Driving to Moses

Anyone got beta on driving into Moses without a high clearance vehicle? Can it be done? Thanks gang for your tips!

The last time I was in Taylor Canyon clearance wasn't an issue at all.The camping is by permit only very limited. and You might have to camp along the river just outside the park boundry.It doesn't take very long to drive to the trail head from there.What a great place to be headed. Have fun!

Olaf, thanks so much for your reply -- with it, I'm ready for it in a Honda Civic! Unless someone else strongly disagrees?

Hi Zac. I drove to Moses in my 95 Nissan Pathfinder and was glad to have it. I imagine that it's possible w/out a high clearance 4x4 but you'd best be ready for getting epically stuck in some serious sand. If I recall, you can skirt some of the deeper sand pits, but be prepared to move some debris so you don't get a flat tire. The drive is quite long as I recall, so unless you're a 2wd expert and prepared to hike several miles if you get stuck I would not recommend it. That said, it's been a solid 3 years since I made that drive, so my memory could be shaky...

I drove into moses a few years back in an 84 rear wheel drive volvo wagon with awful tires. My vote is that you will make it in your civic just fine. I recommend having at least 1 GOOD spare and taking it slow and you will be fine, especially with front wheel drive.

Thank you very much Ollie and Aaron. Leaving in about an hour, driving from Denver. So we'll have lots of time in the car to debate whether to go for it.

you're good to go. the white rim road used to be heinous, but in the last few years, it has gotten much better. i routinely see non-high clearence down there...ok, maybe not routinely, but frequently.

i wouldn't let any driving conditions turn me around....

now the 5.11 move to get out of the diheadral on primrose or the 5.12 overhang on pale fire...i might let that turn me around....

have fun - i'm jelous!

S

Zac,

I would say that you may or may not make it to the parking for Moses in a Civic. I don't think you'll have any problems getting to the mouth of Taylor Canyon, but from there it could be tough going.

If you find that you can't get there and you don't want to walk the miles into Taylor Canyon, you might consider the Charlie Horse Needle. It's nowhere near as proud as Moses but it is a good climb and a fun tower on solid rock.

Cheers,
Brad

Yeah, I would agree that conditions are variable. I drove my parents 1984 Oldsmobile down there when I was 16 years old. The road was decent on the way down to mineral bottom and not too bad from there to the parking for Moses. I did bottom out quite a bit, but was able to get there. After our climb, there was a big thunderstorm, and the roads got really bad and washed out in a few places, especially on the flats up above the switchbacks going down to Mineral Bottom. We had to wait three days to drive out after a road grader came through. I was glad to be stuck as I missed a few days of school. My parents were a bit upset as the Oldsmobile never ran quite the same again.

If a car gets stuck on the approach/descent... is it booty?

I did Moses two days ago and the road was fine. It does have some loose sand in a couple washes, which would make retreat difficult if it started to rain though the area gets less than 8' per year. We had a Tacoma and life was easy but there's no way I'd take my girlfriend's Volvo down there. Potash it ain't.

George's advice may be the best idea. The road in Taylor Canyon road can change rapidly. A few years ago a thunderstorm centered on the upper canyon and they estimated that the water was running through the narrows at 25,000 cfs for a couple of hours. It completely tossed a Hummer and washed it downstream a couple of miles. Ben Folsom's experience isn't too uncommon either. After a rain, the clay layer will get greasier than goose shit and trap you for days on really flat graded roads.

Rent the jeep. Get the towing insurance.

Mal

Rent me to take you there next time.