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Thread: Coyote Gulch trailhead

  1. #1

    Coyote Gulch trailhead

    Will be at Coyote Gulch in mid May and am curious about the road to Fortymile Ridge trailhead. Will not have a 4WD and am wondering if a normal rental car will be able to get past the Jacob Hamblin trailhead. Would prefer to park at Fortymile but I don't want to get stuck. Any information is greatly appreciated.

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  3. #2
    Been a few years, but I recall the issue being sand and not clearance. It could change year-to-year and seasonally. Lower your tire pressure? Bring some carpet remnants? Upgrade your rental?
    It is good that warriors such as we meet in the struggle of life... or death. It shall be life. - Ten Bears, "The Outlaw Josie Wales"

  4. #3
    yo joey. was out at the 40-mile trailhead just last week. amongst the 1.5-dozen parked trucks/suvs were two domestic mini-vans, a 4-dr sedan, and an oregon science school (short) bus. not nearly the sandy conditions i was expecting on that section of road. however, conditions could easily change with the next wind storm.

    regardless, drive fast. don't be that jong who sinks their vehicle on that tight two-track road.

  5. #4
    Funny about that place...not just 40 mile but the whole of HRR. I've seen cars that made me scratch my head in wonder how the heck they pulled it off, and then there are the one's that end up needing a ride back to town because something got destroyed.

    It seems the trick for the low clearance crowd is to have good tire and don't go too fast. But then again, I've seen plenty of bald tires at trailheads, too.
    The end of the world for some...
    The foundation of paradise for others.

  6. #5
    Thanks for the info. I'm pretty good about getting through tough spots but I don't want to be the guy who gets stuck.

  7. #6
    Quote Originally Posted by ststephen View Post
    Been a few years, but I recall the issue being sand and not clearance. It could change year-to-year and seasonally. Lower your tire pressure? Bring some carpet remnants? Upgrade your rental?
    Ditto

  8. #7
    Or rather than upgrade your rental, you could just walk it if it got that bad. Usually it isn't a problem to drive there, but even if it is, it won't take long to walk to the end of the road. Maybe 30-40 minutes? Chances are your car will probably make it (or close) anyway. Dry weather is worse for sand.
    Utah is a very special and unique place. There is no where else like it on earth. Please take care of it and keep the remaining wild areas in pristine condition. The world will be a better place if you do.

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  10. #8
    Quote Originally Posted by Scott P View Post
    Or rather than upgrade your rental, you could just walk it if it got that bad. Usually it isn't a problem to drive there, but even if it is, it won't take long to walk to the end of the road. Maybe 30-40 minutes? Chances are your car will probably make it (or close) anyway. Dry weather is worse for sand.

    Is the road really much different/worse between JH trailhead and 40mile trailhead? I have considered parking at JH and just walking.

  11. #9
    Is the road really much different/worse between JH trailhead and 40mile trailhead?
    Sometimes there can be deeps sand beyond the Jacob Hamblin Arch TH, especially if the weather has been dry. The road to Jacob Hamblin Arch TH is almost always good for cars.
    Utah is a very special and unique place. There is no where else like it on earth. Please take care of it and keep the remaining wild areas in pristine condition. The world will be a better place if you do.

  12. #10
    I walked the the road from the Jacob Arch TH to the Forty Mile TH to get to the Crack-in-the-Wall. It took us ~1 hour. The road after the Jacob Arch TH does get sandier. There are few places you can turn around if you decided it is too sandy. Some of the sand sections are pretty long, which means if you get stuck, it is not going to be easy to get unstuck. If you rented an AW vehicle, you would for sure be fine.

    Most rental companies have a policy that prohibits you from taking their vehicles "off-road". That would include the Forty Mile Road. I would not want to have to explain to the rental company why I got their car stuck on a road I was not supposed to be on. If you can afford it, rent a AW vehicle and wash it before you return it to the rental company. There is always someone around that could pull you out, that is if they happen to have a tow rope in their truck.

  13. #11
    Quote Originally Posted by Joeygeo1 View Post
    Is the road really much different/worse between JH trailhead and 40mile trailhead? I have considered parking at JH and just walking.
    there was a Toyota Prius in the JHA trailhead parking lot last weekend, if that says anything about the road conditions between HITR and JHA. the section between JHA and 40 is where you'd want both hands on the wheel.

    quite frankly, topping the list of your worries should be the drive down HITR in a rental.

    it is loosely reported that flat tires this spring season are way above average. anecdotally, on our drive out from fortymile we came across four different vehicles with flat tires, one of which, a suburban rental, had a double flat 10-miles in from the paved road. 3 outta 4 were rentals.

    dude with double flat told that me if he were to repair with tire plugs (which I had on hand) or fix-a-flat, he would have to eat the cost of a new set of tires. he was waiting for the tow truck that was dispatched all the way from ruby's inn / Bryce canyon. and am not too sure how much jack he was going to have to fork out for off-pavement towing.

    good luck

  14. #12
    The arch th is maybe 80 feet higher than the ridge th so you' might have gravity along with the sand working against you on the way out.

    Doing the loop via the arch route, down the gulch, and out thru the crack isn't bad. Last time I did it a fella gave me a lift from the ridge th back to the arch th.

  15. #13
    Quote Originally Posted by Moose Droppings View Post
    there was a Toyota Prius in the JHA trailhead parking lot last weekend, if that says anything about the road conditions between HITR and JHA. the section between JHA and 40 is where you'd want both hands on the wheel.

    quite frankly, topping the list of your worries should be the drive down HITR in a rental.

    it is loosely reported that flat tires this spring season are way above average. anecdotally, on our drive out from fortymile we came across four different vehicles with flat tires, one of which, a suburban rental, had a double flat 10-miles in from the paved road. 3 outta 4 were rentals.

    dude with double flat told that me if he were to repair with tire plugs (which I had on hand) or fix-a-flat, he would have to eat the cost of a new set of tires. he was waiting for the tow truck that was dispatched all the way from ruby's inn / Bryce canyon. and am not too sure how much jack he was going to have to fork out for off-pavement towing.

    good luck


    To say this is disappointing to me is an understatement. Definitely adds to the risk/cost factor and I usually don't worry too much about things like that. Maybe I will be optimistic and hope that the high number of flats early on will reduce the chance of flats for others later on. Then again, I tend to be a realist...

  16. #14
    Quote Originally Posted by Joeygeo1 View Post
    To say this is disappointing to me is an understatement. Definitely adds to the risk/cost factor and I usually don't worry too much about things like that. Maybe I will be optimistic and hope that the high number of flats early on will reduce the chance of flats for others later on. Then again, I tend to be a realist...
    I'm just guessing...but I wouldn't be surprised if speed had a great deal to do with the many flat tires. Most people don't drive a rental with as much care as we drive our own cars.

    The tires on a rental should be the same quality as other new cars sold. Even though OEM tires aren't the burliest tires available, they should be able to handle a dirt road no problem...unless they were being abused.

    Go slow, watch for hazards and be able to avoid them. It's ok if people pass you like you're stopped, maybe you'll see them down the road parked on the shoulder fixing a flat tire...

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