Spring Break in Moab

Just got back from half a week in Moab over spring break. Didn't do anything hard core but had a blast. Weather was OK but not great Thursday and Friday then much nicer on Saturday. It was windy enough Thu & Fri to make our potato salad crunchy from the sand. One of our group who was there for the first time said he'd gotten a full taste of Moab!

Did Tusher Tunnel/Hidden Canyon/Lunar Canyon on Thurs. (Lunar Canyon is part of the 3D trail). Only got lost on the slickrock of Lunar Canyon once.

Went out to Gemini Bridges on Friday. Very dissappointing. The arches were impressive but the "trail" was graded gravel except for about a quarter mile down to the bridges themselves. Good thing we went down Bull Canyon to see the bottom of the bridges first or we wouldn't done much of any 4-wheeling.

Saturday was much better. We went out Porcupine Rim. Just hard enough to make you think about what you're doing but not hard enough to wonder if you're getting in over your head.

My third trip out that way and it won't be my last.

Hey Bill-

Glad to hear you had a good time. Any chance we can get some more details on Tusher Tunnel/Hidden Canyon/Lunar Canyon? Haven't heard of those.

Thanks-Stretch

Those trails are 3, 5, and 4 respectively in Chuck Well's book. They are northwest of town out towards the airport. 3 and 5 are easy but a lot of fun, especially #5. 4 is called Hidden Canyon Overlook in Chuck's book. Lunar Canyon is an optional spur that is used mostly during the Easter Jeep Safari. There is a huge slick-rock formation that is just past the tunnel on Tusher that is fun to play on. While I enjoyed all three, they are at the bottom of the list of Moab trails I want to do over. Across the highway, trails 1 & 2, Klondike Bluffs and Tower Arch are much better trails. Both can also be done in stock vehicles. The little trail that connects them will get your attention though.

Kermit pretty much got it right. Trails 3, 4 & 5 in Well's book. Tusher Tunnel is a spur off of Hidden Canyon the goes out to a natural tunnel in the rock. The trail isn't much but the tunnel was very interesting and fun (you hike through it, about 400 yds long?). I did the whole thing in 2wd.

Hidden Canyon bottom was lots of sand and wash. Again, I did most of it in 2wd. Hidden Canyon Overlook was a much more interesting trail. Several large areas of slickrock, a few moderately challenging shelves and a nice view out at the overlook. We came back through Lunar Canyon. It is part of the 3D trail for EJS. A couple of large areas of white slickrock (a little different fron the usual red) which were considerably rougher and more undulating. Picking a line took a little thought to avoid scraping and banging.

To get to Hidden Canyon go north on 191 about 13 miles. Turn west on Mill Canyon Road about 3.6 miles and turn left. The spur to Tusher Tunnel goes right in about 0.1 mile. Turn right at 6.2 miles down a steep hill into a large wash.

I think these trails are worth doing once if you don't have to have hard core 'wheeling to have fun. I think Hidden Canyon Overlook with the return through Lunar Canyon would be worth doing again.

Klondike Bluffs and over the ridge to Tower Arch are also very nice moderate trails. I've done them before. Part of our group that didn't want the difficulty of Porcupine Rim did that on Saturday. They reported that both trails were somewhat more difficult than in the past (but still doable for stock rigs) due to last fall's major storms.