Jeep KJ trip to Moab... July 13-22, 2007

[2500Adventures]

Hello everyone...

Well I thought I'd go ahead and start a trip thread for my planned July run from Memphis, TN to Moab, UT:wings: from July 13 - July 22. I'm going to visit Canyonlands National Park and the White Rim Trail along with Arches National Park. My aunt and uncle will be joining me as well on the trip. My aunt is on her way to become a professional photographer so she'll be snapping tons of pics with both her D70 and D80 series Nikon (i think) cameras so they should look AWEsome. I'll be driving through Kansas City (staying with my cousin) and also through Denver on both the outgoing and return trips.

I'll be joined on the trip by another KJ coming all the way from Toronto, Canada. We both plan on meeting in Denver, CO on July 14 in the evening. If we get in early enough there might be time to catch something to eat with anyone in the Denver area if they are interested. Please PM me if you think you'd be up for that.

Well I'll be snapping some pics as the weeks go by, with the addition of trip modifications starting to take shape. I'm on a limited budget for the trip so some of the integrated parts will hopefully last and be durable enough for the duration of the trip, but time will tell. Take care everyone and look out for updates in the coming days/weeks.

-Scott
:arabia:

 

[Dave]

Canyonlands and Arches are both amazing, you will not be disappointed. How many days are you planning on the White Rim Trail?

 

[hattrik21]

That should be a good trip. I can't wait to see some pics.

If you can, see what your Aunt thinks of the D80 as its on my list of things I want.

 

[Pskhaat]

Canyonlands and Arches are both amazing

For more off-highway action (as you probably know), by all means stay within Canyonlands.

 

[Dave]

For more off-highway action (as you probably know), by all means stay within Canyonlands.

No argument from me on that, but the washboard road through Salt Valley and the 4x4 trail up to Tower Arch and past the Eye of the Whale Arch is a good way to get away from the pavement in Arches.

 

[2500Adventures]

That should be a good trip. I can't wait to see some pics.

If you can, see what your Aunt thinks of the D80 as its on my list of things I want.

I'll make sure to take note of how easy she uses it and any little quarks she might have with it...I know she just got it since it was brand new at my sisters HS graduation this past May...shes got like 3 different lenses to use on these cameras too so we'll see what happens....

 

[2500Adventures]

Canyonlands and Arches are both amazing, you will not be disappointed. How many days are you planning on the White Rim Trail?

I get to Moab on Sunday July 15 and head back home on Friday the 20th.

Itinerary is planned as follows:

Friday July 13 - Head out to Kansas City, MO: Cousin's house and meeting place for aunt and uncle pickup.

Saturday July 14 - Get into Denver around 6pm. Potential to pickup or meet Frank Ledwell of JPFreek magazine this day too if he plans to make the trip. Plans are to stay at a Motel 6 on the West side of town just off of I-70. If anyone would like to meet for dinner this evening please let me know. we are off of Kipling St. and I-70.

Sunday July 15 - Depart Denver and arrive in Moab in the afternoon. Perhaps a late lunch at the Moab Brewery. Stock up on groceries for while we are in the park. Top off with fuel and fill up jerry cans if we haven't already. Make way for BLM campground Gold Bar.

Monday July 16 - Head out to the Canyonlands National Park visitor center for permits and what have you. Find out about any pertinent information regarding the White Rim Trail and otherwise. Head out on the trail and make it through Lanthrop Canyon in time for lunch by the Colorado River. Take it easy and enjoy the trail as we'll be stopping at White Crack for the evening.

Tuesday July 17 - Head out along the trail again taking it easy and soaking up mother nature at her finest, and hottest too. Tonight we will camp at Hardscrabble B campground.

Wednesday July 18 - Today we head for Arches. We'll leave Hardscrabble B campground and head down Mineral Bottom Rd. We'll then take 313 back down toward Long Canyon Rd and the Rt 279 and then back into Moab. Stop in Moab for gas and whatever else we may need. Head into Arches ASAP and setup camp.

Thursday July 19 - Not really sure yet. Looking at map of Arches and Salt Valley Rd to Tower Arch and Marching Men looks interesting. May also like to hit Delicate Arch Viewpoint too. If anyone has any suggestions on what to do in Arches please speak up, THANKS!!! Also plan for drive back to Denver tomorrow.

Friday July 20 - Head back to Denver. We will take Route 128 back to I-70. Return stay at Quality Inn on East side of Denver3.

Saturday July 21 - Head out for Kansas City, MO to stay with cousin again and drop off aunt and uncle.

Sunday July 22 - Return to Memphis, TN and rejoice in how great a trip it was, and depressed that it is over and how much money on gas alone was spent having so much fun....lol.

 

[Dave]

Monday July 16 - Head out to the Canyonlands National Park visitor center for permits and what have you. Find out about any pertinent information regarding the White Rim Trail and otherwise. Head out on the trail and make it through Lanthrop Canyon in time for lunch by the Colorado River. Take it easy and enjoy the trail as we'll be stopping at either Gooseberry or White Crack for the evening.

I was going to suggest White Crack. It is a fantastic campsite which makes it very popular. I would try to reserve it ahead of time. When we did the White Rim, we lucked out because the person who had White Crack reserved was a no show, so the ranger gave us his reservation. I don't remember exactly how that reservation process worked, seems like I had to call rather then doing it online.

