We drove the Shafer Trail in a jeep we rented from Moab Adventure Center and had an amazing time. I am dying to take the Shafer Canyon drive. High-clearance 4WD vehicles with a low range gear (4LO) arehighly recommended. Or, do you want to get a unique perspective of Canyonlands National Park and Dead Horse Point State Park that most visitors dont even know is possible? Its a very cool drive!! The Shafer Trail is safe but can become unsafe if driven during times of inclement weather. beautiful accessible 4x4 Rd, just need 6+" of clearance. The views are amazing, and we enjoyed exploring this less-visited trail in Moab. this was at 2:30pm. The Shafer Trail in Utah is the perfect way to experience Canyonland National Park, and we have written about all the highlights of this trip, including the Shafer Trail Switchbacks, overlooks, and how to get there. We kept hoping no one was coming up from the bottom because there was absolutely no way to pull over or back up. This is a Jeep/4x4 trail t. Incredible views of Shafer Canyon from up top. It is also a good idea to check the weather before starting. If you are going down, you can take a peak ahead and see another vehicle coming and pull over in one of the many convenient pull-overs. I recommend visiting the Shafer Canyon Overlook before starting your drive. A little bumpy, but nothing to freak out over. High-clearance 4WD vehicles with a low range gear (4LO) are strongly recommended. At Mile 17, the road becomes Shafer Basin road. I think he mentioned it would take 2 hours from Moab up Shafer trail and back. Later when we were too committed to turn back that would be about 6 switchbacks later we flashed back on her face and understood what was up and regretted we didn't inquire about the road ahead of us when we had the chance. Many other trails at Island in the Sky also bear names for the families who worked them. Tony Boeckel: 1892 1924 31 years American baseball player car San Diego, California Cris Bolado: 1969 2017 47 years Filipino basketball player motorcycle Phnom Penh . There are portions of the route where one wrong may be disastrous, and tricky sections requiring three-point turns. . Racetrack Road, Death Valley National Park. If you are starting the Shafer Trail from Canyonlands National Park, you will travel N on US-191 N (N Main St) and then turn left onto UT-313. A short, 0.9 mi (1.4 km) drive past the Island in the Sky visitor center leads to a breathtaking view of the Shafer Trail. I can't describe the relief I felt once we made it to the bottom. You will travel this road for about 2.5 miles until you start into the Shafer Switchbacks. Beautiful drive in a stock Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport 4X4. Started at Canyonlands and went down into canyon. It requires extreme caution at the best of times for vehicles and mountain bikes, but especially so in inclement weather and at night. Canyonlands National Park charges a fee to enter. What an awesome ride. and then start the descent down the switchbacks. We got into the bottom and the road was like a hi-way, wide, gravel road. I hope you have a great trip to Moab and Utah. If you arent comfortable driving on the Shafer Trail, you can take a Moab Jeep tour which will take you on the nearby White Rim Road. If you are there during any part of the busy season, you will know you are close to the petroglyphs when you see cars and rock climbers along the road. Remember, unlike in the past, high-clearance, 4WD vehicles with low gear settings (4LO) are highly recommended to traverse this route. Personal vehicle: $30 Motorcycle: $25 Cyclist/Pedestrian: $15 qKHWHql2AH5iADn:jK ^T%Q]OhS'QoOIT]N f1HK{:AN After Canyonlands was established in 1964, ranchers were granted a ten-year extension of ranching in the park. This was a nice way to end the day after doing 3 hikes at Canyonlands. Follow this road all the way till you drive on the 279. You just have to be observant when descending so if you see a vehicle coming up you can pick your spot to pull over and wait. The hike to Corona Arch is 2.5 miles round trip and gets great reviews. JUST DO IT! Thanks for your reply, thanks for your great site !!! The Shafer Canyon Switchbacks are an amazing experience. Worked in perfectly for us after a quick trip to Mesa Arch. Our website uses cookies. <>>> Insane views!!!! The view back up Shafer Canyon and the rim of the Island in the Sky mesa. The overlook is pretty cool. There are a few areas driving up narrow cliffs and hillsides. This is the stretch of road starting at the Shafer Canyon switchbacks and ending just past the Potash evaporation ponds. Starting in 1916, John "Sog" Shafer, used this trail to move cattle from summer pastures on the mesa top to winter ground on the White Rim sandstone, several rock layers down into the canyon. ATVs, OHVs, or UTVs are not permitted inside the park. When we were on White Rim Road, we were asked by a ranger if we had our permit. Just make sure you give yourself at least an hour and a half of daylight, to get back onto paved road before sunset. No, you do not need a permit to drive these roads. Highly recommend the ride but would only use 4WD vehicles for the clearance and sometimes rocky road. more, Canyonlands National Park Half-Day Tour from Moab. Connecting Canyonlands National Park with Moab, the Shafer Trail Road/Shafer Canyon Road is an 18-mile dirt track into eastern Utah, featuring American Indian petroglyphs and natural stone arches. Pets may be transported inside vehicles only. Highly recommend this trip, lots of fun, but BE AWARE Potash Rd is NO JOKE! The views of the Colorado River are spectacular and the paved roads through the Canyon are very nice with canyon walls rising on one side and the river on the other.The views and thrill of adventure are definitely worth it. Forgettaboutit. The unpaved backcountry road winds 1,500 feet (457 m) down colorful sandstone walls, over roughly 5.2 mi (8.4 km) before joining the White Rim Trail. Required fields are marked *. We attempted it a few hours after it had rained and ended up driving through over a foot of water and some deep mud!! Xre&mEEaE&AH_cEv Vdq0" I would not want to drive my own vehicle on this road and put this kind of wear and tear on it. It is best to touch base with the Visitor Center to ensure there is nothing you should be aware of before starting your trip. The view of Potash Road from Dead Horse Point State Park. Note: If you do not turn left, you will begin the drive the White Rim Road. Pass the Xanax and close your eyes. Directions Starting in Canyonlands National Park At Mile 8, you will arrive at the Gooseneck Overlook on the Shafer Trail. For more details on how to plan your time in Canyonlands, read our post One Perfect Day in Canyonlands National Park. Some people like to start the trail at Potash Road because you can avoid the entrance fee station going into Canyonlands National Park. Shafer Canyon Road starts one mile north of the Canyonlands Visitor Center on Island in the Sky Road. Shafer Trail in Canyonlands National Park is an off-roading experience and an incredible drive. