If you chose to make the short add on to Goosenecks overlook off the White Rim Road, you WILL need a permit which is easy to get at the visitors center. Thank you! This road circles under Dead Horse Point, along the Colorado River, and past the potash evaporation ponds. My truck is a 2001 Dodge 2500 4whell drive. It is a popular photo spot for many because the Shafer Switchbacks are unique and make for a fun picture. 4x4 should be required for non experienced drivers. In fact I told my wife there doesn't look like there is a road out of here. This is a very scenic area and a great section to stop and take pictures. Tripadvisor gives a Travelers Choice award to accommodations, attractions and restaurants that consistently earn great reviews from travelers and are ranked within the top 10% of properties on Tripadvisor. 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. Took the trail down into the canyon and on to White Rim Rd to Musselman Arch where we returned to Potash Rd for the 32 mile return trip to Moab. Just make sure you give yourself at least an hour and a half of daylight, to get back onto paved road before sunset. We never needed to put our vehicle in 4WD for these two roads. If you click the star next to the title of the map, this map will be added to your Google Maps account. If people cannot get into Arches, they will go into Canyonlands, making for a long wait at the entrance station. Would need to know where are the dirtiest parts of the shafter canyon road ? Just past the evaporation ponds your tires will hit paved road. 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. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. If you do the drive in this direction, it is a great way to end your visit to the Island in the Sky District. I've stood over Niagara Falls, right on the edge, done the Gondolla up and down Jasper Mountain, heights hadn't been a problem before this "ride". Then, spend the rest of the day visiting the overlooks and hiking the short trails in the park. Length 19.6 miElevation gain 3,106 ftRoute type Point to point. The Shafer Trail at the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park is an iconic road that descends 1,500 feet (457 m) through a colorful, massive sandstone cliff. No, you do not need a permit to drive these roads. Do I Need a Permit to Drive Shafer Canyon Road and Potash Road? As you follow the Shafer Basin Road past the Potash Ponds, the road will join up with Forest Road 142, which is the Shafer Trail. If youre looking for other fun 44 trails in Moab, be sure to check out Fins and Things and Hells Revenge. We loved this off-road experience. Just under 10 miles down Potash Road, you will find parking for the popular Bowtie Arch and Corona Arch. There are several viewpoints along this part of the road for jaw-dropping views. It is one thing to watch cars travel the switchbacks from the Shafer Canyon Overlook. fun route! Killer drive!!!! At one point she did jump out of the truck and was convinced it would be easier to walk out..once she was on solid ground she did much better, but I did mention to her I thought the road would be better traveled on a donkey or llama. Highly recommend 4x4 off road car. https://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/fees.htm, Bureau of Land Management: Moab Field Office. The switchback is the easiest part of the road as it is in very good condition, the rest of the road is trickier but nothing impassable. Guard rails? The Shafer Canyon Road is what you will turn on after you pass the entrance station in Canyonlands National Park. For the first 2.5 miles, you drive just below the rim. Am I Crazy?? SHAFER TRAIL in a CAR?| Canyonlands National Park | Shafer more Needles District Road Closures All Needles district 4x4 roads and Elephant Hill Access Road are closed and impassable due to severe weather. I do have to admit the trail going down was steep, and the switchbacks were tight, getting down over the mountain into the bottom. Shafer Trail: 604 Reviews, 1,008 Photos, Map - Utah | AllTrails USA ROAD TRIPS: Planning your next big adventure in the USA? Cheers, Julie, Thank you for the informative article about Canyonlands. We were definitely unprepared and did not know what we were getting into. There are many places to pull over and allow oncoming traffic to pass. Be prepared.it does jostle the neck around a bit! Insane views!!!! We also did it a few days before Memorial Day, so we didn't have any contentious weather, and we also came across many other people on the trail as well.It started off as a very nice ride. We are an every day family prioritizing experiences and memories. All rights reserved Earth Trekkers. Once you get to the intersection, you can go down White Rim Road until you want to return. Copyright All Rights Reserved. We used Canyonlands Jeep Rentals and had an awesome experience. There are a lot of places to pull off at the bottom to take some really good pictures of the Colorado River and rock formations as well. They stopped and chatted with us and asked if the roads were any better from the direction we had come from.we told them it was rough.but one look at the woman in the passenger seat should have given us a heads up that what was up ahead was some serious stuff.because her face was ashen white and she looked shell shocked. Heres how to do it. This includes street-legal OHVs. 1 0 obj
