Moab Destinations Away from the Crowds

[gonzo]

I'm going to be down in Moab for the Canyonlands Half Marathon in a few weeks, and I'm looking for recommendations of easy hikes (less than 5-6 miles round trip) that will (hopefully) be away from the crowds. I'll be packing my 5-month old daughter in her BabyBjorn, so I can't do anything that requires scrambling.

I'm thinking about heading up Negro Bill Canyon or maybe to the Behind the Rocks area, but I've never been either place, so I don't really know what to expect. Any other suggestions?

[Brewhaha]

The Tunnel in Arches is fun and is, surprisingly, very rarely visited.

[slickrocker]

Negro Bill always has a lot of people as well as poison ivy growing next to the trail, probably not a great choice for a toddler.
Behind the Rocks-if you go up from Hidden Valley it has a pretty steep and rocky trail, but probably not many people. Going up from the Moab Rim jeep TH you'll probably encounter some vehicles.

A couple other suggestions would be-
- Hunter Cyn. -a few miles down Kane Creek Road you'll come to the Hunter Cyn CG, park there and hike up canyon.
- The Jackson Trail- park where Kane Creek enters the Colorado R. the trail goes downhill then crosses Kane Cr. and heads up the mesa on a long diagonal towards where the power lines cross over the river. Fantastic views from the top of Amasa Back.
- Arches - if you have 4wd or don't mind rough driving, take the Willow Flats Road, the dirt one near Balanced Rock, about 2-3 miles til you come to some large washes crossing the road. Park near the 2nd or 3rd wash and start hiking up wash towards Herdina Park, the best solitude in Arches. You'll need most of a day for this.
-Or, if you have 4wd, take the Willow Flats Road and turn right onto the 4WD road and follow it about 2 miles to the Eye of the Whale Arch parking. Park there and explore Herdina Park from the north.

[Jaxx]

The Tunnel in Arches is fun and is, surprisingly, very rarely visited.

One of my favorite. If you're a real glutten for punishment and you love sand slogging combine it with ring arch, my favorite arch so far.

We hiked the devils garden and once you got out past Landscape arch there were only a couple of people on the trail.

The hike into Mideival chamber was a fun one. It has a pretty tight slot that you would have to scramble around. Then of course you would have to turn back at the first rap. It is pretty exposed to the sun on parts and there is some scrambling, but some in our group found easy places to go around.

Fiery furnace is a must!

[asdf]

The tunnel is very cool, you should check it out.