Easter Jeep Weekend

[IntrepidXJ]

Hmmm....I guess I forgot to post my trip report from Easter Weekend....better late than never!

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I had it all this last weekend...sun, dust, rain, snow, sleet and hail. The weekend started out on Friday morning for me with a quick trip to the vendor show at the Old Spanish Trail Arena. From there I gassed up and headed south of Moab, away from the EJS crowds. My destination on this dry and sunny day was to explore some of the trails in the Cameo Cliffs North area.

Just one warning before I get into the trip. I did not break out my DSLR once this trip. I just wasn't feeling it, and just stuck with my point & shoot this trip.

I started out heading east on Browns Hole Road and taking a left onto the Benchland Trail. This trail would take me to an overlook of Muleshoe Canyon. Much of the trail was easy, but there were a few washed out sections to keep it interesting.



The trail above Muleshoe Canyon



Eventually this trail ends and you have to turn around. On my way back out, I took a short connecting trail that took me to Highline Road and then over to Black Ridge Road. There are great views of the La Sals from this area.



I ended up taking Black Ridge Road up to the point where the microwave tower is located.



Before heading back down, I followed the short Black Ridge Point loop that takes you out to a nice overlook. It was a fast two-track most of the way.



After taking Black Ridge Road down to the highway....and passing by the very busy Area BFE, my next stop was a short loop off the highway named the Cave Trail.

This short loop follows closely to the 'Cameo Cliffs'

[IntrepidXJ]

This loop is actually an old section of highway that was used before the current US 191 was constructed. There is an old bridge that is crossed.





Muleshoe Canyon was the trail I had been looking forward to checking out all day, and that's where I headed to next It's not a long trail, but the scenery was great.







I was planning on heading back into town to fuel up and grab some dinner before I headed even further south to find a campsite, but I still had plenty of time, so I made the short drive up to Prostitute Butte to check out Balcony Arch and Picture Frame Arch, first.

[IntrepidXJ]

Saturday was the day that my original plans really changed. The preceding night it had started raining and ended up raining most of the night and into the morning. Temperatures had also dropped quite a bit and there was snow above 6000ish feet.

Early morning rain to start the day...



My original destination was to check out Ruin Park and Beef Basin. I made my way south to UT 211 and headed towards Canyonlands National Park. Then I hung a left and headed up Cottonwood Canyon.



The road started out fine, but once I got next to Bridger Jack Mesa the road became much slicker and muddier.



By the time I reached the other end of Bridger Jack Mesa, I was sick of all the mud so I decided to turn around and head elsewhere. I will head back later this year when it is a bit drier ;) On the way back, I got off Cottonwood Canyon Road and headed down onto North Cottonwood Road.



This was a fun little loop that followed the creek bed for a little ways...which was flowing pretty good for obvious reasons.



After making it back to the highway, I looked at my maps and guide books and figured I'd head further south to try and avoid the bad weather. My new destination was Montezuma Canyon which takes off just south of Monticello and ends near Hovenweep National Monument. The weather was still on and off rain, but this was an easy road that wasn't muddy.

After dropping down into the canyon I quickly came across a few modern cave dwellings



Then I had to avoid this huge pothole in the road (I couldn't see the bottom).

[IntrepidXJ]

There were also some much older cave dwellings high up along the canyon walls



Eventually I reached the highlight of this trail: Three Kiva Pueblo



It's a fully restored kiva that you can climb down into.









After spending some time exploring the kiva, I finished off the trail and made my way back up though Blanding. By that time it was raining pretty good again, so I figured I'd stop at the Edge of the Cedars Museum to get out of the weather for a while.

[IntrepidXJ]

There were a ton of great artifacts excavated from ruins around the area that were cool to check out. There was even a whole room completely full of shelves of pottery. It was a great way to spend a few hours. Out back behind the museum was another restored kiva that could be climbed in, too.





On my way back to camp I stopped in Monticello to fuel up and grab a bite to eat. By the time I reached camp, I still had some daylight left and the weather had cleared up a little bit. I noticed on my map that there was a short trail nearby that ended at an overlook of Hart's Draw. So I went to check it out.

Headed towards Wind Whistle Rock



It turned out to be a fast, fun and sandy road much of the way. There were two sections of slickrock to cross, but the way was easily found across them. There were even two ledges to climb. This trail had everything in just under 1.5 miles. Closer to the overlook, the trail was a little used two-track.



View from the Wind Whistle Overlook



...and finally headed back to camp for the night.



Even though the weather pretty much sucked most of the day, I still managed to check out some cool new places.

[IntrepidXJ]

Sunday, I woke up and broke down camp in the rain and snow. It had again rained most of the night. I didn't have any specific plans for Sunday, but with the wet weather, I figured I'd make it a short day and head home early. After heading back north through Moab, I fueled up again and headed out of town on UT 128.

By the time I reached Castle Valley, the skies had actually started to clear.



One of the trails on my 'to do' list has been the Dolores River Overlook, so I decided to check out that trail before heading home. The trail is an easy road the whole way to the overlook, but the scenery is nice :)



View down on the Dolores River from the overlook



From the overlook I was also able to look down on the end of the Dolores River trail that takes off from Gateway, CO and ends at the mouth of Cottonwood Canyon, which I had checked out last spring.

After enjoying the scenery I turned around and was about to head back home, when I ran across the group from ExpeditionUtah that were running the Kokopelli trail that weekend. Greg invited me to join them for a bit, so I turned around and followed them to Rose Garden Hill.

Cody in front of me

[IntrepidXJ]

Our whole group headed down towards Rose Garden Hill



Minor repairs on the trail



Kurt and Greg headed down Rose Garden Hill



Kurt lifting a tire on the way down



When we made it to Onion Creek Road, I parted ways and headed home, while the rest of the group went on to finish off the Kokopelli.

Fisher Valley



After returning to 128, I continued on my way home, thus ending my trip. Even though the weather sucked much of the weekend, it was great to get out and check out some new places in southeastern Utah again :)

[theking648]

one good thing right after another. the next picture is better then the one before it... it's like sucking down a slurpee without the brain freeze

[Alex]

Very cool report and an awesome read, thanks man!

[moab mark]

NIce pics, I've got to admit you get around. Years ago we had a bad day in a spring snow storm out in beef basin going in the back way to elephant hill. If you haven't made that loop I reccomend it, nice.
Mark

[Don]

Nice TR. Very cool cave house. Are there any more like that? I want to live there!

[trackrunner]

Nice TR. Very cool cave house. Are there any more like that? I want to live there!

Become a polygamist and Marry a few of the chicks the live there.

[IntrepidXJ]

Nice TR. Very cool cave house. Are there any more like that? I want to live there!

There were a few in that canyon. That was the biggest one.

[IntrepidXJ]

NIce pics, I've got to admit you get around. Years ago we had a bad day in a spring snow storm out in beef basin going in the back way to elephant hill. If you haven't made that loop I reccomend it, nice.
Mark

I try to get around

I have done the Elephant Hill trail before and took the spur to the Joint trail....but I haven't done the Beef Basin loop yet. I'll get back there sometime this year

[accadacca]

Epic man. Sick stuff.

[Don]

Nice TR. Very cool cave house. Are there any more like that? I want to live there!

Become a polygamist and Marry a few of the chicks the live there.

Even better; cool house in the rock and bed rotation!

Of course I'm still going to need a date night (More power in heaven for more wives right? Gotta keep at it...)

[offpiste]

That was some ground coverage. Thanks again for sharing.