Trip Advice - Vancouver to Moab

Raz...you mention Nevada. Ever been to the Sheldon Wildlife Refuge? Northern Nevada..there's even a hot tub up on the Virgin River Mine site.

And of course you could do Speed Week on the Utah Salt Flats.

Running around the salt flats is a hoot no matter where you go. Old mines and lost cities.

Green River used to be a Minuteman Missile silo centre. Lots of wild and wooly stuff out there. Now it's melons, but the desert north and west is pretty wild.


Gary Haupt

Another option would be coming down I84 and stay on it through Ogden. Then I80 east into the southwest corner of WY. 414 south and take that into UT and then the Flaming Gorge Reservoir area. It is a beautiful area and you could hang out there for a bit. Great fishing there too!

Leaving, south to Vernal then over to Dinosaur, CO and south to Fruita. Then west via I70 for a bit, Hwy 128 along the CO River into Moab.

raztec wrote:


But I'd like some water access where I can set up a base camp and head on out to the hills for hiking and photography.

For Moab with water I'd highly recommend Hwy 128 along the Colorado River. However, it's first come, dry camping. I'd stay the previous night closeby and get to the campgrounds early morning when folks are leaving. There are no reservations. Try for Mon-Thurs, not the weekend. These would be shady spots.

http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/moab/recreation/campgrounds/highway_128.html

Ken's Lake just south of Moab would be another 'water' option. Most are in sun but some have shade. We had a nice one at the very end.

Wild idea -- if you want to spend some time in Nevada on the way, check out the Jarbidge Wilderness. After that, maybe Great Basin National Park? Very high and cool. If you are traveling during the dark of the moon, the stars at Great Basin are famous.

raztec wrote:
Planning a trip next week from Vancouver, BC to Canyonlands, UT and looking for advice on what route to take to really get away from it all without getting too off the beaten track and hitting rough terrain.

I've got a Dodge 3500 4x4 SRW Diesel and Northstar Hard side camper and can go most places. I'm pretty adventurous and have done a ton of traveling and and will have an InReach satellite tracker with me. Truck is reliable and I'll have about 3 days water. Should be putting on a solar panel and extra battery too but will need water access after 3 days.

Would like info on what route to take that's very scenic and off the beaten path, places to stop on route, cool lakes to hang out for a while and swim, and photographing opportunities and classic hikes.

Any info much appreciated.

Thanks a bunch,
Raz

Basically to Salt Lake - I say just look out the window and Ask the Locals when you stop for the night. I think you are trying to Get to Wilder spots than I would know but, Rt 39 outside Ogden UT is a beautiful drive with a reservoir and again the Locals will point out the locations that would suit your needs.

Then on the way to Moab is Scofield State Park with A reservoir off Rt 6 - on to Green River nice little area - Lots of spots along the Colorado River on Rt 128 - After you feel cooked from the Heat I'll suggest a quick run into Colorado (PHOTO OP's everywhere) say Lizardhead and Dunton - and some off road trails around Telluride and Ouray to Silverton.

Unless you have the whole Summer and Fall your trip would take me a month+ so are we on track?

BOL,

Thanks for the reply guys.

I'm actually quite fond of dry, 100+ heat. If it's dry, it's never too hot for me. It's the humidity I can't stand.

But I'd like some water access where I can set up a base camp and head on out to the hills for hiking and photography.

I've been to the Canyonlands area twice, but the last time was 30 years ago. I remember it being unbelievably beautiful, but also there were lots of shade between the crevasses.

I'm essentially looking for two things:

1) How to get there from Vancouver via the scenic route off the beaten path, preferably via Nevada.
2) Once at Canyonlands, where I can park my camper for a week near some water with scenic hiking trails in the vicinity.

Thanks again,
Raz

I have a part-time place in Green River and let me tell you, it's HOT, as in over 100F. If you come down here, like Gary says, be prepared. The Green River State Park is one of the nicer places in the summer because it's next to the river and has lots of big cottonwoods, but it will still be unbearably hot. And you would think all the tourists would be gone, but that's not the case, as the Europeans come in the summer. If you want to be cool, go up in the La Sal mtns, but even up there it gets hot. If you have a rig and can get hookups, that's the way to go. I used to be on Grand County Search and Rescue, and believe me, hiking in the heat is a quick way to meet your maker, drink lots of water.

As for going into the Swell and places like the Wedge, be prepared this time of year to take care of yourself, as there are lots fewer people there than in Moab, and the dirt-bikers who frequent the area are usually elsewhere than in the heat. I've been up there many times in the summer and seen almost no one. Lots of places with no cell coverage.

But...it's a GREAT time to go rafting. The rivers are running high. And I will add that summer in the desert country around Green River and Moab is my favorite time to camp, as the nights are to die for, they're so balmy. But you have to make it through the day first. And be forewarned that the gnats are out and really bad this year.

Kind of depends on trip duration. I have done the trip from Vancouver maybe a dozen times. If you only have a couple weeks, just boogie on down to Green River, Utah, quick as you can, and then start hangin out. If you have a month? Now your are talkin.

Be aware...things are getting hot down there now and you have to be very careful about some things. If you go off-roading and get stuck or broken down...you need to know how to survive the heat. It will kill you dead if you don't do it right.

Moab and the area...all very cool. If you want to touch base? hauptgw@gmail.com


Gary Haupt
Penticton

If you pass through the Salt Lake City area...

Travel your way down to Huntington or Castle Dale Utah. You are going to want to go to the Wedge Overlook (Google Maps: Rd 332 from Huntington, or Rd 401 from Castle Dale). Both roads are the same condition, with 401 being a tiny bit wider but both allowing 2 vehicles to pass each other. These are maintained dirt and you can get going a good clip across there.
After the Wedge Overlook, continue East to the Buckhorn Draw road (rd 332), and go south. This will take you past a few petroglyph walls, and continue on through a canyon till you cross the Green River (there is a bridge). Then continue on to the I-70 interstate where you can head east toward Moab. There is camping at the Wedge Overlook and in many pullouts along the Buckhorn Draw Rd. Many spots, just find one and pull in. We pitched a tent inside the cave on Buckhorn Draw last fall.
You can also continue on via dirt road (Temple Mtn Rd after you cross I-70) to the Goblin Valley State Park (also accessible via paved road from I-70). From here, you can choose to go south to Hanksville/Blanding then back north to Moab (longer route, but way way more scenic!!!), or go back to I-70 and go south in to Moab (shorter route). If you've got the time, go the long way!

Are you going to be passing through Missoula Montana? I did this route in my truck last fall (slept under the tonneau cover on my way to Canada).
Go south out of Missoula to Grantsdale, take the 38 East; the 38 is maintained dirt with a paved section at each end. Good views, some minor switchbacks, passes you by a waterfall right next to the road. You could get a 20-something foot trailer over that road no problem. Continue on to Anaconda then go south on the 569 (paved) on the East side of Anaconda and go to Wise River. At Wise River, go south on the Pioneer Mountains Scenic Byway (paved), and will take to past the Coolidge Mine (accessible via good dirt road, plenty of boondock camp opportunities, but the mine is a little bit of a walk from the parking area. You can ride dirtbike, 4 wheeler, SxS, or bicycle to the site though, just no Jeeps/trucks). Then continue on south and get on the I-15. This route keeps you in the mountains in the cooler temperatures for the summer months. I drove this September last year, and camped just south of the Coolidge Mine, was in the upper 40's in the morning if I remember correctly, and didn't sweat at all during the walk around the mine.