The Kokopelli Trail: A Short Section for a Daytrip

[roverrocks]

@roverrocks - what are your thoughts on doing the trail from west to east in middle/end of March? We're planning on spending most of our time in Moab, but thought the Kokopelli might make a nice start for our trip east.

I'll check out the maps you mentioned, thanks for the recommendation!

The weather is a big uncertainty in March even at the lower elevations of the trail. Might be gorgeous and dry but might be wet and muddy and even snowy. That's March. Who knows. Still half winter especially the earlier in March you go. The Colorado sections plus lower Utah sections would have a lot of hard to wheel treacherous gumbo if wet. Not much fun. The upper reaches of the Trail once you get south of Hy 128 past Dewey Bridge and up in elevation will undoubtedly have a lot of snow yet along the highest elevation sections going around the north end of the La Sals. The best bet in March from west to east would be to start at Dewey Bridge and go east ending up at Rabbit Valley, CO. I highly doubt in March that you could get through the upper elevations going east out of Moab due to the snowpack. I would spend as much time in the Moab area (weather dependent) running trails and then go and try the eastern 1/2 of the Kokopelli Trail starting at the Dewey Bridge. Much better if you could wait until late April/May to do the full Kokopelli. The March weather is a roll of the dice and changes from year to year. The Moab Easter Jeep Safari is in late March in 2015 and one can usually count on a few wet/snowy days during those 9 safari days since it is so early in the season.

 

[pmatusov]

Thanks - I'll check the maps out. What a beautiful area this neck of the woods is.

 

[fireball]

@roverrocks - good info thank you very much!

I think we'll plan to take 128 from Moab up to Dewey Bridge campground, go run Top of the World, then start the Koko running east and see how it goes.

Assuming we would start day 1 from either Moab or Dewey Bridge campground, do you think we could do ToW and then the rest of Koko heading east in 2 days? If so, any recommendations for a nice campspot at a rough halfway point?

Thanks agaiN!

 

[roverrocks]

@roverrocks - good info thank you very much!

I think we'll plan to take 128 from Moab up to Dewey Bridge campground, go run Top of the World, then start the Koko running east and see how it goes.

Assuming we would start day 1 from either Moab or Dewey Bridge campground, do you think we could do ToW and then the rest of Koko heading east in 2 days? If so, any recommendations for a nice campspot at a rough halfway point?

Thanks agaiN!

Start early. Heading out of Moab east on HY 128 when I got to Professor Valley I would do the Onion Creek Road (gorgeous views and a dozen fun shallow creek crossings along it) southward up to where the Rose Garden Trail takes off eastward from the upper Onion Creek Road. Then retrace your steps back back down the Onion Creek Road to Hy 128 again and head to the Dewey Bridge and the TH for Top of the World. Being March there might be snow on the upper Top of the World Trail as it winds it's way up a continual north facing slope to the awesome Top of the World viewpoint at about 7000 ft. About 2000 ft in elevation gain on the way up. Once again you just have to play it by ear as to the trail conditions and the weather in March. After coming back down the Top of the World Trail I would camp at the BLM campground at the Dewey Bridge area which is right along the scenic Colorado River and has couple of outdoor RR. Then on day#2 do the Kokopelli Trail to Rabbit Valley. The Kokopelli Trail starts just barely eastward from the BLM CG just across the Dewey Bridge. Depending on the weather/trail conditions you should have no problem doing the 4x4 trail to Rabbit Valley as long as you start early. No matter what you do take lots of pictures and do a trail report on EU.