Pt 3 - To Moab and Beyond
From where we last left off, and with my brain still trying to comprehend all the amazing history and breathtaking views of the San Raphael Swell, we finally reached the outskirts of Moab. Still, as a relative beginner to overlanding and this being my first big adventure in the Jeep, I was completely awe-struck! If you can imagine an outdoor Disneyland where mother nature designed the rides, but you are in control of your vehicle, then you have a pretty good idea of what Moab is like! There are numerous trails of all differing levels everywhere. It's awesome!
We arrived in the early afternoon, with it being Moab’s off-season, it was relatively quiet compared to what I hear this place can be like during the warmer times of the year. As we were returning to the mountains later in the day, I decided to re-stock with a few groceries, water and propane. Once the restock was complete, I was feeling a little famished. I’d only had oatmeal and blueberries up to this point, and seeing how I was in a new town, and it was Christmas Day after all, I decided to treat myself to the local cuisine.
I noticed a quaint little place called the Moab Grill near the grocery store and decided to check it out. It was a cool little place with a rustic feeling. The interior was designed to look like a mountain lodge, with western pictures of cowboys on horseback adorning the walls and surrounding a large TV, which was playing the Dolphins vs Packers game. I had been eating simply for the last few days, so, with eyes bigger than my stomach, I went all out with the Cowboy Burger, a BBQ bacon cheeseburger topped with an onion ring and fries on the side. Needless to say, it took a bit of time, and I was completely stuffed when it was done! No need to make dinner tonight! Stumbling out of the restaurant and back into the jeep, I fought off my food coma and made our way to the Sand Flats Recreational area and the start of our next adventure.
The Sand Flats Recreational area is home to several famous off-road trails like Hell’s Revenge and Fin’s and Things. I want to explore both of these trails one day, but at a time when a group of us comes down. We carried on past those trailheads and continued up Sand Flats Road. As we approached the top of the ridge, snow started to cover the road. Nice and slow I thought as we continued until we took a left onto FR 4632. This fork of the road would take us to tonight’s camp spot, my only concern now was our ability to get there!
The snow had deepened significantly and although there was a path cut through by a previous vehicle, I had visions of us getting high centered. I thought to myself, I have my inReach, I have a shovel and I have maxtrax. Then I remembered an XOverland video where Clay Croft’s advice was to go out and get stuck sometime! If here was where it was going to happen, I knew I was ready, so I pressed on. After only a few nail-biters where I had to make sure to keep the momentum going, we made it and were immediately rewarded as we pulled up to the most amazing campsite you can imagine! The Porcupine Rim Campground.
This campsite has been on my bucket list for a while. If you watch Overland Bounds' Video After the Storm”, Mike’s first words when he saw this camp spot was,” Holy Sh!t!”, and I’d have to agree! The scale of the landscape in front of you is immeasurable as you look out over Castle Valley with the Castleton Tower in the distance. With it being winter and no wind, my ears were ringing from the lack of sound. These pictures do not even remotely do this place any spec of justice.
After finding a level spot and setting up camp, the campfire was started, and Layka and I relaxed to the sound of the crackling fire, just trying to soak up as much of this time as possible. An occasional breeze was the only sound to be heard. It was a “Peace in the Valley” kinda moment until the sun dipped behind the ridge. Shortly afterward, the silence was broken by the evening call of what seemed like dozens of Coyotes. Their howls and yips echoed from the valley floor and along the ridge to the left of our camp as well. Was it the call for the hunt or to let the rest of the pack know about the new invaders from Canada? Whatever it was, it added to the amazing evening. Turn up the volume to hear them yipping in the video below.
The next morning as I unzipped the plain green door to the tent inward, Layka and I were greeted by the radiant morning sunshine illuminating the tops of the surrounding mesas and Castleton Tower. Stunning!
After enjoying the view for a while longer, we got up, ate a quick breakfast and broke camp. Although I was still worried about getting stuck on the way out, we made it without issue and headed back into Moab, specifically back to Moab coffee roasters for a nice strong cup of coffee and a delicious cinnamon roll.
While in Moab, I wanted to do at least one of the major trails that this area is famous for. I had my mind set on either the Long Canyon Trail to the Shafer Trail or the Chicken Corners Trail. To help me decide between the two, I went to the Moab Visitor Centre to get some trail information. It was there that I found out that the Shafer trail was closed. The switchbacks on the Shafer trail are very steep with a stunning view, but the southwest direction they face doesn't allow enough sunlight during the day to melt the ice and frost on the road, making it too dangerous to drive. As the Chicken Corners trail is on the opposite side of the Colorado River, it gets lots of sunshine and therefore was good to go. Decision made Chicken Corners it is!
We headed toward the trail along Kane Springs Road. Soon we passed by another Petroglyph called the Birthing Scene Petroglyph. It’s one large rock with many small carvings, including one that is of a birthing scene, which is rare to find in Petroglyphs hence being the rock's namesake. After exploring the area a little more, we continued down the road. After passing a small water crossing, the trail became noticeably narrower and rougher, so the decision was made to air down before proceeding along the trail any further.
Now with the ride being a bit smoother, we started climbing some rocky switchbacks, making our way toward Hurrah Pass, the highest point along the trail. When you get to the top and round the corner of the pass, there are very few words to describe the vastness of what unfolds in front of you. A huge landscape of gigantic Mesas looking like flat-topped castles as far as the eye can see. After stopping for pictures, we passed through a staircase of descending switchbacks until the trail levelled and straightened out as it shadowed the Colorado River.
Eventually, the trail led to the Catacomb Rocks. A mountain of rocks that over time became honeycombed with a maze of passages created by wind and water. My plan was to camp here, so for now, we just passed by to carry on to the end of the trail and explore it later. Chicken Corners gets its name from a section of the trail that runs precariously close to the edge of a cliff. One missed step, and it’s 1000-foot drop to the mighty Colorado River as it casually snakes its way toward the Grand Canyon. By precarious, I mean that when I looked out the driver's side window, I looked almost straight down at the river. Some people “chicken out” and turn back at this point, hence the trail's name. Shortly after the corner, you reach the end of the vehicle-capable trail. There is a short and very narrow footpath that carries on to a Mesa but that was to be saved for maybe another day!
After soaking in the sights Layka and I made our way back to Catacomb Rocks and found a very cool spot to set up camp. Afterward, I did a little drone practice before getting the campfire going and grabbing some downtime before bed. It’s amazing how time out in the wild, staring at a crackling fire underneath the heavens can relax you in a way you thought you never could.
The next morning after packing up we worked our way back to Moab. After grabbing a much-needed shower at the Community Gym, we returned to Moab Coffee Roasters for my late-morning caffeination! Big surprise eh! After enjoying the coffee and seeing the possibility of weather coming in, I decided to run away south to get to another bucket list location, the aptly named Valley of the Gods.
Stay tuned for the Valley of the Gods and how the weather chased us westward in part 4! As always, thank you for reading and if you feel so inclined leave a comment and follow me on the social links above for more current updates and adventures. It’s very much appreciated!