Golden Spike Trail

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Summary: The 4+ rated Golden Spike trail is one of the most popular at the Jeep Safari and is offered for more days than any other. Challenging obstacles, nonstop scenery, and a road surface between obstacles that makes for a comfortable slow steady pace helps keep this long trail popular. The trail was developed at the 1989 Easter Jeep Safari as a connection between the Poison Spider Mesa and Gold Bar Rim trails. A group of 4-wheelers started breaking trail from each of the original trails and worked toward each other until they met. Realizing the similarity to the meeting of the railroads coming from the east and west which was also in Utah, they christened the new trail the Golden Spike.

Location: Go northwest out of Moab on Highway 191. A little over a mile past the Colorado River bridge, turn south on Highway 279 (Potash Road). The trail head for the Poison Spider portion of the trail begins in about 6 miles and just before the river and road starts bending west. The trail works it's way back northeast above the Colorado River and Highway 279 and then northwest near the rim above Highway 191 and the Moab Canyon. Following that is the long trip down the Gold Bar Rim trail and then back toward Highway 191 through Little Canyon.

Scenery: From the high, sloping layer of Wingate Sandstone which most of the trail is on, scenic views open in all directions. To the south are glimpses of the Colorado River gorge, to the east views of the fin country across the Colorado River in the Behind the Rocks area and to the north are breathtaking views down from the cliff rim that overhangs above Moab Canyon and Highway 191. Stay well back from the edge as these overhangs have been known to break off.

The Trail: The first part of the trail covers a good portion of the 3 1/2 rated Poison Spider Mesa trail. Poison Spider obstacles provide enough challenge to get your attention and force many to make more than one try unless the bypasses are taken. The Wedge forces you to either tenuously straddle it with a very real chance of sliding in and doing some real body damage or going along the south side with a nerve testing tilt. The first major Golden Spike obstacle is the Launching Pad, an incredibly steep slick rock climb with a bump near the top. Suzuki Hill will require more than one attempt by many 4X4s. The hill is so named because Zuk, as skilled Suzuki driver, rolled his 4X4 there. Following that is a long stretch with few obstacles that makes for a nice steady pace and time to enjoy the scenery along the way. The Golden Crack marks the beginning of the final obstacle rich, challenging mile to Gold Bar Rim. The Golden Crack is perhaps the most famous obstacle on the trail. The first year or two the trail was open, there was a big rock in the crack to help get across. But 4-wheelers learned a tenuous, bumper scraping method of crossing the crack without that "crutch" and it has been removed. The Golden Stairs have laid more than one 4X4 on its side and often deals fits to those without lockers. Perhaps the most challenging obstacle in Moab may be attempted just after the Wall. The Double Whammy probably breaks more gears, driveshafts and other drivetrain parts than any other obstacle in the area. Roll overs are also common there. It has a bypass which is the recommended route for all but the most fool hearty. If you make it this far be careful of the Body Snatcher. If your wheels spin inside it's jaws you may need side window replacement and body work. After that, it's a long bumpy drive down Gold Bar Rim, then the road through Little Canyon and back to Highway 191.

4X4NOW Next Day
Jeep Safari Trail Report
Tuesday, March 30, 1999

We met in the Courthouse Wash Parking area about a half mile north of the Colorado River bridge.   Dale and Heidi Walton welcomed the group of around two dozen 4x4s and lead us on our way to the trail head, about 6 miles south on Hwy 279. 

GPS coordinates were taken with my new Lowrance GlobalMap 1600 and imported in to Topo USA for display.  The major way points and distances from the start of the trail to each waypoint are listed below.  Each pin in the map represents a waypoint.  The red pin at the beginning (southerly pin on Hwy 279) of the trail is WP1 while the red pin at the end (northerly pin on Hwy 191) is WP23.  Only the more interesting waypoints are shown on the map to reduce clutter.   All waypoints are listed in the table below:

Download the waypoints and track in the Lowrance GPS Data Manager file version or the DeLorme Topo USA / Street Atlas format for just the waypoints. 

