40th Annual Moab Jeep Safari

I have been hearing for years that Moab, Utah was the place to be for Easter, if you wanted to see the high tech world of rock crawling. Much to my delight we got an invitation from the Red Rock 4-Wheelers Club (www.rr4w.com). This is the club that sponsors the vendor expo and raffle at the Old Spanish Trail Arena, just south of Moab. If you are into jeeps and/or rock crawlers this is one event that you really should check out. All the vendors were geared for this group of off-roaders with a lot of parts, equipment, and good information from people that are really experienced in having fun. The event went for the whole week before Easter with guided trail rides everyday for those smart enough to sign up in advance. For those that didn’t need a guide you were more then welcome to check out all the trails by yourself. There were many pamphlets and free newspapers available. Drivers could read about all the trails—where they were located, the kind of terrain and the hot spots that each one had to offer. Each trail is well marked and rated on how difficult each one was so you didn’t get caught on a ride you couldn’t handle.

Moab has a lot to offer everyone—hiking, biking, river rafting, horseback riding, dirt bikes, quads and certainly some of the coolest 4x4 trails anywhere. Of course, some of this stuff is seasonal so do the research and see when the best time for your particular vice would be. When we were there in April the weather was perfect, it was in the high 70’s to the low 80’s and I was in shorts and a t-shirt. I don’t know if this was normal or not because we still saw snow on the hills in the background—postcard perfect!!

For 40 years this one week has been all about the “Moab Jeep Safari” which is for 4x4’s and rock crawlers. We saw some dirt bikes and quads; but this event is really about the jeeps and the organizers would prefer that you ride those other toys on a different week. There were plenty of campgrounds around Moab for your trailer, but a lot of the jeep people had to stay at hotels because they were disappointed in the choices of production toyhaulers that were available to them. They were hoping that some of the manufacturers would make a couple of toyhauler models more “jeep friendly” with maybe an entry door on the left side of the trailer so they could get out of the jeeps when they pull in. Some of us are too old to be climbing over the seats is one of the many complaints I heard.

With trail names like “Steel Bender,” “Hell’s Revenge” and “Metal Masher,” you knew right away this place was going to be fun. Plus, drivers could try the world famous “Slickrock Bike Trail” (that is a real technical trail almost totally on rocks). It would take days or maybe weeks to check out all the available trails. Not every trail was doable by the faint of heart, some of these trails were just nasty which only the best drivers with highly modified equipment could conquer. Way cool to watch though!!!! There were many spots that the spectators could get to and watch jeepers and 4x4’s work their machines including “Potato Patch Hill.” This Hill was easy for everyone to get to so it was one of the big party places where lots of people could get together and enjoy drivers working their vehicles. I even saw a Warren Miller film crew there getting footage for an upcoming show. Check out some of these web sites to get a feel for what Moab is all about; www.moab-utah.com and www.discovermoab.com.

I would highly recommend Moab to anyone who has never been there. It is one place you need to see at least once in your lifetime. I think I would do it soon. It looks like Moab is growing and when that happens the politicians and developers come in and start shutting the fun down.

One of the best things about making a road trip to Utah is the scenery, with sprawling mountains, rock formations, wildlife, and all the vibrant colors which make the USA special. Now for the downside, as you pull your toyhauler through all these beautiful mountains you are really working your tow vehicle. So, the trick is to slow down, take your time, and enjoy all the sights. One more thing to think about while you’re in the mountains—deer come out to play, usually at dusk, and if you see one, there will be more (just look for the blue of their eyes). Remember be safe and have fun.

- THM