This next journey takes us from one adult playground to another. From the Colorado weather, and higher elevation of 8,000 feet in Telluride we’ll travel north-west back down to 4,026 feet elevation in Moab, Utah.
Here, you can spend anywhere from a day to a week or more adventuring in the hot desert and enjoying all the red sand has to offer.
This is definitely a place you’ll want to jeep if you enjoyed the Colorado mountain pass from #leg4 of the #roadtripaccrossamerica: Imogene Pass. Moab is a famous jeep hub that has trails from mild to spicy and everything in between.
Famous trails you’ve probably seen on TV include Hells Revenge, Moab Rim Trail, Fins and Things and more. Some of those trails on the list also make great hikes including Fischer Tower, and Gemini Bridge trails mapped out on the 3 day adventure guide below. If you get lucky, you might see some crazy jeeping stunts, or climbing feats. Your average 4x4 can hit a few of these trails, but for some you’ll want all the bells and whistles of what a jeep or razor might have to offer.
This is a great place to camp, mountain bike, raft, climb and there’s even a golf course in town.
A local favorite you won't want to miss is Milt's Stop and Eat. This is the best ice cream and burger combo to top off a hot day of desert play.
A perfect three day adventure in Moab includes:
Full Day 1: Arches National Park - 2 Hikes
Get there early and obtain a permit for the Fiery Furnace. This all rock puzzle maze is SUCH a fun adventure, go forward through the maze, or backwards and discover new cool things at every turn.
Complete your drive around the park by stopping at Delicate Arch to stand under this 52 foot arch made famous by the Utah license plate.
Full Day 2: Spend your second day going to Gemini Bridges. This easy route will be perfect recovery day after hiking Arches. Known for mountain biking, this is a suitable trail for stock four-wheel drive vehicles. This means a family car should have no problems. Getting to the bridges will take about 3 hours driving, or 8 hours biking to discover the amazing 7.7 mile journey to see this spectacular formation. This is an easy route to find and an easy middle day on your 3 day adventure in Moab.
Half Day 3: For a Third day, or last day in Moab, on your way out of town, turn off the highway to 128 and take “the back way” out of town as you head back to Colorado on i70. On this route after about 40 minutes of driving, you’ll stop at Fischer Tower.
This is a perfect morning stop to see breathtaking towers only discovered by the most daring climbers. An easy hike up to the towers will help ground you in presence as the views are remarkable.
When you're on a road trip, it's more important than ever to give your vehicle a daily check - the simple but critical items that are easy to remedy, but unchecked can spoil a good chunk of the day. Check the oil, and take a look around the engine compartment while you're there. Check the tire pressure with a guage - tires can be significantly low on air before they sag enough to notice. Look for leaks under the car. And wash your windshild and mirrors. It's all the more important to see clearly when on unfamiliar or challenging roads.