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MOTORIZED HAPPENINGS April 2021
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| Trail of the Month |
 The “Trail of the Month” is held each month on the third Saturday of the month. The “Trail of the Month” is open to all those who have a four wheel drive vehicle. Trails run from easy to very difficult. The ratings are shown for each monthly trail. This is a no charge event.
The group meets at City Market on Saturday morning at 8am or 9am, see website for details. They will meet in the northwest corner of the parking lot usually on the 3rd weekend. On special occasions we will have the “Trail of the Month” run away from Moab locations. In past years we have planned various locations. They were the Rubicon Trail in California, Sand Hollow Trails in Hurricane, Utah, and the Black Bear Pass in Ouray, Colorado. Normal attendance is 15 to 20 jeeps with 30 to 40 participants.
We have had guests from many states & countries, including Canada and Mexico. CB Radio’s make the trip more interesting as you learn historical facts about the area, as well as, information about the trail. There will always be a trail leader, mid gunner, and tail gunner to help participants along the trail. Plan on bringing your lunch, as this is a great time to meet the other guests and develop new jeeping friends.
“Trail of the Month” is a great way for newcomers and families to get involved, at no cost, to see how they enjoy the four wheeling experience. Trails will vary in ratings so we offer something for everyone.
The “Trail of the Month” committee develops trails for the next year, with approval of the Executive Committee, then announces the years line up in the club newsletter. See the monthly newsletter, Facebook page, or Club Web page at rr4w.com for current details of upcoming trails. You may contact Mark Pope, “Trail of the Month” Committee Chairman, at
(919) 274-5078 for further information.
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Day Canyon Point - April Trail of the Month |
Length: 70 overall, 10 off highway
Min Tire Size: 33+ inches
Winch: No
Front Locker: No
Rear Locker: No
Beautiful Day Canyon Point is accessed from the Island in the Sky area from a point near Dead Horse Point state park, descends a bumpy five miles to an overlook of the Colorado River at a section of the river called Lake Bottom. The trail retraces the route on its return, so all the short drops become obstacles that must be ascended to return to the well-traveled Deadhorse Point Road. This trip is designed to be a pleasant family style scenic trip for those that pay attention to the ratings and bring an appropriate vehicle and driving skills to match. Those looking for Yahoo Jeeping will be disappointed, and novices are advised to choose a different trip also.
Scenery
Bordered on the north by Day Canyon, on the south by Long Canyon, and on the east by the Colorado River there is scenery everywhere for you to look at on this trip. The La Sal peaks are constantly in view on the descent, distant views of most of the Golden Spike Trail, parts of the Poison Spider Mesa Trail, the Monitor and Merrimac Buttes, Gooney Bird Rock, Jeep Arch, the Moab Rim Trail, and the far end of the Cliffhanger Trail can all be seen.
Surface
There are two track dirt sections, a lot of descents and climbs on slickrock ledges, and even an occasional section of smooth slickrock.
Trail Details
The obstacles are small ledges as the trail encounters different rock layers are crossed. Only one has earned a name-Broken Bill Hill-where a broken axle resulted in a wheel/tire/brake drum assembly departing from a Jeep Cherokee. Some notable rock formation have been named the Puppet Show and the Lodges. There are even several arches that can be viewed with short hikes, but usually there is not enough time to accommodate them.
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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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 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. |
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 Needles District of Canyonlands National Park:
Elephant Hill 4x4 Road Closed for Repairs
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The Elephant Hill four-wheel-drive (4WD) road located in the Needles district of Canyonlands National Park will be closed from April 5-15, 2021 to undergo some much-needed repairs. During this closure all day-use and overnight permits will be unavailable. Please make alternate plans.
The Elephant Hill road is one of the most technical 4WD roads in Utah. It presents drivers and mountain bikers with steep grades, loose rock, stair-step drops, tight turns, and tricky backing. Some sections of this road have eroded beyond the capabilities of even the most experienced backcountry traveler. The Canyonlands road crew will be repairing these sections so visitors can safely traverse them in the future.
Road repair activities will not alter the 4WD experience of the road and visitors should still be prepared and follow best practices before embarking on this road once it re-opens. All backcountry roads require high-clearance, low range four-wheel-drive vehicles. Inexperienced drivers should not attempt these roads. There is a high risk of vehicle damage, and towing costs usually exceed $1,500.
The Elephant Hill road is expected to re-open for day-use and overnight permits on April 16, 2021. More information on all of the backcountry four-wheel-drive road at Canyonlands and helpful tips on how to prepare to travel these roads is available at: https://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/needlesroads.htm
When recreating, visitors should continue to follow CDC guidance to prevent the spread of infectious disease, practice Leave No Trace principles, avoid crowding, and avoid high-risk outdoor activities to reduce preventable accidents. www.nps.gov
About the National Park Service. More than 20,000 National Park Service employees care for America’s 419 national parks and work with communities across the nation to help preserve local history and create close-to-home recreational opportunities. Learn more at www.nps.gov, and on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
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Responsible Recreation
Red Rock 4-Wheelers, Inc.
www.rr4w.com
435-259-ROCK |
 Each year we lose a few more roads/trails. Closed to us forever! It’s a horrible thought, but reality! Take a minute and think about what it would mean to you to have your favorite trail closed. One of the best ways to fight this is to practice responsible
4-wheeling.
Stay on the trail. Don’t be tempted to try a new route or obstacle. Someone will follow your tracks and soon we’ll have another unauthorized road. Go over the bumps and mud, not around them. That’s what 4-wheeling is all about.
Pack out what you pack in. If you see litter on the trail, pick it up and take it out with you. Most of all, take care of and respect this land that we love to play on.
Responsible 4-Wheeling will make a difference. Please join with the Red Rock 4-Wheelers and practice responsible
4-wheeling every day. Let’s show them that we care.
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