Thursday July 19 - Not really sure yet. Looking at map of Arches and Salt Valley Rd to Tower Arch and Marching Men looks interesting. May also like to hit Delicate Arch Viewpoint too. If anyone has any suggestions on what to do in Arches please speak up, THANKS!!! Also plan for drive back to Denver tomorrow.

I like Salt Valley Rd and the Tower Arch 4x4 trail and recommend it to get away from the hordes of people and pavement in Arches. The first time I drove through Salt Valley, I remember thinking it looked like something straight out of an old cowboy movie. The turn around at the end of the trail is a nice place to have lunch and the hike to Tower Arch is pretty nice too.

The hike to Delicate Arch is also nice (and steep in parts). You might want to hit it first thing in the morning if you are an early riser, mainly because when we went up there in the middle of the day, it was a circus. Kids running loose everywhere, parents screaming at said kids, etc.

 

[DaveInDenver]

A couple of things comes to mind.

First, are you set on the east side of Denver on the 14th? You won't want to have come all that way just to see the airport and trucks. I would suggest something in Golden, plus the commute across I-70 the next morning will get your blood boiling.

As far as staying in Canyonlands. You have to get a backcountry permit. Mid July is probably not the most crowded time (it will be hot), but you might still need to check. I got our permit for September trip to White Rim back a few months ago and I had to do a mid week trip because the weekends were basically all full (we are doing 3 nights and so that makes it 300% more difficult to schedule). It's just one night and if you are flexible you should be able to sneak something in. The permit is not free, you have to send the ranger money, too. Since you know your exact day and destination, you probably should send in a reservation. You can walk up and get backcountry permits, but you also risk getting shut out.

Sounds like a good trip.

 

[J_L]

No argument from me on that, but the washboard road through Salt Valley and the 4x4 trail up to Tower Arch and past the Eye of the Whale Arch is a good way to get away from the pavement in Arches.

The route to eye of the whale is closed at this time for some reason. I was going to go out of the park that way a couple weeks ago.

 

[kcowyo]

Tuesday July 17 - Tonight we will camp at Taylor or Labyrinth.

Shoot for Taylor. At least drive in if you can't get a campsite. Well worth it.

In Arches, drive the Eye of the Whale Road from the Devil's Garden, south back to Hwy 191.

I don't see a stop at the Moab Brewery on your itinerary. Best burger and beverages in town. Just a suggestion -

 

[durangodds]

Monday July 16 - Head out to the Canyonlands National Park visitor center for permits and what have you. Find out about any pertinent information regarding the White Rim Trail and otherwise. Head out on the trail and make it through Lanthrop Canyon in time for lunch by the Colorado River. Take it easy and enjoy the trail as we'll be stopping at either Gooseberry or White Crack for the evening.

You'll want to reserve your campsites ahead of time. Here is the link for the reservation form to do that.

http://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/upload/appform.pdf

I wouldn't count on getting down Lathrop canyon unless your rig is modified significantly. The huge rainstorms last fall destroyed the road. The park service is telling people that no one can go in there, but a few folks are. They have no intentions of fixing it either. Their position is that they can't do anything for it. This is the same as on Salt Creek in the Needles District. If you can't get White Crack get Murphy's Hogback A (as long as you don't have small kids along). Gooseberry is an ugly camp. Murphy's A has an amphitheater that goes right to the cliff's edge. It's awesome.

 

[DaveInDenver]

Murphy's A has an amphitheater that goes right to the cliff's edge. It's awesome.

That's for sure, there's a lot worse places to be in the world than to see the sunset at Murphy. This is from the overlook west of Murphy Hogback.

 

[2500Adventures]

I don't see a stop at the Moab Brewery on your itinerary. Best burger and beverages in town. Just a suggestion -

Check Sunday July 15 info...I definitely listed it....:chowtime:

As far as all those saying to make reservations. I have already done so...today actually. Got Shafer for the night of the 15, White Crack for night of the 16, and Taylor for night of the 17. Should be an awesome time. The guy who called to confirm my reservation asked why I di it so early for a summer trip. There are no other reservations scheduled for the 2weeks surrounding my trip. He said you could have just walked up here and filled all the info out and you would have been fine. I told him better safe then sorry for the camps I really want. Good idea he then replied. So I'm really looking forward to it.

Got a 400W Power Invertor for the laptop and for the cameras to charge batteries and any other application that may require an AC outlet. Got a blow up twin mattress too for $10 at Wal-Mart...seems pretty durable for the price, considering the phrase you get what you pay for, but we'll see what shakes out. Got a $3.50 plastic storage bin too for the roof to hold those items I'd rather not get hit by the elements should we encounter any.

The trip is piecing itself together nicely if I should say so...now if only I could determine what I don't need to bring to help[ cut down on the overall weight....hmmmm

 

[2500Adventures]

A couple of things comes to mind.

First, are you set on the east side of Denver on the 14th? You won't want to have come all that way just to see the airport and trucks. I would suggest something in Golden, plus the commute across I-70 the next morning will get your blood boiling.

No we are not set on the East side of Denver we were just thinking of making the trip as short as possible from Kansas City to Denver. But Golden you say, eh? I'll look into it and see what I can find, the Quality Inn was also fairly cheap at $59.99 a night. I still need to look around some though, thanks for the Golden suggestion.

Sounds like a good trip.

THANKS!!! and hopefully it will be, time will tell...