Hair-Raising Drives In The National Park System Drive the Shafer Trail -Canyonlands Island in the Sky to Moab- The West is Big! In fact I told my wife there doesn't look like there is a road out of here. Were good . They are steep, and it is recommended to travel them in 4 low. This section is a little more challenging as there are some small rock ledges you will drop down. You have scenery, the interesting photo op presented at Tea Kettle Junction, and . Did it in a rented Ford Taurus with 5.1" of ground clearance, so it is doable in a 2 wheel drive sedan if you have some testicular fortitude, are a good driver who knows where your tires are/understands how to approach rocks without bottoming out, and of course do not care about wear and tear on the vehicle. We attempted it a few hours after it had rained and ended up driving through over a foot of water and some deep mud!! Learn more about the White Rim Road in these three posts: Before you go, check road conditions on the National Park Service website. Just past the Petroglyphs around mile 5.8, you will run into the parking lot for the Poison Spider Mesa off-road trail. Below is a link for the full details on how to drive the White Rim Road in one day. The first part of the drive, as you weave your way down the Shafer Canyon switchbacks, is the most hair-raising and thrilling part of the drive. Amazing views! How Can I Add on the White Rim Road to this Drive? If you are planning on visiting Arches National Park or the nearby Natural Bridges National Monument, purchasing the America the Beautiful Pass would be worth your while. Pretty sure we suffered with acute stress for a few days when trying to go to bed having flashbacks. Quite a few mountain bikes and quad runners were on the trail. Tony Boeckel: 1892 1924 31 years American baseball player car San Diego, California Cris Bolado: 1969 2017 47 years Filipino basketball player motorcycle Phnom Penh . 2018-2023 CS Ginger. Republishing this articleand/orany of its contents (text, photography, etc. We took it with a FWD Kia SUV, and we had no problem whatsoever. You can start at either end of the trail. Amazing views. We have a jeep and 3 dogs. I would not attempt it as it is quite a dangerous road and quite challenging especially with a caravan I would only attempt it with a good 4 wheel drive, and it would be a challenge even for a 4WD especially in bad weather at night etc. Learn more about Utah in our Utah Travel Guide and the United States in our United States Travel Guide. Turn right onto the gravel road. The White Rim Road was constructed in the 1950's by the Atomic Energy Commission to gain access to the uranium deposits in this area. On this route, you will drive the legendary Shafer Canyon switchbacks, pass below Dead Horse Point, get a close-up view of the Colorado River, and see a famous movie filming location, Thelma and Louise point. We wanted to do some 4-wheeling and were told about this trail at the visitor's center so we decided to give it a try. Expanding upon the work of Sog Shafer, the Atomic Energy Commission widened Shafer Trail and extended it to the White Rim Road to accommodate trucks moving loads of uranium-bearing rock from the backcountry and down to Moab for processing. We continued down the trail to the Potash road and on to highway 239. If you have a 44 vehicle with a 4-low range and high clearance, you will be able to get down the road with ease. This is an absolutely incredible trail to run! 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. Myself, growing up 4wheeling and driving the back woods, and wherever else I could go, I consider myself a good 4wheeling driver. Just make sure you give yourself at least an hour and a half of daylight, to get back onto paved road before sunset. {-][BX^b1ae ].kmlmz +#pkuv List of people who died in traffic collisions - Wikipedia Da sich der Weg bestens zum Mountainbiken und Fahren mit Aussicht eignet, bist du selten allein unterwegs und wirst whrend deines Ausflugs auch auf andere Abenteurer treffen. and then start the descent down the switchbacks. We never would have made it out without the help of a plant worker!! This drive can be done in either direction. Take it slow and enjoy the views! The Potash Road will eventually turn into a dirt road that is the Shafer Trail. Thanks for this AMAZING account that basically leaves nothing unclear! Canyonlands can especially get busy once Arches closes. The only people who will find the trail scary are those who are afraid of heights. Shafer Canyon Viewpoint Trail Canyonlands National Park We are here to show you that traveling as a family is not as hard as you might think. endobj endobj GOBLIN VALLEY: Goblin Valley is a small state park packed with unique rock formations thats a fun place to explore, especially for kids. Just put it in 4WD and low and let it go! Please stay on the trail so as not to disturb biological soil crust. After you turn left onto the Shafer Trail (AKA Potash Road), you will descend and shortly cross a small river bed. Island in the Sky: White Rim Road The 100-mile four-wheel drive White Rim Road loops around and below the