Off Roading Moab Trip.

[Rebel Ram]

I've never been there but I have a case of "Central Valley Fever", BAD!!!!! I know nothing about it except that what I have seen pics of. I would like to go July 1-5. Anyone with advice please chime in with pointers on what to do and where to stay. I want to camp. I'll be carrying a slide in and pulling a tandem box trailer. I would like to do some riding (Offroad Motorcycles) and some light 4X4 exploring.

Can a full size truck get up "Top of the World"? Camper off of course.

 

[CO Lineman]

I have to say it is going to be HOT that time of the year in Moab. Tha rocks soak up the heat and don't let go of it. . It is better to go in the spring or in the fall. It is a great place to ride. I have been there the last couple of years. We ride ATv's so I couldn't really help you where to ride but I have seen some motorcycles on the poison spider trail in the past... Hope this helps...

 

[BarryG]

It is going to be a hot for sure. However just take plenty of liquids to drink and stay hydrated and you will be fine (plan on drinking a gallon a day per person). As far as camping I will bet you will have a hard time finding a spot that is not totally crowded however dont let that stop you. Some places you might be able to make reservations at some of them. First along the river east of town is more than likely going to be packed and imho is not that great anyway. River west of town is even more dicey and certainly more dusty. You can try up at Dead Horse Point state park up by the island in the sky district of the canyonlands np great area if you can get a spot but again fairly busy(you can reserve in advance). Also a campground in the island in the sky district(you cannot reserve). If you go south of town to the canyon rim recreation area there are a couple campgrounds back there as well as a few places that you can camp but arent formal campgrounds(no reservations). One campground there is called windwhistle. I have never had a problem getting a spot there however it is small and could fill quickly. Sometimes they have water there and sometimes they dont. Have not been there in a couple years though. Also in the needles district of the canyonlands south of town there is a campground that is pretty good I am thinking it is called squaw flat(no reservations). There also right outside of the park are several places to camp that are not formal campgrounds. You also can try and get into Arches NP campground but again that one fills very quick(they do take reservations).

Tons of trails there some the ctd doesnt belong on others it will do fine. Just depends on how hard core you want to get. A real easy one more like a rough dirt road at best but is great scenery is from island in the sky to moab called the schaeffer trail plan on a few hours. Another one from moab to the needles district (about 60 miles) again pretty easy called lockhart basin plan on most of the day for that one. In the needles district there is one that looks pretty rough but is relatively easy is elephant hill loop. Gives great access to the backcountry of the park. Then right around moab you have a bunch more of varying degrees of difficulty. I would suggest getting one of the trail books for the area.



Some campground info

http://www.nps.gov/cany/island/index.htm

http://www.nps.gov/cany/camp.htm

http://www.nps.gov/arch/camp.htm

http://www.stateparks.utah.gov/park_pages/scenicparkpage.php?id=dhsp

http://www.blm.gov/utah/moab/camp_CynRims.html

 

[EricBu12]

lots of dry camping up on mesa flat road... . there is one neatt hing called baby lions back I did with my truck... . the real lions back is below this state park area... long and steep. ... several trails for motorcycle riding in that area...



My truck did make it up to top of the world... all I had was AT tires... a little bit bouncy that one is so allow 3-4 hours traveling + sightsee.



def. worth seeing is arches park and canyonlands.

 

[Darrenf]

I've been to Moab about half a dozen times now... four wheeling, and July will be a hot one. My Four Wheel Drive Club is heading out there the week of June 3. It can get hot then too. Generally upper 80's, Low 90's sometimes low 100's. 'Course I've also seen 32 degrees too during the same time. We used to primitive camp down by the base of poison Spider along hwy313, when it was free. Now I think they've turned into pay campground. My club will be staying in The Canyonlands campground in Moab. They've got full services, ie showeres and they're pretty clean just a little tight quartered in my opinion http://www.canyonlandsrv.com/. Also ample parking for car haulers. Oh yeah, you can also look along hwy 128 along the river for some primitive camping. I might recommend getting the Guide to MOab Ut & 4wd Trails by Charles Wells. http://4x4books.com/mub.htm That'll help with identifying a trail for you and your rig/motorcycles. Should be a good time if you can stand the heat in July.

 

[Yogafist]

This is absolutely one of the most stunning places you can go. With Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park and state Park Dead horse Point all within close proximity. The Town of Moab has grown fast since the early 80’s and is now very trendy with plenty of shopping and dining if you are taking family that is into that. Be careful with the primitive camping, we camped at Dead Horse Point in the early 80’s and had to move into town because the scorpions were thick and we had small children. I don’t know if the problem is still as bad. I have stayed at Canyonlands RV Park several times and have enjoyed it. Be sure to keep your eyes peeled off the sides of the road for petroglyphs. They are often completely unprotected and you can walk right up to them.

 

[Boomer II]

I've camped out on Kane Creek road before, it's a ways out of town but pretty quiet.

