Apparently, how you rate your visit to Moab is directly relational to the company you keep while you are there. This year, we were fortunate enough to meet up with George, a Utah veteran with one heck of a nice TJ. George was our guide for both the Kane Creek and Poison Spider Mesa trails, rated 3+ and 4+ respectively. Our 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee suffered no damage whatsoever during all of Easter Jeep Safari 2003...on the trail, that is*.
Both trails were lots of fun, but I definitely preferred Poison Spider. This was also a good trail to discover the shortcomings of our WJ Project that still need to be addressed, namely tire size and clearance; we had plenty of traction and plenty of power, but we did tag our trailer hitch numerous times. We did manage to 3-wheel it a couple of times as well - enough to gain our attention. I would highly recommend attempting Poison Spider Mesa at least once - I plan to do it again later this year in my 1997 Jeep Wrangler TJ Project immediately upon my return to Moab.
If you enjoy water crossings, then the Kane Creek Trail should be a "must" on your Moab list. With only one serious and notable exception through the "Rock Garden" near the end of the trail, this trip is easy enough for all Jeeps, stock or modified**. Once you reach the "Rock Garden", make sure you have either a very good spotter, or turn around and return the way you came if your Jeep is not worthy. (It is my understanding that this part of the trail did not used to be as bad as it is now, due to erosion and other factors.) Keep in mind that trail quickly turns into a 5 when it rains and the slickrock gets wet on the Rock Garden.
All-in-all, I feel much better about my recent trip to Moab than I have in a while, mostly because of the company and the fact that I got to spend a lot more time there than I have been able to in recent years. This is not to say that there have been any trip to Moab that I would have missed, only that this year was exceptional.
I would also like to extend my personal thanks to the Slickrock Campground for their hospitality. This the third year in a row that we have camped at the Slickrock, and I would highly recommend them to Jeepers on a budget. It's also a good place to walk around and check out all the highly-modified extreme wheelers. We are always amazed by the vehicles we see staying there.
We will be returning to Moab for the 4th of July weekend - let us know if you would like to join us!
Click Here for The Pictures!
* - We lost our front drive shaft on the freeway in Montana - a mere two hours from home - due to a cracked and leaking CV boot at the rear of the shaft where it connects to the transfer case. This just proves that Jeeps really do prefer being off-road to being on the highway!
** - We would recommend installing at least one locker before visiting Moab. Though it may not be entirely necessary, it will definitely make your trip off-road more enjoyable (and possibly less damaging) while at the same time open up more trail possibilities to you and your Jeep. A lift and larger tires are nice too, but in most instances better traction and a capable spotter would do you more good on slickrock.
Dirt Road Magazine is sponsored by Turner 4WD Parts Co.
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