Most Scenic Moab Trail?

[DanW]

A group of buddies and me are heading to Moab in October. I've been there and did several trails including Finns N Things and I can't remember the other two. They were each scenic and beautiful. One I wanted to do, but time got short, was White Rim Trail in Canyonlands Nat. Park. I've heard it is gorgeous.

Which trail or trails do you think are the most scenic and would you recommend? We'll do a few more difficult trails, but mostly we're looking for the most beautiful ones. We've got a couple bone-stock Jeeps in the group, so scenery takes a little bit of an edge over challenge.

What do you recommend? Right now, the plan is for the following, for sure, with room for a couple more trails before we come home. Rimrocker trail from Montrose, Co to Moab (160 miles), Finns N Things, and White Rim Trail. We'll also be planning to camp at a night or two somewhere with a view.

Thanks!

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[RubiRob]

It's honestly all scenic. However, im sure you would love Top of the World, Long Canyon (very highly photographed spot on both when you see it) Gemini Bridges has a great stop too.

 

[bilcol81]

Definitely Top of the World

 

[DanW]

It's honestly all scenic. However, im sure you would love Top of the World, Long Canyon (very highly photographed spot on both when you see it) Gemini Bridges has a great stop too.

True, but I want the best of the best. Which are good for camping? I'm dreaming of a campsite next to a canyon, if there are spots where that is allowed.

 

[RubiRob]

True, but I want the best of the best. Which are good for camping? I'm dreaming of a campsite next to a canyon, if there are spots where that is allowed.

Your best bet is to look at the Moab Facebook groups. Red Rock 4 wheelers and friend for four Wheeling Moab are a few. They will get you the best info. I'm just a tourist to Moab. (For the camping stuff)

 

[Four Flusher]

poison spider, seven mile rim trail, medium hard, great views, you mention fins and hells both great
We usually do two days wheeling then and off day checking out Arches or whatever, then two more days wheeling

Camping: how about camping in a canyon by the Colorado river, up and down Hwy 128? My favorite camping is at slick rock. Best to show up early in the day but not Fri or Sat. All of October is super busy. We're planning a trip to Ouray around the first of Oct, then maybe Rimrocker, booked Moab from 10/7-12.

 

[Mojito Mojo]

A group of buddies and me are heading to Moab in October. I've been there and did several trails including Finns N Things and I can't remember the other two. They were each scenic and beautiful. One I wanted to do, but time got short, was White Rim Trail in Canyonlands Nat. Park. I've heard it is gorgeous.

Which trail or trails do you think are the most scenic and would you recommend? We'll do a few more difficult trails, but mostly we're looking for the most beautiful ones. We've got a couple bone-stock Jeeps in the group, so scenery takes a little bit of an edge over challenge.

What do you recommend? Right now, the plan is for the following, for sure, with room for a couple more trails before we come home. Rimrocker trail from Montrose, Co to Moab (160 miles), Finns N Things, and White Rim Trail. We'll also be planning to camp at a night or two somewhere with a view.

Thanks!

Hey I will be leaving Minnesota about that timeframe to head to my winter place in Arizona. This sounds like a fun trip! Got room for one more?

 

[JLUSoCal]

Onion Creek is nice - we took that up the canyon (many river crossings). A few days later we went up by Castle Valley, took FR033 up to Polar Mesa, back down to Fisher valley then back out Onion Creek. Nice 4-6 hour run up in the hills. Castle Valley is about 1/3 of the way to Top of the World (spent my birthday up there) on the 128 that follows the Colorado river to the east of town.

Top of the World pics (1&2), Onion Creek (3) - you can see Fisher Valley / Onion Creek trail below Pic 1- absolutely stunning.

Shafer Switchbacks down to White Rim is nice and an overlook not far from the switchbacks called Gooseneck Overlook Road is nice - great view back to where Chicken Corners ends and On the other side of the river (same side your on) is Dead Horse point.

 

[Jeepcity]

Elephant hill , south of Moab in canyon lands . I will second , Seven mile, and poison spider as well . other trails mentioned a subaru could do.

 

[DanW]

QUOTE="Red Rubi, post: 184937, member: 14152"]Hey I will be leaving Minnesota about that timeframe to head to my winter place in Arizona. This sounds like a fun trip! Got room for one more?[/QUOTE]

Absolutely! We'd love it! Right now, we're shooting for liftoff on the afternoon of the 18th. We'll hopefully get at least to Salina, Kansas, then on the 19th get to Montrose, CO, where on the 20th we'll take the Rimrocker Trail to Moab. It is possible everything gets pushed one day later, but we'll get that figured out long before we leave. We'll touch base here and there until then.

 

[Chuck]

As great as Moab is, if you can squeeze it in, I'd add a day in Colorado's San Juan Mountains, especially since you'll be in the area. There are some great passes with incredible views, many of which go from town to town, so you wouldn't have to backtrack. Years back, I did lots of wheelin in that area (when I lived in Boulder), and I did it all in a stock Xterra.

In the Moab area, Chicken Corners and Hurrah Pass are both very doable in stock rigs. We also did some trails in Arches, but I can't remember the names. Both had amazing scenery, and one featured some short hikes to remote arches (Tower Arch and Eye of Whale Arch).

Some random pics I took from those days (Chicken Corners, Imogene Pass, Hurrah Pass, Engineer Pass, Cinnamon Pass):

 

[Chuck]

Found some info on the Tower Arch road. From the road, it's a short hike to the arch itself. Man, watching this video makes me want to go back to this area ... maybe this October.

https://www.trailsoffroad.com/trails/608-tower-arch

Here's a photo I took of Tower Arch:

 

[JLUSoCal]

Found some info on the Tower Arch road. From the road, it's a short hike to the arch itself. Man, watching this video makes me want to go back to this area ... maybe this October.

https://www.trailsoffroad.com/trails/608-tower-arch

Here's a photo I took of Tower Arch:

Tower arch has some decent "ledges" right now to take the road your showing. Fun and for a Rubicon, OK, for anything else that doesn't have good departure angles I'd say you're going to hit alot. I mention because it says easy is all.

 

[Chuck]

Tower arch has some decent "ledges" right now to take the road your showing. Fun and for a Rubicon, OK, for anything else that doesn't have good departure angles I'd say you're going to hit alot. I mention because it says easy is all.

Good point, thanks for bringing this up. In thinking about it, I don't agree with that "easy" description either, as I remember it having some challenging sections. I should also disclose that it's been many years since I've been there, and trails always change (some get improved, but most seem to get more rutted/rough/washed out).

Here's another description of that trail I found with a more realistic rating.

 

[Artec]

Top of the world, Poison Spyder, Hells revenge, 7mile rim......

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