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Originally built to transport ore, you should not attempt to travel this road in severe conditions. It is also quite wide, at least compared to the White Rim Road. The Shafer Trail Road is a great trail for all skill levels and families. But it is! 2 0 obj No timelapse - No CutsShafer Trail Road-Shafer Canyon Road is a 18 miles dangerous dirt track located near Moab, in eastern Utah, in the western United State. VISIT THE US NATIONAL PARKS: Looking for your next big adventure? Heres how to do it. BEST OF CANYONLANDS: Top experiences in Canyonlands includes visiting the Island in the Sky district, driving the White Rim Road, hiking in the Needles district, and hiking the Syncline Loop. John Shafer is credited for improving the trail and making access into the canyon easier. Too down in an AWD Chevy Equinox and had no issues. ATVs, OHVs, or UTVs are not permitted inside the park. For sections of this road, the surface is a rough, worn slickrock and when you drive over it, your entire vehicle will vibrate and rattle like crazy. The UT-313 will take you to Canyonlands National Park. It's rocky, but nothing technical-- just be sure to have high clearance for Potash and know if the road is wet or muddy at all from rain. The White Rim Trail and the Shafer Trail follow the same trail down the Shafer Switchbacks. Once you get to the intersection, you can go down White Rim Road until you want to return. The switchbacks are a total of only about 1 mile long. Just put it in 4WD and low and let it go! What was actually a 1/2 day ride might as well have been an eternity because that is what it felt like. She was already getting a death grip on what ever she could grab. You will drive the White Rim Road out-and-back, since you do not have a permit and a campsite reservation to spend the night. Once the mining came to an end and tourism picked up, the road was further widened and maintained, and then became known as Shafer Canyon Road. And with 140 farms in Upstate participating, there are plenty of sugar shacks to choose from in every region. Dont forget if you are going on White Rim Road, you need to purchase a permit at recreation.gov or at the Visitor Center. I refuse to do it again and I got nervous just watching the other vehicles that were on the trail. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Shafer Trail Road-Potash Road is the name of an iconic drive located on the east central edge of Utah, in the western United States. Went in 2020 and this has become a near death story telling experience we share with friends lol. Drove a stock Subaru Forester from Shafer down through Potash no problem on a sunny day. If you are afraid of heights, you may have some anxiety because of the switchbacks and when driving by the Colorado River because there are some steep drop-offs. There are several viewpoints along this part of the road for jaw-dropping views. Or is it a road that goes to Potash and then back to Canyonlands? Good eyewe did this in early November, around November 9 or 10 I believe. I heartily disagree, because at least when you're going down the canyon, you can see what lies on the road ahead. So we took off headed for the visitor center noticing the beautiful river and at the same time trying to figure how we were going to get out of the canyon since there didn't seem to be anyway out and we were looking at sheer cliff walls. Can I drive my Dodge Caravan at Shafer Road. Again, if it were my vehicle, true 4WD with 4 low to save your brakes. As you follow that trail, it will enter into the Canyonlands National Park, and you will end in the Island of the Sky District in Canyonlands, just a short distance inside the park from the entrance station. Pretty sure we suffered with acute stress for a few days when trying to go to bed having flashbacks. Many backcountry roads in the Moab area used for recreation today were improved by the Atomic Energy Commission. As the Shafer Trail starts to distance itself from the Colorado River, you will pass by the Potash Ponds. In 1917, Sog Shafer widened the trail and used it to move cattle through the Island in the Sky area. The trail is open even in the winter months, making it a fun year-round trail. Learn more about the White Rim Road in these three posts: Before you go, check road conditions on the National Park Service website. I was just at Canyonlands again in June 2011 and took some photos from an overlook of Shafer Trail and I still get weak-kneed when I think about riding down the canyon. First view of the Shafer Canyon switchbacks. This is a very scenic area and a great section to stop and take pictures. I think that the Shafer Canyon switchbacks look a lot more dangerous from the viewpoints than when you are actually driving on them. What you should be aware of is that this trail and many other trails in the Moab area can become impassable during periods of rain. Stayed at a B & B in Moab and the owner said we just had to take the shafer trail road to canyonlands park and that it was the only way to go and I might add there was no mention of sheer cliff walls and adrenaline rushes. Stunning trip - adequate challenge for a dirt road beginner. During the busy months, you can easily wait for an hour or more just to get into Canyonlands National Park or Arches National Park. go slow but why would you want to go fast anyway!?
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