Moab

[ChuckH]

I am heading out to Moab in a few weeks and would like some recommendations from those of you that have been there. My trip with the family will be a little over two weeks hitting up the National Parks with about six days in Moab. I have a stock truck so I will not be able to do anything too crazy unless I rent something. What advice can you give me?

 

[Boston]

Check the schedule for things like Jeep Jamboree etc. you really want to avoid MOAB for those weeks.

 

[2020GraniteBH]

You got time to make it MOAB ready.... Jk have a safe trip and take some cool pics to share!

 

[ChuckH]

You got time to make it MOAB ready.... Jk have a safe trip and take some cool pics to share!

I am working on it. One week before I leave and I will be adding skid plates, a lift, 35s, and tow hooks this week. Power Wagon in Moab will be going on that first week I’ll be out there. The fuel tank skid plate is not in yet and looks a little complicated. I don’t know if that one will make it on before we leave.

 

[ChuckH]

Today’s adventure in Moab! I did the southern portion of Fins N Things

 

[ChuckH]

Today I drove Tower Arch trail in Arches on the way to see this. The more technical off road stuff I have is on video and I don’t think I can link that. This was about a 15 mile stretch, only about a half mile was challenging. I got close to the rockers in a few places but did not bottom out anywhere on the trail.

 

[2020GraniteBH]

Hell yeah! Looks like a great time! Glad the truck didn't take any damage. Kind of hard to see in the pic did you remove the plastic air dam on the bottom?

 

[ChuckH]

I definitely removed the air dam before I left home. I removed the sidesteps on the first day in Moab. Today was a full day on the trails with my two oldest daughters. I used a local guide named John Marshall who is a (I4WDTA) certified off-road driving instructor and owns Coyote land tours. He knew the trails, what my truck could handle and offered a full day of private off-road training. We hit much of Hell’s Revenge (bypassing the extreme obstacles like Mickey’s Hot Tub and Hell’s Gate) where we saw dinosaur fossils. From there we went to the Sevenmile Rim where we hit some other connected trails including Tusher Tunnel. We ate lunch under the Uranium Arch. After it got dark we hit some easier trails that were sandy but we were able to take at higher speeds and was tremendous fun. A couple of observations: 1)The Ram 1500 is a very capable truck and can go to some amazing places. 2)The most common vehicles you see on these trails are Jeeps and there is good reason, approach and departure angles make a big difference when you are going over or down large rocks. 3) I would rather have my truck than a Jeep when driving higher speeds on the faster sandy areas.
These photos are from the Sand Flats Recreation Area. I’ll post the others separately.

 

[ChuckH]

These photos are from the Sevenmile Rim and connected trails.

 

[Yogi217]

That's awesome! What lift did you choose by chance?

Sent from my SM-N975U1 using Tapatalk

 

[CaptainCJ35]

Awesome photos! What an adventure!

 

[ChuckH]

I am not still in Moab and now mostly on pavement but since someone asked for pictures and I started this thread I will share more of my overlanding vaction.
Before I arrived in Utah I drove up over 12,000 feet above sea level in Rocky Mountain NP and also hiked Bear Lake in Colorado. I did white water rafting in the Colorado River, rock climbing, zip lining, and off roadIng in Moab as well as visited Arches National Park and Canyonlands NP. I left Moab and drove through Capital Reef NP, Dixon National Forest, Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument before sleeping in a tipi outside of Bryce Canyon NP. I am now near Zion and plan on getting off road on a trail from Apple Valley through the Smithsonian Butte and Gooseberry Mesa while I am here in Zion and and once more after that when I travel to North Rim of the Grand Canyon. These photos do not do justice to the landscape. This is my first time to Southern Utah and this place is absolutely beautiful.
I drove by the pink sand dunes and the official recommended that I not drive my truck on it so I chickened out. It looked enticing but all I saw was dirt bikes and side by sides on the sand. Maybe someone has some recommendations and experience with that park in their truck. I would love to hear how you did. This is not too far from where I see a lot of Matt’s Towing Recovery and I don’t want to end up on one of those episodes.

 

[ChuckH]

That was a long thread (probably more than most people are interested in), but has anyone driven on the pink sand dunes in the Utah State Park and what recommendations would you give?

 

[ChuckH]

Today I drove off pavement through the Smithsonian Butte and through Gooseberry Mesa and the ghost town of Grafton after hiking in Zion. Attached are some photos. BLM recommended not traveling through there but other than some rocky and small rutted out areas it was not bad (probably good advice if driving a car). I found it to be tame. When getting local advice ask more than one person. Perspective is very important.

 

[Tred's]

Thanks for sharing. Very nice pics.

 

[CaptainCJ35]

Today I drove off pavement through the Smithsonian Butte and through Gooseberry Mesa and the ghost town of Grafton after hiking in Zion. Attached are some photos. BLM recommended not traveling through there but other than some rocky and small rutted out areas it was not bad (probably good advice if driving a car). I found it to be tame. When getting local advice ask more than one person. Perspective is very important.

This is bucket list stuff for me... one day i hope to get out there. Thanks for posting. Epic!

 

[2020GraniteBH]

Man looks like a great trip! Stay safe out there and thanks for the pics!

 

[RVTRKN]

If you still have time, drive through the great San Rafeal Reef on I70 going West, from Green River in the late morning. Go all the way through to Utah State HWY 10 then turn back and go the same route. Make sure to have cash if your interested in Indian potery and jewelry, they sell their wares at the viewing stops. The best thing about it, is its free to drive and stop along the way.

 

[ChuckH]

If you still have time, drive through the great San Rafeal Reef on I70 going West, from Green River in the late morning. Go all the way through to Utah State HWY 10 then turn back and go the same route. Make sure to have cash if your interested in Indian potery and jewelry, they sell their wares at the viewing stops. The best thing about it, is its free to drive and stop along the way.

Is that the stretch that does not have a gas station? I went west on I-70 from Green River and then shot down Utah Hwy 24 through Hanksville on my way to Capital Reef. I crossed the San Rafael River. Next time I will need to checkout your recommendations.
Today I hiked Angels Landing in Zion with my daughters. We will be headed to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon after this. A lot is still closed around the North Rim and in Navajo Nation so this part of the trip might be a little loose since we don’t have solid plans. If you or anybody has good recommendations for this area I would love to hear them. I am thinking about even trying to hub out of Kanab, Utah.

 

[ChuckH]

I saw Matt from Matt’s Towing Recovery driving down the road in Hurricane, Utah yesterday so I went by his place of business today and they are use to tourists. There was an older lady in front of me getting her picture and buying some shirts and hats. There was another family walking in before I left. I am glad I drove to Winder Towing and not them to me!