For sections of this road, the surface is a rough, worn slickrock and when you drive over it, your entire vehicle will vibrate and rattle like crazy. John Shafer is credited for improving the trail and making access into the canyon easier. You do need to pay attention when driving the trail because there is two-way traffic, and at times, you may need to pull over at a pull-out to let other vehicles pass. We cringed to see a number of passenger type vehicles traveling on it and observed lots of paint scrapes on Rocky sections. We went top to bottom. Shafer Trail in Canyonlands National Park is an off-roading experience and an incredible drive. Do you need to book in advance to visit Shafer Trail? Shafer Canyon Overlook is not actually on the Shafer Trail. The park ranger warned of mud and ledges on Potash. We drove the backway from Potash Road. Starting in 1916, John Sog Shafer, used this trail to move cattle from summer pastures on the mesa top to winter ground on the White Rim sandstone, several rock layers down into the canyon. This is an absolutely incredible trail to run! Republishing this articleand/orany of its contents (text, photography, etc. 4/28/2023. Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Today, the Shafer Trail is a challenging, unpaved backcountry road for recreational users seeking the experience of a lifetime Drove in reverse from Canyonlands to Potash Rd, nothing technical. We started at the top and had driven down to the bottom and I must say I have never been so scared in my life. If you have any questions about this drive, or if you want to share your experience, you can do so in the comment section below. Drive the Shafer Trail -Canyonlands Island in the Sky to Moab- The West is Big! Buckle up! The hike to Corona Arch is 2.5 miles round trip and gets great reviews. Shafer Trail 237 Reviews #7 of 46 things to do in Canyonlands National Park Outdoor Activities, Nature & Parks, Hiking Trails Canyonlands National Park, UT Save Canyonlands National Park Half-Day Tour from Moab 653 Book in advance from $189.39 per adult Check availability View full product details xodar Pace, Florida 58 87 This is a very scenic area and a great section to stop and take pictures. Later when we were too committed to turn back that would be about 6 switchbacks later we flashed back on her face and understood what was up and regretted we didn't inquire about the road ahead of us when we had the chance. The majority of people who drive on the Shafer Trail would not rate the Shafer Trial as scary. Tony Boeckel: 1892 1924 31 years American baseball player car San Diego, California Cris Bolado: 1969 2017 47 years Filipino basketball player motorcycle Phnom Penh . Try this 19.6-mile point-to-point trail near Moab, Utah. Incredible views of Shafer Canyon from up top. The Shafer Trail difficulty rating is moderate because there are some steep switchbacks. If you click the icons on the map, you can get more information about each point of interest. From here, you can see Shafer Canyon Road, the White Rim Road, Potash Road, and Dead Horse Point State Park. After that continue to Moab. The views are amazing, and we enjoyed exploring this less-visited trail in Moab. Now, you are below the rim but the views are still pretty awesome. The steep, exposed sections of the Shafer Trail, Lathrop Canyon Road, Murphy's Hogback, Hardscrabble Hill, and the Mineral Bottom switchbacks make the White Rim loop a challenging ride, and require extreme caution for both vehicles and bikes during periods of inclement weather. You will pass below Dead Horse Point. It requires extreme caution at the best of times for vehicles and mountain bikes, but especially so in inclement weather and at night. To do this, you must have a permit. I started at the bottom to too and highly suggest that way over top to bottom. As the Shafer Trail starts to distance itself from the Colorado River, you will pass by the Potash Ponds. They are steep, and it is recommended to travel them in 4 low. Unbelievable and amazing views if the Colorado! Nothing too challenging (in a 2021 Jeep Rubicon with 35 tires), however, I would not consider doing this in a stock or low clearance vehicle. Get the full details on how to do this in our One Day Canyonlands and Arches Itinerary. I personally do not think a 4WD is necessary, but high clearance is definitely a must to avoid damaging your vehicle. Yes, the Shafer Trail is open year-round. Moderate 4.7 (604) Canyonlands National Park. For the full list, check out our Canyonlands Travel Guide. Tripadvisor gives a Travelers Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor. If you see an approaching car, pull over and allow them to pass. We used Canyonlands Jeep Rentals and had an awesome experience. The Shafer Trail Viewpoint, located a little farther down the road, is spectacular, too. Insane!!!!! This small roadside pullout is paved with enough space to accommodate a handful of cars. Breathtaking