both beautiful campsites, although I doubt there is an ugly one anywhere along that trail. Also, just so you know, white rim doesn't require portable toilets. Not sure if this is something new or not, but every campsite has a toilet at it now that's open for anyone on the trail to use. Some of them seemed pretty new so I don't know when they added those, but it sure is convenient.
Didn't get to do much around there, but I was blown away by the mountains that surround the SLC area. Beautiful place. One of the few big cities I've been to where I didn't want to get out as fast as I possibly could...
KidVermicious
New member
You're right, I forgot about those.
Unner
New member
Thanks everyone who gave their input in this thread. For any that are interested my full trip report is up and available in my build thread linked below!
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/208503-unners-build-2001-toyota-4runner-4x4-33.html
http://www.toyota-4runner.org/3rd-gen-t4rs/208503-unners-build-2001-toyota-4runner-4x4-33.html
That's an awesome trip report and great pictures. I enjoyed every part of it.
I'm hoping to hit the White Rim this fall, if I can get someone to ride shotgun. Last April a friend in a built '06 4runner and I in my '94 did the Maze Overlook and the Teapot/Dollhouse road on the west side of the river. Similar scenery, but really remote. We saw maybe 6 vehicles in a whole week.
Just can't go wrong in that Utah canyon country.
I'm hoping to hit the White Rim this fall, if I can get someone to ride shotgun. Last April a friend in a built '06 4runner and I in my '94 did the Maze Overlook and the Teapot/Dollhouse road on the west side of the river. Similar scenery, but really remote. We saw maybe 6 vehicles in a whole week.
Just can't go wrong in that Utah canyon country.
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