 

[Nate]

Moab KOA is not bad. I stayed there last month for Easter Jeep Safari. Plenty of room and nice clean showers/bathrooms. Cost me $75 for the week since we split it up 3 ways (tent camping)

 

[Rebel Ram]

Perhaps a rethink is in order. When I get outa this hellhole for a week I don't want to be in the same heat. Any suggestions for a more northeastern destination? Same scenario for recreation.

 

[RDusch]

For good riding and camping you could try Marysvale Utah, I stay at Lizzie and Charlies rv park right in beautiful downtown Marysvale.



There are over 2000 miles off ridable trails from mild to extreme 5000 ft to 12000 ft, and temps are quit abit cooler than moab in july and will still be cool in the mountains.



It's a big ATV hangout but allot of motorcyles also.



http://www.marysvale.org/



Rick D

 

[RDelissen]

Perhaps a rethink is in order. When I get outa this hellhole for a week I don't want to be in the same heat. Any suggestions for a more northeastern destination? Same scenario for recreation.

have you considered South Western Colorado (Ouray, Montrose, Telluride area)?

Also beautiful scenery and (some) trails that are doable with a truck and also with a dirtbike.

 

[EricBu12]

Rdelisson,



When did you go on that trip? Late summer?

How long is the trail?

and where is it near?

 

[RDelissen]

Rdelisson,



When did you go on that trip? Late summer?

How long is the trail?

and where is it near?

July and it can easily be done in a day (less than that). We had base in Ouray and took off in the mornings. Make sure you're out of the mountains by late afternoon, because more often than not you'll start off with beatiful weather in the morning, but thunder storms (rain, hail) will come in late afternoon (we've had to haul people off the mountains more than once)





BTW: the Well's book on the offfroad trails in Colorado has nice descriptions on the most common trails (including GPS coordinates and general trail descriptions and such). Here's a link to it on amazon http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0966497619/103-8390569-9565431?v=glance&n=283155

 

[foolkiller]

i did that same trip in colorado a couple years ago. we left from durango and went over black bear or bear pass ( i can't remember the name for sure) to telluride, had some lunch and a couple beverages and then over imogene. we were back to durang the same day with plenty of stopping in the mountains. it was a trip i'll never forget. felt like we were on top of the world out there.



thanks for posting that pic rdelissen. you inspired me to call some folks i haven't talk to in a while that were on that trip.

 

[EricBu12]

Reason I was asking the length of the trail is I was thinking it would be neat to do it on a Yamaha Rhino... (my new one... ) I am to believe the 8 gal. tank has a range of like 90-120 miles depending on tereign.



So how long are these pass roads? Black bear? Immogene? any others?

 

[CumminsPower98]

I did the Top of the World trail just fine but it is slow and pretty rough. The last picture is backed up to the edge having lunch on top of the world.



Imogene Pass was awesome and we had a lot of fun. We had an Chevy S15 and two Ram 2500s in our group including mine. We went from Telluride to Ouray direction starting out in Dove Creek, CO and back in a day with plenty of time to stop. I would really like to do this again some time.



What RDelissen said about afternoon storms is very right. We had quite an experience with some of the worst flooding they had ever had on the Ouray side as as we were almost to the end of the trail. Several places we had to creep through rocks and mud from slides while is was still flooding a little (kinda scary). Right near the end it got so bad that we and many others on the mountain including a tour jeep had to wait a while for the water to go down. My cousin and I were the first to attempt fording a slightly flooding section in our trucks. We made it across just fine, which drew cheers from the crowd who then followed after us. We had to move rocks in another section to make it through as it completely covered the road several feet deep in big rocks and earth. Anyway it was a great trip and the flooding made it all the more interesting and fun since no one got hurt or anything. The pictures are scans from my old film camera before I entered the digital world.



Oh and the S15 kept blowing fuses for the ignition system and dieing. We even had to bum a few fuses off of others on the trail. A few weeks later it was dicovered it had a loose wire hanging down shorting on the bell housing.

 

[Rebel Ram]

Man that looks like fun!!! I've decided to take a trip to New Mexico so my GF can see her oldest girl. But I want to plan ahaid for next year and go when some of our (TDR) guys are planning a trip. So I will be watching and waiting. If anyone wants to start plans now I'm in. My 93 will be ready then too.

 

[JValdez]

Rebel Ram

Just for info myself and 3 other guys will be in Ouray from 7-19-06 through 7-26-06 for some fun. I know you said you wanted to plan for next year and the 4 of us have been making this trip for a few years now. We went a little early last year and the trails were still unpassable due to snow. Still had a great time though.

 

[KBennett]

We are heading to Bryce Canyon is southern Utah at the end of July to meet some relatives (their idea) and I thought it would be hot then. I checked weather.com and it looks like it will be highs in the upper 70's and lows in the upper 40's that time of year.

 

[BarryG]

Yeah sometimes when we go out there in the summer we will stay in Bryce just for the cooler weather/campsite. Not that much fun doing some canyoneering or hiking in that heat going back to a roasting campsite. So sometimes we will stay there and drive to where we are hiking for the day instead of camping real close to the trailhead. The elevation there makes all the difference.