The trail to the Golden Spike took us over a good portion of the Poison Spider trail.  Poison Spider is getting more and more difficult itself and has been upgraded to a well deserved 4 rating from its previous long time 3 1/2 difficulty rating.  No disappointment in this section of the trail even for the extreme 4-wheeling crowd.

The first major obstacle on the Golden Spike is the Launching Pad obstacle.  This long steep climb is bound to get your heart beating.  Your view quickly changes from what appears to be a rock wall to sky as you feel your weight going back against your seat.  To add even more excitement there is a bump toward the top that will reduce your traction.  You hope it results in just a tire chirp as it did for the pickup in the Quick Time video clip (run at double speed to reduce download time) and not a total loss of traction.

Immediately after the Launching Pad is an optional obstacle called the Crotch.  The obstacle can be taken with the wheels flat on the ground or with one wheel at various degrees in the air.  A TJ had rolled here earlier in the week (see photos below) and a vehicle that was not part of our group but following us rolled there right after we went through.  They were calling for a doctor to check their daughter's injuries.   The injuries appeared to be superficial but they wanted to make sure.  This provides a rude reminder that 4-wheeling can be dangerous.  Always were seat belts and get the loved ones out of the vehicle before you show off or attempt the more difficult obstacles.

"He went over backwards and barrel rolled down the hill.  The driver was alone and only had a minor cut on top of his head.  The tool box came out the tailgate window.  We were able to get the jeep upright, do some repairs to it, and a gunner escorted him out the way we came in.  He had a leak in his radiator, but made it back to town."  Courtesy of George Turner of Leawood Kansas

Not long after the Crotch comes Zuk's Hill, much steeper than it appears here.  Legend has it that Zuk (nicknamed for the Suzuki he drove) had his fiancée with him when he tried this hill.  He lost control and rolled with her inside.  No serious injuries - except that they never got married.  Watch the Quick Time video clip of a Suzuki in our group who was having a little problem with traction.

The trail between Zuk's Hill and the Golden Crack is a long but scenic one with a healthy serving of moderate obstacles like those shown below to add to the interest.

We had a splendid view of Hwy 191 and the entrance to Arches National Park from our edge of the rim overlook during our lunch break.  For an extra treat, Jim Askew, served cake to celebrate his 50th birthday.  Jim has a great sense of humor as can be witnessed by the signs he had pasted all over his Jeep.

The Golden Crack is one of the most exciting obstacles of the trip.   There is no bypass.  You have to drop your tires in the crack, hope you don't roll over and hope you don't do too much damage as you drag your rear bumper coming out.  Long wheel base vehicles tilt more than short base vehicles in the crack.  This red pickup put on quite a show for us as you can see in the Quick Time video clip.

I was really pleased with the control I had with the 4X4NOW TJ's automatic transmission coupled with the Advance Adapter Atlas II transfer case and ARB lockers in both diffs..  I could inch through as slow as I wanted without risk of killing the engine.  Quite a difference from the high geared standard transmission Bronco II I took through the Golden Track on my first trips through the Golden Spike trail.

The most dangerous obstacle on the trail is the Double Whammy.  This optional obstacle may be responsible for more driveline breakage and more rolled 4x4s than any other obstacle in Moab.  It may also be the most difficult obstacle on any Jeep Safari Trail.   Watch the Quick Time video clip as a Toyota pickup first starts toward a roll and then climbs the obstacle.  Only about half a dozen in our group tried the obstacle.  Of those one broke his drive train just as he was about up the obstacle and two made it without damage.

Dale and his crew did an exceptional job of leading the trail and we had an exceptional group of drivers.  We were back in Moab before dark - my first time ever on a Golden Spike run.

1997 Golden Spike Report
1996 Golden Spike Report

34th Annual Easter Jeep Safari (2000)
33rd Annual Easter Jeep Safari (1999)
32nd Annual Easter Jeep Safari (1998)
31st Annual Easter Jeep Safari (1997)
30th Annual Easter Jeep Safari (1996)
Moab, Utah, 4WD Trails Map with Links to all 30 Trails
Trail Difficulty Ratings

Utah Trail Guidebooks, Trail Maps, and Trail Videos

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