views - well worth combining with Potash Rd. Below is a link for the full details on how to drive the White Rim Road in one day. In fact I told my wife there doesn't look like there is a road out of here. Worked in perfectly for us after a quick trip to Mesa Arch. This is the stretch of road starting at the Shafer Canyon switchbacks and ending just past the Potash evaporation ponds. Insane views!!!! Most people start in Canyonlands and end in Moab. We took the Shafer trail from Canyonlands all the way back to Moab. The photos of the trail (and looking at it on Google Earth) made it look quite scary, however after watching the drive real time on YouTube it seemed very doable. Here the road had several deeps ruts which required some tight maneuvering in our vehicle. Originally built to transport ore, you should not attempt to travel this road in severe conditions. %f:qQ;ri>{FBV5B2NWr)dfh=7`bF1[c"\n?_sW|k.\"?8?9rxEpOSaF\ yO-}q+Rk&:soR$D*pVk:{7PQk2__5NCxb@yGJp|Um3ia/f.1{?~q{lok{Ac+l7jl4g ArC+/t/; ?BprFtW![b1ia!T?&&-8[5r$F[BzvlD+1I`;y|fX @Lw-xV4aSt Please stay on the trail so as not to disturb biological soil crust. Answered all of my questions. .=PAdK+1k.F0DKRk&*q,^5`uAquAu5Ahc"MJ.H^i_BdO>x($+GKAuLXXr3R*"!BO>vepCPC[H-eXLw_ s`ooq2gq ;p|2 rQnnQd#VbY,+aWpJ!z4@sm~KHPC%#lsWb,ee'9g?*Bt10`ChXf^*ZFI]e-zaX}'Kb^0` Thank you for the recommendation to go up hill (from Potash Rd to Canyon Land NP visitor center). This is a popular trail for mountain biking, off-road driving, and scenic driving, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. Highly recommend the ride but would only use 4WD vehicles for the clearance and sometimes rocky road. I had a death-grip on the interior bar/handle in the truck (also known as an "OH MY GAWD!!!" Laurent, Before you go, here is a link to what the National Park Service defines as a high-clearance vehicle. They stopped and chatted with us and asked if the roads were any better from the direction we had come from.we told them it was rough.but one look at the woman in the passenger seat should have given us a heads up that what was up ahead was some serious stuff.because her face was ashen white and she looked shell shocked. BEST OF CANYONLANDS: Top experiences in Canyonlands includes visiting the Island in the Sky district, driving the White Rim Road, hiking in the Needles district, and hiking the Syncline Loop. +8M*= g3vM(ljlu* The sheer cliffs are exciting but not unsafe. The Shafer Trail in Moab was later improved along with the White Rim Road by the Atomic Energy Commission, which used the trails to move uranium-rich bedrock into Moab to be processed. Cheers, Julie. This is a Jeep/4x4 trail t. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Total Distance: 39 miles Length of Time: 2 hours. UTAH ITINERARY: In our Utah National Parks Road Trip Guide, we cover multiple ways to road trip through the national parks in Utah. The Potash Road will eventually turn into a dirt road that is the Shafer Trail. ARCHES AND CANYONLANDS: If you have limited time, learn how to visit Arches and Canyonlands National Parks in one day and do this drive!. We loved this off-road experience. A gem of day is ahead !!! . The entire drive, from Canyonlands National Park to Moab, is just under 40 miles. ]J [,;9CoOUJRJbTiI4wYv*s8D4@K ]Sz%X7R7N-FHjkZ)}qX&iJqt"\"r:,_/XNgn^aQ\3xUTA4X6}e:9'~+R?&yMz)cGjh4-^&8JWy) ;pZTa`=Jpx*]e3/de@5'*\2BQa-ak'fI%XX tUP$lYL1/+Z^[JLUXg`*_$lT Death Road is a lethal journey in the Bolivian Yungas region . 17 miles of this road is unpaved. 94% of travelers recommend this experience. Thanks for your reply, thanks for your great site !!! On our first day, we covered 70 miles of the road, camping at the Airport Campground. It's a little on the scary side at times, but highly worth it for both the 4 wheeler (hubby) and shutterbug (me) alike. Do your research well!! For the rest of the ride down. 4 0 obj A short, but unpaved and uneven trail leads to a fenced viewing area. Please stay on the trail so as not to disturb biological soil crust. This is a very popular area for mountain biking and scenic driving, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. Any road in Moab that is not a paved road can be difficult to traverse in the rain. I suppose this would be a great trail for those who have nerves of steel and love adventure but this is just a bit too much, in my opinion. Details. I think just as beautiful though. We were definitely unprepared and did not know what we were getting into. 100% of travelers recommend this experience. Pretty moderate drive, nothing technical. The National Park Service recommends that you drive a high-clearance 4WD vehicle on Shafer Canyon Road. Canyonlands National Park Half-Day Tour from Canyonlands National Park Backcountry 4x4 Arches and Canyonlands 4X4 Adventure from Moab. We are planning to visit in late June and drive Shafer to Potash. High-clearance 4WD vehicles with a low range gear (4LO) arehighly recommended. The