Retirement Blog: Off Road to Box Canyon

January 8, 2014

Our Jeep trip started with a line up at the wood shop area of the resort where we met Steve, and 7 other Jeep loads of folks, all interested in driving to Box Canyon for the day. We had 7 Jeeps, a Toyota Cruiser, and a Isuzu in our little caravan.

Driving north on Hwy 79 toward Florence, we turned east toward the Box Canyon at about 8:30 am. Shortly afterwards, our caravan was joined by a pickup towing a trailer with 2 "4-wheelers" who rode with us for part of our trip.

After turning off the paved road we "aired down" our tires to about 15 psi for easier riding and better traction. Some of us also disconnected our sway bars. ("The Rubicon" makes this easy. You just push a button on the dash. ) We then traveled our trail, stopping briefly for a potty stop, and to visit to an old Stage Stop, before entering Box Canyon.

The canyon started out about 50 yards wide, rapidly closing in on is as we traveled into it.

At one point the walls of the canyon rose almost straight up, and you felt like you

could almost spread your arms and touch both sides. (of course it was a little wider than that, unless you have really long arms). The walls showed sprinkles of green, yellow, reds, and oranges, subtle, but beautiful as we passed close to the strata in the rocks. The trail through the narrows is mostly level, with just a couple of small boulders to climb over between the walls (an easy job for a Jeep).

Eventually the canyon began to widen again and the trail began to ascend with a few rocks, dips, and ruts to cross. The rating of the trail was about a "2" out of 5. (made into a 2.5 because of the falls area.)

After a short drive we arrived at the "falls" area, a gradual shelf about 10 to 12 feet high that can be easily climbed with good rear lockers. The Isuzu and a couple of stock Jeeps needed a little tow from above to get past the center section. (Not that they both couldn't have made it, but nobody wanted to leave an axle behind today.)

Steve at the top directing traffic

Our "tail gunner" passed all of us on the rough, right side of the falls (making it look easy) in order to help with the towing. (He is one of the "Tail Gunners" for the more extreme Moab, UT tours during the summer months.)

It took less than 1/2 hour and we were all up. (Jo and I made it on our first attempt, thanks to our front and rear lockers - another 1 button push to engage) .

Steve our wagon master

From there it was a fairly easy "rocky road" to Granny's pass, where we stopped and viewed the many memorial head stones of people who had passed on and wanted their ashes released from that point.

The high point also gave us a spectacular view of the mountains to the west of the valley.

Then it was down again to the valley floor and a stop for lunch and some Jeeper talk. Then on back to the parking area near the Highway where we "aired up" for the trip home.