MUCH reduced trail map from Guide to Moab Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails by Charles A. Wells.
by The Flatlander for
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Summary: The 3 1/2 rated Kane Creek Canyon trail offers 60 water crossings in an otherwise thirsty and desolate area.
MUCH reduced trail map from Guide
to Moab Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails by Charles A. Wells.
Location: Take Kane Creek Road leaving Highway 191 by McDonald's in Moab. Stay left at the junction where the Hurrah Pass trail forks off to the right. Kane Creek Canyon borders the "Behind the Rocks" area on the south between the Colorado River and Highway 191.
Scenery: The deep canyon is beautiful from end to end but changes significantly in character from the bottom to the top end.
The Trail: Creek crossings and more creek crossings are the order of the day on this trail. Watch out for a sudden heavy rain that can make the crossings impassible. Also watch out for quicksand. Toward the upper end are some high rough cliff wall sections that are attention getting.
4X4NOW
Same Day
Jeep Safari Trail Report
Wednesday, April 19, 2000
Kane Creek Canyon is one of my favorites. It was one of the first trails we ever did in Moab and we hadn't been back on it in years. Not that we hadn't tried. One year we scheduled it and the Creek was too high and another year we had a conflict. The Creek itself is a rare break from otherwise often dry terrain around Moab.
 View of Cane Creek from our lunch stop |
 An early, by passable obstacle in the lower much wider portion of the Canyon |
Trail leader, Mike Ames, lead across the multitude of creek crossing on the trail. Most were pretty tame but one was a real attention getter. Frechie LaChance of Western Adventures was just in front of us with his new compact camper top on his Cherokee.
 Typical of dozens of creek crossings on this trail. |
 The trail even follows the stream bottoms for short distances in a few places. |
 This is the real attention getting crossing. He's not stuck or about to drown. This is the way everyone looked entering this crossing. |
 It's deep but not as bad as it looks when you first nose in! |
Most of the best obstacles are on in the last couple miles of the trail. As one nears the highest part of a shelf road in the every narrowing Canyon the roadbed deteriorates quickly. It took our group of 36 4X4s about an hour and a half to negotiate this short section.
 Erosion has created obstacles along this section of shelf road that are extremely challenging for an inexperienced driver in a stock vehicle. |
 An impressive view from the shelf road but an even more impressive drop off! From here one can see an old Willys wagon that rolled into the abyss some time in the distant past. |
Not far after this an eroded rock stream crossing provides even more challenge.
 Once the rough, wet creek bottom is crossed a steep hill with several exposed rock steps must be negotiated. |
 The large rock in the water to the drivers right wasn't there years ago when we first experienced the trail. It forces 4X4s farther to their left and away from the optimal line often used before the rock blocked the way. |
Once this obstacle is completed it is smooth sailing for the relatively short trail section leading to Highway 191.
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
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