Seeking advice on a Moab Spring of 2023 Trip

fachidsey0144

fachidsey0144

New member
Looking for some advice, we are planning a camping trip during spring break for the kids in 2023 and want to do Moab. We obviously want to do some wheeling while we are out there. Because we are still new I am not interested in going it alone, since this group has some experience in area I am looking for:

1) a guide if you will that will take us out wheeling
2) trail list of trails that should be done, I have a few already such as Fins and Things, and Elephant Road, very on the fence about some the others.
3) trails not to take due to complexity exp level etc.
4) Camp Ground with full hookups for a 37' ToyHauler
5) BLM land where we can dry camp with above camper

Thanks in advance.

And if anybody is going to be out there during the week of March 17th through the 25th happy to meet up camp wheel etc.
 
fachidsey0144 said:
Looking for some advice, we are planning a camping trip during spring break for the kids in 2023 and want to do Moab. We obviously want to do some wheeling while we are out there. Because we are still new I am not interested in going it alone, since this group has some experience in area I am looking for:

1) a guide if you will that will take us out wheeling
2) trail list of trails that should be done, I have a few already such as Fins and Things, and Elephant Road, very on the fence about some the others.
3) trails not to take due to complexity exp level etc.
4) Camp Ground with full hookups for a 37' ToyHauler
5) BLM land where we can dry camp with above camper

Thanks in advance.

And if anybody is going to be out there during the week of March 17th through the 25th happy to meet up camp wheel etc.
Click to expand...


1) a guide if you will that will take us out wheeling
Sorry not much help here. EJS maybe, I've never done it but is a major wheeling weekend with vendors and sponsored organized runs. There's also Jeep/toyota rental places in town that do "Safari's" which I think means guided run

2) trail list of trails that should be done, I have a few already such as Fins and Things, and Elephant Road, very on the fence about some the others.
This is a hard one to answer and really depends on what your experience level is. Hells revenge is right next to fins and things I believe, you have to pay an entry fee for these two so might as well do both. You can bypass the more difficult obstacles on HR anyway. I recommend this book https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Moab-Backroads-4-Wheel-Drive-Trails/dp/193483825X one of the guys had a copy when I went and it was way better than the On-X Offroad app. It will describe each trail, difficulty level, how to get to the trailhead, where the bypasses are and even which lines are more difficult.

3) trails not to take due to complexity exp level etc.
Same as above but also avoid even maintained dirt roads during rain and snow. I am still washing red mud stains off of my jeep 2 years later.

4) Camp Ground with full hookups for a 37' ToyHauler
I didn't stay there but we used 7mile RV park to store our car trailers, they were reasonable and seemed like decent people. Its a little ways north of the town of Moab, 15 minutes maybe. Theres also several in Spanish valley 15 minutes south of town, one of the guys in my group stayed in a "cabin" at the KOA & seemed to like it. Theres no place in the whole dang area to park a trailer for free that I could find. Also seemed like a lot of HOA's with rules about trailers, we got told on for having trailers before we could even unload them.

5) BLM land where we can dry camp with above camper
Anywhere except where Gaby Petito is staying
 
CalSgt said:
1) a guide if you will that will take us out wheeling
Sorry not much help here. EJS maybe, I've never done it but is a major wheeling weekend with vendors and sponsored organized runs. There's also Jeep/toyota rental places in town that do "Safari's" which I think means guided run

2) trail list of trails that should be done, I have a few already such as Fins and Things, and Elephant Road, very on the fence about some the others.
This is a hard one to answer and really depends on what your experience level is. Hells revenge is right next to fins and things I believe, you have to pay an entry fee for these two so might as well do both. You can bypass the more difficult obstacles on HR anyway. I recommend this book https://www.amazon.com/Guide-Moab-Backroads-4-Wheel-Drive-Trails/dp/193483825X one of the guys had a copy when I went and it was way better than the On-X Offroad app. It will describe each trail, difficulty level, how to get to the trailhead, where the bypasses are and even which lines are more difficult.

3) trails not to take due to complexity exp level etc.
Same as above but also avoid even maintained dirt roads during rain and snow. I am still washing red mud stains off of my jeep 2 years later.

4) Camp Ground with full hookups for a 37' ToyHauler
I didn't stay there but we used 7mile RV park to store our car trailers, they were reasonable and seemed like decent people. Its a little ways north of the town of Moab, 15 minutes maybe. Theres also several in Spanish valley 15 minutes south of town, one of the guys in my group stayed in a "cabin" at the KOA & seemed to like it. Theres no place in the whole dang area to park a trailer for free that I could find. Also seemed like a lot of HOA's with rules about trailers, we got told on for having trailers before we could even unload them.

5) BLM land where we can dry camp with above camper
Anywhere except where Gaby Petito is staying
Click to expand...
LOL, "Gabby Petito" maybe too soon for some, but still funny.

We have the off road book .

As for experience, I am decent for picking lines, from riding down hill Mountain bikes for years, and My wife is a decent driver, I try to let her drive most of the time, I find that she has more finesse were I tend to drive it like I stole it (too many years of EVOC training classes and my general driving temperament).

As for the red clay roads I am all too familiar, we frequent the Angle Fire NM area a few times a year, and my truck is trashed every time I come back inside and out.
 
