Great photos! Looks like people here are really getting out and having a good time!

 

Well, forget my message, it appears the photos won't post. [>:]But there are two great trails in Arches. Salt Creek TRAIL (not the road) and Cache Valley. I would post photos, but it appears I can't.

 

I ran a bit of cache valley and turned around and went back to delicate arch. It didn't compare to the trails over at Canyonlands as far as scenery IMO, it was fun and easy but Shafer really blew my mind when we drove it.

Shafer Trail is really something, not very technical and you don't have to repeat the trail in reverse direction unless you want to. It takes a few hours and is no doubt one of the most scenic short trails in Canyonlands Nat. Park. The beginning starts with switchbacks from the rim to the valley. It isn't very rough but it is VERY steep and the switchbacks are tight as can be. You're on a shelf rocky dirt road about 2000 ft. above the valley straight down with no shoulder or guard rails. There are a few turnouts here and there to let another vehicle pass but sometimes you have to wait or backup to let someone else get by you or you , them.

The hummer just makes the tightest turns without backing up. I can see any other vehicle with a longer wheelbase would have to make a few trys to get around some of the corners.

The trail is mostly dirt, sand and a few rocks. At the bottom you cross a few small dry washes and follow the road out to the Potash ponds and hwy 279 back to Moab.
It'l take you about 4 hrs. to do it, that includes leaving Moab and driving up to Canyonlands and driving the trail and returning back to Moab from the beginning of 279. If you have some more time you can split off Shafer Trail and get on to the White RIM trail that is down in the middle canyon. It is a very long trail but is very scenic and you can turn around if you start running out of time and finish back at the junction with the Shafer trail.

If I had only one day there I would do Shafer trail. It is really worth seeing and a bonus is you get to see some Indian Petroglyphs once you get out on to hwy 279 that follows the Colorado back to Moab.

I have a non-adventure H3. I went down to 4x4 Low to make the switchback decents without burning up the brakes but you really don't have to. You have the option of turning around and climbing up the trail and you would most certainly want to be in 4x4 low as steep as some of the grades are.

You should also drive down into Canyonlands and go to the Grand View Overlook and Dead Horse State Park if you have time just to sight see the canyons, the views are second to none. Also, Arches Nat. Park is a short drive through paved roads and you can see a bunch of natural stone arches in a fairly small area. Arches NP is way smaller than Canyonlands and is about 4 miles north of Moab whereas Canyonlands North entrance is about 33 miles from Moab (but worth it).

Long Canyon is a short trail, probably half as long as Shafer but it's more difficult in two particular sections than Shafer. I think it's less than an hour on the trail itself. I don't think I'd take it as my first trail.

I'll post some more pics when I get some time.

 

Sounds like you had a great time can't wait to see the pics.... I am in Vegas so its a shorter trip for me ...Very beautiful country up there....!

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Shafer trail:


Horse Canyon Trail, Canyonlands, Needles Area (Sorry for the Jeep, but I didn't always have a Hummer):

If you want to see more photos of the parts (Arches and Canyonlands) here is a decent link.
Best way to see all is to really get out and walk.
Cache valley is not a very picturesque road, but it is a lot more technical than any I have found in Canyonlands. Go into it about a mile and it is boulder city with sand pits.

Mesa Arch, Canyonlands Park. One of the most popular sunrise photos you can shoot.


Background is Washer Woman Arch....

 

Nice to see F5 posting here.

 

Yeah we are getting hammered in Chicago. There are gas stations that are over $4.00 just for regular! I don't even remember the last time I drove into the city.

I hope you have fun on your road trip. In 2005 (I know, here we go again) my wife and I did 5200 miles in 11 days in a Scion xB. Chicago > Mt. Rushmore > Sturgis > Yellowstone > Grand Tetons > Vegas > San Diego >Vegas > Colorado Springs > Chicago. It's fun times though my friend. You'll have a blast, especially in a Hummer!

 

Here are a few pics from the trip. 1 from the vicious, H3 eating stump in CO and then a few from Moab. We ended up doing Gemini Bridges (medium trail) followed by Shafer Trail (easy, but not for those afraid of heights). After replacing the front drive shaft, bent by the stump, the truck was great. Yes, yes, the nerf bars will come off when I decide to do any serious off-roading



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Nice pics!

 

Great pix! I noticed where you said yours was a non-Adventure H3, do you feel that to be a big setback on the real technical offroad sections? Mine is the non-adv as well..