This is an absolutely incredible trail to run! The Shafer Trail is safe but can become unsafe if driven during times of inclement weather. The Shafer Trail in Canyonlands was named for the Shafer family. Trail Type: Point to Point. He also mentioned that we we would go by the place where Thelma and Louise go over the cliff in a car in the movie. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. Did it in a rented Ford Taurus with 5.1" of ground clearance, so it is doable in a 2 wheel drive sedan if you have some testicular fortitude, are a good driver who knows where your tires are/understands how to approach rocks without bottoming out, and of course do not care about wear and tear on the vehicle. Turn right onto the gravel road. We descended the trail in our Yukon XL. You will drive down Potash Road until it turns into Forest Road 142, which is the Shafer Trail. 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. It takes roughly 2 hours to do this drive. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Does it get me close? If you are planning on visiting Arches National Park or the nearby Natural Bridges National Monument, purchasing the America the Beautiful Pass would be worth your while. View from Shafer Canyon Overlook. Cars driving uphill have the right of way. For the first 2.5 miles, you drive just below the rim. From here the Shafer Canyon Road, also known as the Shafer Trail, begins to climb gradually, offering exceptional views over the entire valley. This part of the road is relatively smooth and very well maintained. For more details on how to plan your time in Canyonlands, read our post One Perfect Day in Canyonlands National Park. Thus was my very first experience with 4-wheeling.We had started from the top of the trail that begins right before the visitor's center in Canyonlands, and took it all the way down to Potash, then to Moab. I suggest come clearance on your vehicle for some parts. Just take it slow.Once down, you still need to be in 4 wheel drive as the road can get quite bumpy and there are still a lot of places that require it for navigation. The Shafer Trail in Moab, Utah is regarded as one of the most dangerous roads in America. I've never been so glad to get to the bottom of something in my life. Just past the Petroglyphs around mile 5.8, you will run into the parking lot for the Poison Spider Mesa off-road trail. Beautiful drive in a stock Toyota Tacoma TRD Sport 4X4. 4 0 obj I recommend renting a vehicle for this drive. The Shafer Trail, WOW!!! Shafer Trail (Canyonlands National Park) - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go. Most people start in Canyonlands and end in Moab. 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. If you take your RZR down Potash Road, you can go on the trail until you arrive at a very clearly marked sign that says you are entering the Canyonlands National Park and OHVs are not allowed. Take it slow and enjoy the views! Boaks was injured in a minor road traffic crash while getting off a bus. Not at all technical but use Low 4 Wheel at least thru the switchbacks. 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. Do you need to book in advance to visit Shafer Trail? 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. You can travel the Shafer Road from Potash Road and drive until you get to the White Rim Road and Shafer Trail intersection. Sheep herders run sheep along the canyon, c. 1966. Backcountry driving conditions can change rapidly after rain or snow. The majority of people who drive on the Shafer Trail would not rate the Shafer Trial as scary. Island in the Sky: White Rim Road The 100-mile four-wheel drive White Rim Road loops around and below the Island in the Sky mesa top and provides expansive views of the surrounding area. But be careful not to go after any rain!! Have you seen photos of the Shafer Canyon switchbacks and said to yourself, wow, Id really love to drive on that road? Shafer Trail or Shafer Canyon Road? I suppose this would be a great trail for those who have nerves of steel and love adventure but this is just a bit too much, in my opinion. The view makes the whole ride worth it, both from the bottom and the top. 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. Drove this the first week of August after some rainy spells so I was worried about mud (I-70 was temporarily blocked with flash flooding when we came through the day before). Turn left onto Potash Road. 2 0 obj I think the 8 hr time is based on hiking, not driving. You can also learn more about the national parks (and get the full list) in our Guide to the US National Parks. We hope you find this guide helpful on your road trip. However, it does intersect with the White Rim Road, and the White Rim Road does require a permit. However, if you plan to include the White Rim Road, you must have a permit to drive the White Rim Road. This is not an overly challenging trail, but it is a fun trail. Travel 38.3K subscribers Join Subscribe 2.7K 234K views 4 years ago CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK In this segment of. I think that the Shafer Canyon switchbacks look a lot more dangerous from the viewpoints than when you are actually driving on them. The petroglyphs are close to a popular rock climbing area. 