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NAXJA Member #135
- Location
- Albuquerque, NM
UT- 2005 Loose Screws Tour
This is only for those who love the sandstone country of SE Utah, love camping and love their Jeep. Your world will consist of only those 3 things for the few days it takes to complete this route.
It's 108 miles and a couple of hours from Moab to the starting point, then take the next 4-5 days for the 200 mile trip back through southern Utah's most beautiful and rugged scenery. The only civilization you will encounter, as well as all 9 miles of the paved road included in this tour, is found in Canyonlands National Park. This does not include the dozens of Anasazi ruins scattered along the way. Plan on carrying all the food, water and fuel you will need to complete this trip as driving out to a gas station part of the way ruins the experience of traveling such a long distance through the wilderness. Needles Outpost (on your way at the west border of Canyonlands NP) does have a gas pump but prepare to pay dearly to use it.
A stock Jeep with an excellent driver should be able to complete this trip. 31's will make up for a lack of skill or to let you spend more time enjoying the scenery and less time picking lines. The hardest rockcrawling is on the Hotel Rock Trail and the north end of Lockhart Basin, although high water in Arch Canyon or Indian Creek could make those locations temporarily impassable to any vehicle. It has been done with a small off-road trailer but expect to make 20-point turns at each of the switchbacks on Elephant Hill. The route over the Abajo Mountains exceeds 8000 feet, snow and mud will be a problem there in winter and early spring.
The attached .gpx file has tracks broken up into segments for each day, some days have been broken up further where there are good stopping points. There are waypoints that include 4 excellent campsites an easy day's drive apart, as well as other interesting or useful locations on the tour. Be aware that after the summer of 2008, the upper half of Arch Canyon will likely close to vehicular use and permits may be necessary to drive the part that remains open due to the area being deemed critical habitat for the Mexican Spotted Owl. Contact the Monticello BLM office for more information. You will also be expected to pay an entrance fee when you exit Canyonlands National Park as the south boundary has no fee booth.
Here's a map showing the route that you will need a couple of pages to print out:
Arch Canyon scenery
Hotel Rock wheeling
Hotel Rock itself
Dark Canyon camp
Crossing the Abajos on Elk Mountain Road
Approaching the Needles from the south
The Joint Trail
Chesler Park
A very good way to spend a few days. If you can do it all in one shot you are a certified Loose Screw!
This is only for those who love the sandstone country of SE Utah, love camping and love their Jeep. Your world will consist of only those 3 things for the few days it takes to complete this route.
It's 108 miles and a couple of hours from Moab to the starting point, then take the next 4-5 days for the 200 mile trip back through southern Utah's most beautiful and rugged scenery. The only civilization you will encounter, as well as all 9 miles of the paved road included in this tour, is found in Canyonlands National Park. This does not include the dozens of Anasazi ruins scattered along the way. Plan on carrying all the food, water and fuel you will need to complete this trip as driving out to a gas station part of the way ruins the experience of traveling such a long distance through the wilderness. Needles Outpost (on your way at the west border of Canyonlands NP) does have a gas pump but prepare to pay dearly to use it.
A stock Jeep with an excellent driver should be able to complete this trip. 31's will make up for a lack of skill or to let you spend more time enjoying the scenery and less time picking lines. The hardest rockcrawling is on the Hotel Rock Trail and the north end of Lockhart Basin, although high water in Arch Canyon or Indian Creek could make those locations temporarily impassable to any vehicle. It has been done with a small off-road trailer but expect to make 20-point turns at each of the switchbacks on Elephant Hill. The route over the Abajo Mountains exceeds 8000 feet, snow and mud will be a problem there in winter and early spring.
The attached .gpx file has tracks broken up into segments for each day, some days have been broken up further where there are good stopping points. There are waypoints that include 4 excellent campsites an easy day's drive apart, as well as other interesting or useful locations on the tour. Be aware that after the summer of 2008, the upper half of Arch Canyon will likely close to vehicular use and permits may be necessary to drive the part that remains open due to the area being deemed critical habitat for the Mexican Spotted Owl. Contact the Monticello BLM office for more information. You will also be expected to pay an entrance fee when you exit Canyonlands National Park as the south boundary has no fee booth.
Here's a map showing the route that you will need a couple of pages to print out:
Arch Canyon scenery
Hotel Rock wheeling
Hotel Rock itself
Dark Canyon camp
Crossing the Abajos on Elk Mountain Road
Approaching the Needles from the south
The Joint Trail
Chesler Park
A very good way to spend a few days. If you can do it all in one shot you are a certified Loose Screw!
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