Moab Happenings Archive
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Motorized HAPPENINGS April 2018

Buttes and Towers Trail

This beautiful trail visits the scenic Courthouse Pasture area northwest of Moab to provide participants with a relaxing, moderate 4 wheeling experience along with picturesque views and vistas of the beautiful reddish Entrada rock formations that are plentiful in this area. The La Sal Mountain peaks serve as a backdrop. There are many old trails in this area and this trip combines segments of them to create a pleasant and varied experience. Approximate mileage: 50 total, 25 off highway.

Scenery
Courthouse Rock dominates the beginning of the trip. As the day progresses Pasture Butte, Monitor and Merrimac Buttes, Determination Towers, Alien Rock, and Big Mesa are all viewed.

Surface

The road surface varies but stays consistent with the trail rating. It varies from bumpy rock sections to smooth sandy washes. There are two track dirt sections, a lot of fun slickrock driving that includes some sidehill areas, then sandy creek bottoms and a lot of sandy pasture area. Sprinkled among all this variety are broken, rubbly rock sections and a few short shelves.

Trail Details
No named obstacles have yet appeared on this trip. The enjoyment of viewing all the varied huge red Entrada formations blends in nicely with the moderate 4 wheeling. The trail offers enough jeeping to keep the driver engaged while tempting driver and passengers to turn heads and look in awe at the buttes and towers all around. Most of the named rock buttes and towers are visited close up so participants can get a true feeling of their size. Occasional “scenic stops” along the way will allow time to contemplate and photograph the scenery. One narrow spot in Tusher Wash late in the day may test drivers of full size vehicles; others have negotiated it before, but some may prefer guided assistance when navigating this section.

Trail consisting of loose rocks, dirt, and sand with some slickrock surfaces,
mud holes possible, no steps higher than 12”. 4WD is required, aggressive tires a plus.

Trail Difficulty Ratings are for Moab area roads in dry conditions. The effects of snow or rain varies greatly depending upon the altitude of the roads and the type of soil.

NOTE: The Red Rock 4 Wheelers Club attempts to keep the trail ratings current. However weather and usage constantly alters the routes. Heavy but localized rains can change Kane Creek from a moderate trail to impassable in an afternoon. It is always wise to obtain the most up-to-date information prior to departing for a trip, and be prepared. Remember, turning back is usually an option as well.

For more information see the Red Rock 4-Wheeler website, www.rr4w.com, where the entire Easter Jeep Safari magazine is online.




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