Both the permit and the high-clearance 4WD vehicle are enforced by the national park service. It is hopeful that repairs at Upheaval Bottom, Taylor Canyon and Lathrop Canyon can be completed within the next week. Fantastic and fun and completely doable. At Mile 8, you will arrive at the Gooseneck Overlook on the Shafer Trail. 4/28/2023. GOBLIN VALLEY: Goblin Valley is a small state park packed with unique rock formations thats a fun place to explore, especially for kids. My wife was so scared she kept asking me to stop because she thought she wanted to get out of the truck. The switchbacks are no joke but once those are behind you its pretty smooth sailing. Drive the Shafer Trail -Canyonlands Island in the Sky to Moab- The West is Big! Pets may be transported inside vehicles only. Tip 2: If there is rain in the forecast or if it has rained recently, make sure you call the visitor center to ensure the road has not closed. Below is a link for the full details on how to drive the White Rim Road in one day. Does it get me close? Cheers, Julie, Hello, Laurent from France here. The Shafer Trail at the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park is an iconic road that descends 1,500 feet (457 m) through a colorful, massive sandstone cliff. Quite a few mountain bikes and quad runners were on the trail. Do your research well!! Its a very cool drive!! If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you will love driving Shafer Canyon Road and Potash Road. See all 4 Shafer Trail tours on Tripadvisor, Base Camp Adventure Lodge, King on the front porch, View all hotels near Shafer Trail on Tripadvisor, Things to Do in Canyonlands National Park, Canyonlands National Park Pet Friendly Campgrounds, Hotels near Island In The Sky Visitor Center, Hotels near Salt Lake City Intl Airport (SLC), Motels near Salt Lake City Intl Airport (SLC), All things to do in Canyonlands National Park, Geologic Formations in Canyonlands National Park, National Parks in Canyonlands National Park, Biking Trails in Canyonlands National Park, Hiking Trails in Canyonlands National Park, Bodies of Water in Canyonlands National Park, Scenic Drives in Canyonlands National Park, Historic Sites in Canyonlands National Park, Historic Walking Areas in Canyonlands National Park, Points of Interest & Landmarks in Canyonlands National Park, Visitor Centers in Canyonlands National Park, Grand View Point Overlook: Tickets & Tours, Dead Horse Point State Park: Tickets & Tours, Island In The Sky Visitor Center: Tickets & Tours, Arsenal Football Club Emirates Stadium Tour, Small-Group Bayou Airboat Ride with Transport from New Orleans, Scenic 17-Mile Drive Tour - Self Drive Audio Guide from Monterey & Carmel. It felt like we were in an Escher paining because you could not see the road ahead and it looked like we were driving into the canyon wall and would get stuck and just then the switchback would appear and we could see our way up and this went on for what seemed like 2 hours but I'm sure it took only half that time. The most difficult is the Shafer Trail and Mineral Bottom Road switchbacks, Murphy Hogback, Hardscrabble Hill, and the Lathrop Canyon Road - an optional spur road. It's a trail, not a road and has no guardrails. The Shafer Trail road can be accessed by anyone in a high-clearance 4WD vehicle with a low range gear (4LO) (recommended). If you have a 44 vehicle with a 4-low range and high clearance, you will be able to get down the road with ease. You'll need to leave pups at home dogs aren't allowed on this trail. At 22 feet long it would be difficult to find a place to turn around if needed. The trickiest part for us was near the upper end of the Potash evaporation pools. On the way, you will pass rock climbing sites and Corona Arch. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Most Dangerous National Parks in the U.S. | Fatal Accident Statistics Canyonlands National Park is on the right side of the photo. ! Shafer Trail Viewpoint - National Park Service The trail had recently opened and still had snow in some locations which made for some scary hair pin turns. Now we started at the top. Online Genealogy Records. If you have any questions about this drive, or if you want to share your experience, you can do so in the comment section below. His death in hospital two years later was the result of complications from the head injuries sustained. Thats the best view, from the drivers side. There is a vault toilet at the intersection of the White Rim Road and the Shafer Trail. Canyonlands National Park Day Use Backcountry Permits - Recreation.gov If you are in Moab, Utah, you will go north on Hwy US-191 N (N Main Street), and shortly after you cross the Colorado River, you will turn left onto UT-279 S. This road is also called Potash Road. Its not really my thing to be jostled around but the views made it worth it. In this photo, you can see Potash Road as it runs along the Colorado River. The Shafer Trail in Moab: A Complete Trail Guide for 2023 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. However, the mines produced very little uranium and were soon abandoned. Drive the Shafer Trail -Canyonlands Island in the Sky to Moab- I wouldnt do it again, nor recommend, but if youre a thrill seeker who likes living on the edge (literally) then youll love it! Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. On this route, you will drive the legendary Shafer Canyon switchbacks, pass below Dead Horse Point, get a close-up view of the Colorado River, and see a famous movie filming location, Thelma and Louise point. To get back to Moab, drive Shafer Canyon Road and Potash Road described above. Next was to convince my wife. This photo was taken at the top of Shafer Canyon Road, about one mile before starting down the Shafer Trail switchbacks. Then take the Potash Road and Shafer trail into Canyonlands National Park later in the day. The 2022 edition of Maple Weekend runs March 19 and 20 and March 26 and 27. There is a vault toilet at this point if someone needs to use the restroom. This is a popular trail for mountain biking, off-road driving, and scenic driving, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day. I recommend a trip to Dead Horse State Park and you will be able to see Potash road from the Colorado River to the evaporation pools from 2000 ft up. Shafer Trail is a dirt road that starts with several switchbacks down into the canyon Canyonlands National Park Fees The entry fee covers you for a full 7 consecutive days visiting Canyonlands park. I can't describe the relief I felt once we made it to the bottom. For the full list, check out our Canyonlands Travel Guide. Shafer Trail or Shafer Canyon Road? The Potash Road will eventually turn into a dirt road that is the Shafer Trail. There are a few areas driving up narrow cliffs and hillsides. The Shafer Trail difficulty rating is moderate because there are some steep switchbacks. This is known as a Gooseneck. I would NOT do this in a car. At this point, you will start to be directly beneath the Dead Horse Point State Park. My question is how far does it go? Generally considered a moderately challenging route. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. Not for two-wheel-drive sedans, but rather 4WD or AWD, this narrow thread of road leads to the fabled land of moving rocks in the heart of Death Valley. A road that humbles the wildest of egos. While driving this unpaved road remains difficult to this day, with the right gear and technology, it's possible to safely traverse the Shafer Trail. 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. This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Once past the Shafer Canyon switchbacks, the road levels out. Shafer Canyon Overlook is not actually on the Shafer Trail. Shafer Trail Closed The unpaved Shafer Trail road at Island in the Sky is closed due to winter conditions. The Shafer Canyon Switchbacks are an amazing experience. After you turn left onto the Shafer Trail (AKA Potash Road), you will descend and shortly cross a small river bed. This section is a little more challenging as there are some small rock ledges you will drop down. At Mile 17, the road becomes Shafer Basin road. Racetrack Road, Death Valley National Park. Another way you can combine the two trails is by going into Canyonland National Park and starting from inside the park. Try this 31.5-km point-to-point trail near Moab, Utah. If youre in the Moab area and you are okay with some puckering at the beginning, its so worth it. Driving the Shafer Trail is something that youll never forget, however, it is important to do it safely. and then start the descent down the switchbacks. We got into the bottom and the road was like a hi-way, wide, gravel road. Xre&mEEaE&AH_cEv
Vdq0" Its a beautiful time to be in Utahwe even had a dusting of snow at Canyonlands on this visit just a few days before these photos were taken. You will pass below Dead Horse Point. However, the views are amazing. During the winter months, Shafer Canyon Road can close due to snowfall. Water in places. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Check our our USA Road Trip Guide for travel ideas and sample itineraries. The Shafer Trail Canyon overlook is also known as the Shafer Trail Viewpoint. We took it with a FWD Kia SUV, and we had no problem whatsoever. The photos of the trail (and looking at it on Google Earth) made it look quite scary, however after watching the drive real time on YouTube it seemed very doable. A bit before the White Rim Rd you take the left into the Potash Rd. When authorities recovered his body, they found the remains of other hikers who had suffered the same fate. . {-][BX^b1ae ].kmlmz +#pkuv They are steep, and it is recommended to travel them in 4 low. I think the 8 hr time is based on hiking, not driving. Many other trails at Island in the Sky also bear names for the families who worked them. Were good . You can start or end at two different locations depending on where you want to end on the Shafer Trail. What a great road to explore on. During inclement weather, the road can become impassable. ATVs and UTVs are permitted on Potash Road but they are not allowed on National Park Service lands, so you cannot drive one of these vehicles on Shafer Canyon Road. Cheers, Julie, Your email address will not be published. Said we needed 4wheel drive and high clearance. Moderate 4.7 (604) Canyonlands National Park. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Awesome! Once on the White Rim Road, you can go as far as Gooseberry campground or Monument Basin. How to Drive the White Rim Road: Map, Photos & Driving Tips After observing multiple vehicles going up and down the steep part (and no one plummeting to their death), she said ok, lets do it. We drove a 2021 Nissan Rogue AWD. If you drive into the park from the Shafer Trail, you can avoid the entrance station altogether. Make sure you have enough gas, probably a good idea to have some food and water (just in case) and prepare for no cell service. In Moab, there are numerous companies that will rent 4WD vehicles. As the Shafer Trail starts to distance itself from the Colorado River, you will pass by the Potash Ponds. She was already getting a death grip on what ever she could grab. The park ranger warned of mud and ledges on Potash. The scenery is absolutely beautiful. If you only have one day in Moab, visit Canyonlands in the morning, drive Shafer Canyon and Potash Road midday, and spend the afternoon in Arches National Park. 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. It's a little on the scary side at times, but highly worth it for both the 4 wheeler (hubby) and shutterbug (me) alike.