Shafer in Moab is a great way to spend your time in the Canyonland National Park, and we hope you find our guide informative and helpful. Learn more about Utah in our Utah Travel Guide and the United States in our United States Travel Guide. Would need to know where are the dirtiest parts of the shafter canyon road ? Combining the White Rim Trail and this trail is a great option. I am a 50+ female from the flatlands!We drove down from the top in a 4WD Toyota Forerunner. ZDxOTT(/njO"F@QN/>E- avk;/s>v_85=hS/nG&! A little technical in some places but they just find in a Subaru. You also must have a high-clearance 4WD vehicle. Great views!!! After watching the videos she said no way. What changed her mind was when we saw the trail from the Shafer Canyon overlook in Canyonlands. You can click the check marks to hide or show layers. Then take the Potash Road and Shafer trail into Canyonlands National Park later in the day. Shortly after you pass the entrance fee station for Canyonlands National Park, you will see the trailhead for the Shafer Trail and the White Rim Trail on your left. If you only have one day in Moab, visit Canyonlands in the morning, drive Shafer Canyon and Potash Road midday, and spend the afternoon in Arches National Park. Many other trails at Island in the Sky also bear names for the families who worked them. Cheers, Julie, Thank you for the informative article about Canyonlands. For the first 2.5 miles, you drive just below the rim. I had to hang out of the window and guide him through the turn. In talking with my husband he said he wouldn't do it and we were driving a full size Yukon Denali. We have 4X4 truck camper, 12'6" tall,22ft long, 15,000lbs. The Shafer Trail at the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park is an iconic road that descends 1,500 feet (457 m) through a colorful, massive sandstone cliff. Do I Need a Permit to Drive Shafer Canyon Road and Potash Road? After Canyonlands was established as a National Park in 1964, the Shafer Trail transitioned from a ranching and mining road to a route used primarily for recreation. The Shafer Trail Road is a great trail for all skill levels and families. By the time we realized it there was no turning back (literally). Here is a photo taken from Dead Horse Point. Stupid question. John Shafer is credited for improving the trail and making access into the canyon easier. Canyonlands National Park Half-Day Tour from Moab, Canyonlands National Park Backcountry 4x4 Adventure from Moab, Arches and Canyonlands 4X4 Adventure from Moab, Immersive Canyonlands National Park All Day Hiking Experience, Canyonlands National Park White Rim Trail by 4WD, Sunset ATV Tour and Trail Experience in Hell's Revenge, Moab Combo: Colorado River Rafting and Canyonlands 4X4 Tour, Arches National Park 4x4 Adventure from Moab, Hell's Revenge 4x4 Off-Roading Tour from Moab, Day of Photography in Moab, Arches & Canyonlands, Discover Moab in A Day: Arches, Canyonlands, Dead Horse Pt, Colorado River Rafting: Afternoon Half-Day at Fisher Towers, Thrilling Guided You-Drive Hells Revenge UTV Tour In Moab UT, Moab Stand Up Paddleboarding: Splish and Splash Tour, Flatwater Fun: Moab Stand Up Paddleboarding. Cheers, Julie, Your email address will not be published. We wanted to do some 4-wheeling and were told about this trail at the visitor's center so we decided to give it a try. You can also join a guided tour. So much fun!! <> Driving Utah's most dangerous roads: What you need to know - KSLNewsRadio Is there a risk driving from the park to Thelmas & louise and back to the park ? In Moab, there are numerous companies that will rent 4WD vehicles. There are some great overlooks of the Colorado River on the way and very few people. What a great summary of the route. Generally considered a moderately challenging route. The road gets its name because it traverses the top of White Rim Sandstone. By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. I wouldnt do it again, nor recommend, but if youre a thrill seeker who likes living on the edge (literally) then youll love it! Quite a few side by sides & dirtbikes but pretty low volume of other vehicles. Many backcountry roads in the Moab area used for recreation today were improved by the Atomic Energy Commission. My husband loves it. Yes, it is a bit steep at the top on the switchbacks. This is one of the most spectacular, scenic. If you are afraid of heights, you may have some anxiety because of the switchbacks and when driving by the Colorado River because there are some steep drop-offs. John Shafer gradually made the road better and easier to access, and other trails in the area are named after the families who worked on or around those trails. Our website uses cookies. If you want the best expansive views of the surrounding canyon lands, many people say the Dead Horse State Park has better views because it is higher above the river.
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