Island in the Sky mesa top and provides expansive views of the surrounding area. Went back to Moab via Potash Rd. Tripadvisor gives a Travelers Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor. This is where you can see the Colorado River making a 180-degree turn in the canyon. Epic trail!! We recommend booking Shafer Trail tours ahead of time to secure your spot. Another way you can combine the two trails is by going into Canyonland National Park and starting from inside the park. Insane!!!!! From here, it is a smooth, easy drive back to Moab. The population was 16,459 at the 2010 census. I'd recommend it for at least the semi-experienced 4 wheeler and probably between the months of April-October if you don't want to deal with winter weather/slick conditions. There are a few areas driving up narrow cliffs and hillsides. If you plan to do this drive during this time, get updated road conditions on the National Park Service website or at the visitor center. Buckle up! Truth be told, I"d do both again knowing now what I didnt' know then when we started out. In the corner of the 279 is a parking spot, you can hike to the Corona Arch Trailhead!! Backcountry driving conditions can change rapidly after rain or snow. Cheers, Julie, Your email address will not be published. You do need to pay attention when driving the trail because there is two-way traffic, and at times, you may need to pull over at a pull-out to let other vehicles pass. Shafer Trail Closed The unpaved Shafer Trail road at Island in the Sky is closed due to winter conditions. This was a nice way to end the day after doing 3 hikes at Canyonlands. Read our article about the 15 Best National Parks, where we narrow down the long list into 15 must-see parks. They stopped and chatted with us and asked if the roads were any better from the direction we had come from.we told them it was rough.but one look at the woman in the passenger seat should have given us a heads up that what was up ahead was some serious stuff.because her face was ashen white and she looked shell shocked. This road runs along the Colorado River. We drove 2,5h by GMC Terain. Again, if it were my vehicle, true 4WD with 4 low to save your brakes. I can't describe the relief I felt once we made it to the bottom. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. But be careful not to go after any rain!! A short distance past Corona Arch (0.5 miles), you will find a small parking area for a trail that will take you to another arch called Jeep Arch. We drove it terrifying but breathtaking if you like heights! The view from the bottom is deffiently different than from the top. some areas require 4x4 but we saw cars on the road. She was already getting a death grip on what ever she could grab. Below are a few tips that can save you some money and make for a great trip. I have had a job that involved dangerous situations but this experience scared me to death more than my job ever did. My husband insisted on the trail. Get an early start, arriving in Canyonlands at or just after sunrise. The Shafer Trail in Utah is the perfect way to experience Canyonland National Park, and we have written about all the highlights of this trip, including the Shafer Trail Switchbacks, overlooks, and how to get there. Experience the Shafer Trail - National Park Service An incredible ride, not for the faint of heart - Review of Shafer Trail Beautiful drive in a stock Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport 4X4. The views are stunning the whole drive, and it's a nice way to break up some of the sight seeing and hiking as well. There are a lot of places to pull off at the bottom to take some really good pictures of the Colorado River and rock formations as well. White Rim Road: Detailed Planning Guide and Checklist You can click the check marks to hide or show layers. It requires extreme caution at the best of times for vehicles and mountain bikes, but especially so in inclement weather and at night. A little technical in some places but they just find in a Subaru. Shafer Trail or Shafer Canyon Road? What an awesome ride. Red Wing is a city in Goodhue County, Minnesota, United States, on the Mississippi River. The times that my eyes weren't closed tight, I would just stare at the mountain wall next to the truck. Shafer Trail: 205 Reviews, 1,039 Photos, Map - Utah | AllTrails We took the Shafer trail from Canyonlands all the way back to Moab. These petroglyphs are about 5 miles down the Potash Road. And with 140 farms in Upstate participating, there are plenty of sugar shacks to choose from in every region. The National Park Service recommends that you drive a high-clearance 4WD vehicle on Shafer Canyon Road. You can also learn more about the national parks (and get the full list) in our Guide to the US National Parks. Planning on driving Shafer Road summer 2019. This is a must drive if you have a high clearance, 4 wheel drive vehicle. Have you seen photos of the Shafer Canyon switchbacks and said to yourself, wow, Id really love to drive on that road? I came across this trail when doing research on the national parks for our trip to Moab. Hi, I am returning to Canyonlands in September 2018. Yes, it is a bit steep at the top on the switchbacks. We hope you find this guide helpful on your road trip. John Shafer is credited for improving the trail and making access into the canyon easier. We drove the Shafer Trail in a jeep we rented from Moab Adventure Center and had an amazing time. In Moab, there are numerous companies that will rent 4WD vehicles. The scariest thing Ive ever done! To view it on your phone or computer, open Google Maps, click the menu button, go to Your Places, click Maps, and you will see this map on your list. Pretty moderate drive, nothing technical. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Note: If you do not turn left, you will begin the drive the White Rim Road. 4 WD with 4 lo is recommended due to steep descent into canyon. Potash road is fairly rough, limiting speed to 10 mph max. Few obstacles. there is plenty of room in those switchbacks to pass another fellow 4wheel. A little bumpy, but nothing to freak out over. Its a beautiful time to be in Utahwe even had a dusting of snow at Canyonlands on this visit just a few days before these photos were taken. The most difficult is the Shafer Trail and Mineral Bottom Road switchbacks, Murphy Hogback, Hardscrabble Hill, and the Lathrop Canyon Road - an optional spur road. Watch for oncoming cars, since you'll need to pull over for on switchbacks; most parts on Shafer don't have room for 2 way traffic. He informed me that if he did, we'd probably end up in the canyon, so I shut up and let him drive. go slow but why would you want to go fast anyway!? We did a lot of breathing and reassuring to get up the canyon wall. The trail is open year-round and is beautiful to visit anytime. Saw some bighorn sheep as we crossed through private property. Points of Interest & Landmarks Lookouts, An incredible ride, not for the faint of heart. Damaged soils are prone to erosion and invasive species. Check our our USA Road Trip Guide for travel ideas and sample itineraries. The switchbacks are a total of only about 1 mile long. Go from the bottom up. Damaged soils are prone to erosion and invasive species. Hello Markus. Your email address will not be published. The steep, exposed sections of the Shafer Trail, Lathrop Canyon Road, Murphy Hogback, Hardscrabble Hill, and the Mineral Bottom switchbacks make the White Rim . Not really technical but if you want to continue via Potash Road, you'll need high clearance. We are familiar with driving on remote, dirt roads, but want to know: We will be driving a 4-WD long bed pickup with a length of 21 ft. Will this be o.k. Standing on Dead Horse Point and looking down into the valley next to the Colorado River, we asked ourselves "I wonder how you get on that road down there?" Potash Road is extremely rough. There are no vehicle length restrictions for the Shafer Canyon Raod and I just re-checked the NPS website. If you do the drive in this direction, it is a great way to end your visit to the Island in the Sky District. As we went thru the gate and headed doen the dirt road I told my girlfriend that this was'nt bad at all. You dont need a highly modified rock crawler of any sort to drive it. Trailhead: Find the trailhead off Potash Road\Highway 279, about 16.5 miles from its junction with Highway 191. Starting in 1916, John "Sog" Shafer, used this trail to move cattle from summer pastures on the mesa top to winter ground on the White Rim sandstone, several rock layers down into the canyon. A gem of day is ahead !!! For the rest of the ride down. I was looking at a map and it called that road ORV trail, which made me nervous thinking it was only for side by sides. Some people like to start the trail at Potash Road because you can avoid the entrance fee station going into Canyonlands National Park. I recommend a trip to Dead Horse State Park and you will be able to see Potash road from the Colorado River to the evaporation pools from 2000 ft up. Thats the best view, from the drivers side. My friend and I had actually gone down this trail in June of 2008 (we were at Canyonlands again in June 2011). After we got to the top I asked her if we knew what we were headed to would she have done it and she had to admit she would and so would I. Definetly one of the cheapest adreneline rushes you'll ever have.bring some depends and you'll be fine. Check theweather reportbefore starting your trip andcurrent road conditionsbefore heading out. Combining the White Rim Trail and this trail is a great option. Shafer Canyon Road as it runs just under the rim. The Shafer Trail is not overly difficult. For sections of this road, the surface is a rough, worn slickrock and when you drive over it, your entire vehicle will vibrate and rattle like crazy. White Rim Trail 4x4 Off-Road Tips and Guide - Off-Roading Pro If you are afraid of heights, you may have some anxiety because of the switchbacks and when driving by the Colorado River because there are some steep drop-offs. The 1st mile down from the rim was a bit white-knuckled due to the drop, but easily doable and well worth it. The Shafer Trail is named after the Shafer family, who were Mormon pioneer settlers. The Shafer in Moab is a great way to spend your time in the Canyonland National Park, and we hope you find our guide informative and helpful. The entire drive, from Canyonlands National Park to Moab, is just under 40 miles. <> In 1916 the Shafer family used the trail as a cattle trail to move cows from the summer and winter pastures. We rank these restaurants and attractions by balancing reviews from our members with how close they are to this location. