Dodge short bed 3/4 ton for Kokopelli Trail?

c7train

Observer
I have an 03 6 speed dodge with the HO cummins in it. Currently has 108k miles on it in perfect shape. I want to take it on the Kokopelli Trail. How realistic is this endeavor? I want to take my truck on an actual trail. This trail is close by and I have a buddy who can guide me on it. He's really well versed in that stuff. Any tips for the truck that might help it through? It has bumpers and sliders already, 35" tires, and front mount receiver hitch. Any help on this would be much appreciated!
 

DaveInDenver

Middle Income Semi-Redneck
Kokopelli is 139 miles of generally mild 4x4 trail interrupted by 1/2 mile of terror through the Rose Garden. If you're a decent 'wheeler and get good spotting you'll probably be fine with 35s and armor. How familiar with Moab 'wheeling are you?
 

ExplorerTom

Explorer
Agree. Most of the Kokopelli is pretty tame. You might have a couple issues with approach and departure (front/rear) digging into the sand, but otherwise it's pretty simple. I say this because I did it with a Taco that "struggled" with those issues- but really didn't struggle at all.

Rose Garden..... Frankly I'd consider skipping it. When I did it, the Taco decided to skip it. Me in my (heavily lifted) Explorer, a stock JKUR and a mildly lifted JKUR went off and did it. The mildly lifted JKUR (35s and lift) scraped going off the obstacle. The stock JKUR turtled out: front tires completely in the air, rear tires barely in contact and resting on the frame. That took some creative hi-lift jacking, rock stacking and even winching from above to finally get it to drive off under its own power (took over an hour). My Explorer didn't have a single issue. But even still, the trail leading up to Rose Garden is just more slow moving, rocky, bouncy trail that you've probably have your fill of. And this is all assuming you are going DOWN Rose Garden (going from Fruita to Moab). Going up would be more difficult.
 

1stDeuce

Explorer
I have not been up or down Rose Garden completely, but everything "technical" in Moab is getting really difficult because of buggies and sxs's tearing it up... I do believe Rose Garden Hill is now in that category. It's also not a terribly scenic section compared to the alternatives, but does make a connection that has no short alternatives...

When are you planning to go? You might ask for more recent experiences nearer your trip...

If you end up opting out, you can still run all but that section, and see some great scenery... When you cross the river at Dewey Bridge, the Kokopelli takes you up Entrada Bluffs road, past the Top of the World trail, and eventually down to Rose Garden Hill. The drive up to where the "trail" breaks off the road is fairly scenic, and just a gravel road. Instead of taking the trail when it breaks off (actually the trail continues straight off a hard left in the road...) which gets tight and bumpy taking you to Rose Garden Hill, if you stay on the road it takes you down to a really awesome overlook of the Dolores, which is a nice place to spend the night.

In the morning, double back down the gravel to Dewey Bridge, catch the pavement toward Moab for a few miles, and go up Onion Creek Rd to hook back into the Kokopelli after Rose Garden. If it's not spring, there is a side loop off Entrada Blulffs that crosses the Dolores twice on the way out, but during spring runoff, it's not usually advised, as the Dolores can be up to 5' deep instead of the usual 1-2'.

Onion Creek is a really neat road, with some awesome scenery. I believe the Kokopelli is fairly tame other than the section that takes you down Rose Garden Hill.
Have a good trip!! The Moab area is full of awesome routes, so let me know if you would like a few other recommendations.
 
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c7train

Observer
Thanks so much for getting back to me! I'm not super familiar with the wheeling around Moab, but have done some. I'll be skipping the Rose Garden for sure as I am not out to prove or trash my rig to anyone, just want to have some fun and "use" the truck a bit. Sounds (and looks) like a really pretty trail.

Cheers!
C.
 

moabian

Active member
everything "technical" in Moab is getting really difficult because of buggies and sxs's tearing it up...

It's not just buggies and sxs's tearing it up. Unskilled and impatient drivers in regular 4x4 rigs have caused far more damage. Long before the advent of rock crawlers and side-by-sides, I saw Moab's trails deteriorating. Many that used to be easy trails doable in stock vehicles now require heavily-modified vehicles. In the early 80's, I could easily make it all the way to The Waterfall on Poison Spider in 2WD with my Scrambler. Now you won't get far past the parking lot in 2WD. That's just one of many examples. Lin Ottinger used to take tourists on a lot of the trails in his VW bus fleet. Can't do that now. I've watched countless drivers pull up to an obstacle, stop, then start spinning tires to make it over rather than take advantage of even a small amount of momentum. Using power rather than finesse destroys trails. Ledges that used to be less than a foot high are now nearly impassable. Many of Moab's trails survived for 40 years with little or no damage. Overuse and misuse have destroyed a lot of them in just the past few years. The newer rock crawlers and side-by-sides have merely exacerbated the problem. Everbody wants a 4x4 vehicle. It's too bad that very few know how to drive them.
 

nitro_rat

Lunchbox Lockers
Many of Moab's trails survived for 40 years with little or no damage. Overuse and misuse have destroyed a lot of them in just the past few years. The newer rock crawlers and side-by-sides have merely exacerbated the problem. Everbody wants a 4x4 vehicle. It's too bad that very few know how to drive them.

:iagree:

Sad but true...
 

mikekey

Deplorable
I dunno, the SXS's are getting worse every year. Especially with rentals. And my time out in Moab, I see them doing the most damage going off trail routinely becuase they get impatient waiting behind slower larger rigs. Worse, when it's wet, becuase they're open they like to go around puddles, widening the trails.
 

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