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 started at the top and had driven down to the bottom and I must say I have never been so scared in my life. You will pass below Dead Horse Point. It is hopeful that repairs at Upheaval Bottom, Taylor Canyon and Lathrop Canyon can be completed within the next week. more, Canyonlands National Park Half-Day Tour from Moab. The Shafer Trail is named after the Shafer family, who were Mormon pioneer settlers. If people cannot get into Arches, they will go into Canyonlands, making for a long wait at the entrance station. bar) and I had pretty much felt that my life was going to end that day. Part of the trail had flooded and washed away!! Or is it a road that goes to Potash and then back to Canyonlands? Nearby you can also hike through Little Wild Horse slot canyon. ]J [,;9CoOUJRJbTiI4wYv*s8D4@K ]Sz%X7R7N-FHjkZ)}qX&iJqt"\"r:,_/XNgn^aQ\3xUTA4X6}e:9'~+R?&yMz)cGjh4-^&8JWy) ;pZTa`=Jpx*]e3/de@5'*\2BQa-ak'fI%XX tUP$lYL1/+Z^[JLUXg`*_$lT If you want the best expansive views of the surrounding canyon lands, many people say the Dead Horse State Park has better views because it is higher above the river. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Earth Trekkers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by advertising & linking to Amazon.com. Saw a mule deer and her two babies. Highly recommend 4x4 off road car. Dont think the dogs cared to much for it. Left image Killer drive!!!! I had a death-grip on the interior bar/handle in the truck (also known as an "OH MY GAWD!!!" Today, the Shafer Trail is a challenging, unpaved backcountry road for recreational users seeking the experience of a lifetime Many backcountry roads in the Moab area used for recreation today were improved by the Atomic Energy Commission. High-clearance 4WD vehicles with a low range gear (4LO) arehighly recommended. 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. After you turn left onto the Shafer Trail (AKA Potash Road), you will descend and shortly cross a small river bed. You know that stomach dropping, regret-filled feeling you get when youre strapped into a roller coaster, wondering why you decided to do this and theres no turning back, but you know its going to be fine and over before you know it? If you click the icons on the map, you can get more information about each point of interest. 100% of travelers recommend this experience. On day 2, we finished the loop, ending with the drive up the Shafer Canyon switchbacks. After that continue to Moab. So, we drove back down the switchbacks and took Potash Road to Moab. It is rated as a moderate trail, and on a scale of 1 to 10, would probably be rated as a 2 or 3 in terms of difficulty. I heartily disagree, because at least when you're going down the canyon, you can see what lies on the road ahead. From here, you can see Shafer Canyon Road, the White Rim Road, Potash Road, and Dead Horse Point State Park. Here you can see dinosaur tracks and more petroglyphs. An incredible ride, not for the faint of heart - Review of Shafer Trail A short, but unpaved and uneven trail leads to a fenced viewing area. There were no muddy areasit was all a dry, dirt road with some rocky spots here and there. . Tip 4: Even though Canyonlands National Park is not as popular as Arches National Park, it will still get busy. Every muscle in my body was sore afterwards from clenching my muscles and I literally cried. The road from potash looks like a typical 4 wheel adventure and there are lots of great scenes and things to see wonderful rock formations etc. Once you get below the rim, you will take Potash Road to Moab. She was already getting a death grip on what ever she could grab. Very cool trail. The steep, exposed sections of the Shafer Trail, Lathrop Canyon Road, Murphy's Hogback, Hardscrabble Hill, and the Mineral Bottom switchbacks make the White Rim loop a challenging ride, and require extreme caution for both vehicles and bikes during periods of inclement weather. This is the stretch of road starting at the Shafer Canyon switchbacks and ending just past the Potash evaporation ponds. Your email address will not be published. Most AWD SUVs will do just fine on this road, as long as it is not wet or snow-covered. We can laugh about it now but I dont think I would ever do that again. I knew something was up when we ran into a couple that had just come through the canyon part of the drive in a smaller 4 wheel drive. The view of Potash Road from Dead Horse Point State Park. Make sure your vehicle falls within these guidelines before you go. Make sure you get a permit for the White Rim Raod Trail. Thanks for your reply, thanks for your great site !!! Epic trail!! Personal vehicle: $30 Motorcycle: $25 Cyclist/Pedestrian: $15 This number is based on the percentage of all Tripadvisor reviews for this product that have a bubble rating of 4 or higher. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Turn right and in a few minutes, you will be in Moab. Here is a photo looking up at the point. Originally built to transport ore, you should not attempt to travel this road in severe conditions. How to Drive the White Rim Road: Map, Photos & Driving Tips You should be driving an all wheel or 4 wheel drive vehicle with decent ground clearance. My husband insisted on the trail. The Shafer Trail is named after the Shafer family, who were Mormon pioneer settlers.