Be prepared for the weather to change. That time of year it can be hot, or snow. If the weather is not great go into Canyonlands or Arches. I have been in both during snow and there was still plenty to do.
Tower Arch trail is in Arches NP and is easy, but a good intro to what Moab has to offer. There is also a great arch to walk out to. Whenever I have someone join me in Moab that has never been there we do that trail first.
Fins-N-Things is fun and a great way to see what "slick" rock is really like
My wife and I love Seven Mile Rim
Poison Spider is also fun and there are easy lines for most obstacles.
Elephant Hill is fun as well, it will take a day from Moab and back but it is awesome scenery. (also, you have to get a permit to drive Elephant Hill. They can be gotten on-line 24hrs before you want to run it.)
That is our Spring Break as well. If I can get a couple days maybe my wife I can come up and do some trails with you.
 
Our first trip to Moab with 3 brand new 2017 JKU"s we hired Dan Mick for the first day to guide us around. We split the cost between 3 of us so it was not expensive. Dan picked us up at our camp at 6am and we followed him and wheeled till 8pm. He had radios for us and took us everywhere, Hells gate, Slick-rock Punchbowl everywhere. Was a perfect trip we learned a lot from Dan about the area and heard some great stories (Rollovers, Dinosaurs Track and much more) worth it for us.
 
Late March should be good weather! Find someone to wheel with from this or other forums or Facebook pages to meet up with. Moab is such a destination that people are always going there to wheel! I saw someone above who already volunteered, very cool 🤙🏽
A couple of my favorites that are day trip friendly and not super sketchy are:
Dome Plateau- mostly moderate with a few easier difficult sections (non sketchy but technical obstacles), with bypasses. It’s a quieter trail compared to most of the “classic” trails in the area but it is so scenic and a perfect mix of short rock crawling sections, long easy sandy roads with amazing views.

Sevenmile Rim - moderate with a couple difficult sections. The perfect all around Moab trail with amazing views and slick rock and cracks.

There are so many awesome trails but these two fit what your looking for in my opinion 🤙🏽
 
Dress in layers. It's gonna be cold in the mornings and later in the evening. Hells Revenge and Fins and Things have some of the most beautiful scenery, but when its chilly and the wind gets whipping through there, it can be miserable if you're not prepared. Coffee/hot chocolate/tea in a big thermos got a lot of use this year. Along with the heated seats and blanket.

Halfway through the week of EJS this year we woke up to snow on the southside of Moab. My girlfriend thought it was gonna be a Netflix-n-Chill day, and was surprised when I said it'll be perfect in a couple hours. Sure enough by 9am there was no sign of snow and it was a beautiful day on the trail.

F54970EB-99B3-4A85-9EB8-0FA7A2B3A60C.jpeg
 
fachidsey0144 said:
Looking for some advice, we are planning a camping trip during spring break for the kids in 2023 and want to do Moab. We obviously want to do some wheeling while we are out there. Because we are still new I am not interested in going it alone, since this group has some experience in area I am looking for:

1) a guide if you will that will take us out wheeling
2) trail list of trails that should be done, I have a few already such as Fins and Things, and Elephant Road, very on the fence about some the others.
3) trails not to take due to complexity exp level etc.
4) Camp Ground with full hookups for a 37' ToyHauler
5) BLM land where we can dry camp with above camper

Thanks in advance.

And if anybody is going to be out there during the week of March 17th through the 25th happy to meet up camp wheel etc.
Click to expand...
I liked slick rock campground...it can handle anything RV-wise if they have spaces available.

We're going the week after EJS. Mar 17 is too early if you ask me...high likelihood of snow or bad weather, but hard to say that early. Sometimes its awesome and sometimes it's not.
 
I go every year the end of December. Just adjust your trail run if there is snow.
I have run Seven Mile Rim, Poison Spider, Top of The World, Dome Plateau, Chicken Corners in the snow. Seven Mile is best with snow on it, I just don't do the tippy part after Monitor and Merrimack Buttes.
Stay off the fins if it is snowing though
As was mentioned already, if the sun comes out the snow vanishes.
 
March is a fantastic time to go to Moab! Yes, as others have said, it will be cold and the weather will change every few hours. However, the town and trails are still fairly quiet. Most shops and restaurants close over the winter, but start to open up mid-March (If you like donuts, don't miss Doughbird).

Trails for incredible scenery and exploring, all very easy, could even be done in the snow if you are careful.
Gemini Bridges - I recommend going to the bottom and the top.
Potash Road - Part of Canyonlands backcountry
Hurrah Pass - Leads to Chicken Corners, this is almost an all-day trip, I recommend just going to the top of Hurrah and turning around. Chicken Corners is pretty but not as appealing as easier-to-access overlooks.

Slightly harder -
Long Canyon (Rated a 4, but our stock Gladiator did it in 2WD)- "Shortcut" between town and highway 313. (Way more fun than taking the highway at least) Highway 313 allows access to Dead Horse Point, Monitor and Mirramac Shafer Road, Mesa Arch, etc.
Also, there are many campgrounds off of 313 that your trailer could fit in.

I have more suggestions east of town, in the Castle Valley/Fisher Tower area, if you like. I can go on for a while about Moab.

As for camping. Open BLM is getting a bit tough. You can no longer free camp within a 20-mile radius of Moab. Klondike Bluffs area is your best bet, but that is about 20 minutes north of town. That said, there are many campgrounds close to town that are first come, first served. Sand Flats is the closest, but super popular, though March might be okay. Outside of that, try the campgrounds off of Highway 128 (which goes out to Castle Valley) or Kane Creek Blvd.
 
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