offroading in moab
Moab, Utah / March 16, 2024
Dave got the Ford Bronco of his dreams and invited us to come to Moab with him to break it in! We drove down in our Subaru Ascent Friday morning and did part of the Fisher Towers hike and Onion Creek Trail. Saturday morning, we rented a pink Jeep and did Fins ‘n’ Things and Shafer Trail before driving back home. Here’s a video highlighting all the trails we traversed.
Fisher Towers
Overview: A maze of soaring sandstone towers surrounds you on this moderate hike to a high ridge above Onion Creek.
Distance: 5.2 miles out and back
Approximate hiking time: 2 to 3 hours
Difficulty: Moderate; 650-foot elevation gain
Trail surface: Single-track dirt and slickrock trail
Onion Creek
Distance: 20 miles out and back (or you go as far as you want and turn around)
Time: Anywhere from 2 to 6 hours
Difficulty: Technically easy with a few stream crossings, moderate and continuous uphill climb
Trail Surface: Gravel and dirt road, rocky stream bed crossings
Fins ‘n’ Things
Fins ‘n’ Things is an excellent introductory trail for those new to rock crawling, but has plenty of excitement to keep the experienced driver entertained. This trail dives right in with slick rock fins, rocky steps, and sandy stretches. The steep climbs will keep you on the edge of your seat while the panoramic views will take your breath away.
It took us about 4 hours, including a stop for lunch.
Shafer Trail
The Shafer Trail at the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park is an iconic road that descends 1,500 feet (457 m) through a colorful, massive sandstone cliff. Its function has changed through the years; from a route made by Native Americans to access resources on the mesa top, to a trail for sheep herders moving flocks to better foraging in winter time, and then a road for trucks moving loads of uranium from the backcountry to market. Today, the Shafer Trail is a challenging, unpaved backcountry road for recreational users seeking the experience of a lifetime.
We came in through the back route along Potash Road, stopping at the river for some rock throwing.