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Shafer Trail. From here, you look out over the Shafer Canyon switchbacks and Dead Horse Point State Park. Just take it slow.Once down, you still need to be in 4 wheel drive as the road can get quite bumpy and there are still a lot of places that require it for navigation. We kept hoping no one was coming up from the bottom because there was absolutely no way to pull over or back up. 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. 3 0 obj This is not an overly challenging trail, but it is a fun trail. Do not recommend! Directions Starting in Canyonlands National Park For one, because the view was always in front of you and two, you didn't have to press the gas going up the switchbacks! Starting in 1916, John Sog Shafer, used this trail to move cattle from summer pastures on the mesa top to winter ground on the White Rim sandstone, several rock layers down into the canyon. Generally considered a moderately challenging route. Quite a few side by sides & dirtbikes but pretty low volume of other vehicles. There were no muddy areasit was all a dry, dirt road with some rocky spots here and there. If you have a high-clearance SUV you should be fine for this drive, just as long as it is not wet or snow-covered. Not for two-wheel-drive sedans, but rather 4WD or AWD, this narrow thread of road leads to the fabled land of moving rocks in the heart of Death Valley. The views are amazing, and we enjoyed exploring this less-visited trail in Moab. How rough is the road? Here you can see dinosaur tracks and more petroglyphs. It was the thrill of a lifetime. The Shafer Trail in Moab: A Complete Trail Guide for 2023 Get the full details on how to do this in our One Day Canyonlands and Arches Itinerary. Buckle up! Shafer Trail (Canyonlands National Park) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go. Loved the route and plan to do it again sometime!! Make sure your vehicle falls within these guidelines before you go. In talking with my husband he said he wouldn't do it and we were driving a full size Yukon Denali. So much fun!! Shafer Canyon Road is a thrilling (scary) off road experience in UT His death in hospital two years later was the result of complications from the head injuries sustained. Well this is like that except you dont know its going to be ok when you feel like any plethora of rocks could slide onto you, out from under you, or somehow end up off the narrow ledge/road, and it lasts an hour!!! Turn left onto Potash Road. First view of the Shafer Canyon switchbacks. Good to know. Drove this the first week of August after some rainy spells so I was worried about mud (I-70 was temporarily blocked with flash flooding when we came through the day before). There are some great overlooks of the Colorado River on the way and very few people. I recommend renting a vehicle for this drive. You can also get updated conditions and advice by speaking to a park ranger in the visitor center. Youre welcome! How to Use This Map: Click the tab in the top left hand corner of the map to view the layers (points of interest and the driving route). Shafer Trail Road-Potash Road is the name of an iconic drive located on the east central edge of Utah, in the western United States. Shafer Trail in Canyonlands National Park is an off-roading experience and an incredible drive. I looked over and saw that the driver's side of the road had given way to a very steep drop-off, and also noticed that the road was narrowing. If you do the whole trail, which means you travel the Potash Road to Shafer Trail into the Canyonlands National Park or vis versa, you will see great Indian petroglyphs, Jug Arch, and the Poison Mesa Spider area. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. You should be driving an all wheel or 4 wheel drive vehicle with decent ground clearance. Originally built to transport ore, you should not attempt to travel this road in severe conditions. After that is was a fairly easy, though rough, drive back to the paved portion on Potash road. This is a far less busy arch than Corona Arch, but it is a fun and underrated hike. Shafer Trail 237 Reviews #7 of 46 things to do in Canyonlands National Park Outdoor Activities, Nature & Parks, Hiking Trails Canyonlands National Park, UT Save Canyonlands National Park Half-Day Tour from Moab 651 Book in advance from $189.39 per adult Check availability View full product details retired111 Gratis, Ohio 38 104 Never again! 4 0 obj At Mile 17, the road becomes Shafer Basin road. +8M*= g3vM(ljlu* Moab Utah Off Road / 4x4 Trails: Shafer Trail - AllTrips
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