Bucket List: Shafer Switchbacks/Potash Road, Utah
One of the many things on our bucket list was to drive on the Shafer Switchbacks/Potash Road. This is a trail with incredible canyon views, some challenges and side trips to take for camping and exploring. There are two ways to explore this trail, either enter from highway 191 or enter from Canyonlands Park. This is about the former, as we chose to go this way. We chose to drive this trail, Potash Road, Shafer Switchbacks, near Moab, Utah on a fine, fall day. You will have your challenges, even though it is listed as an easy trail. It starts on Highway 191, which is the main road in Moab, and eventually make a left on Highway 279. Driving along highway 279, you will have plenty of pavement to prepare yourself for the long trail of the Potash. One thing I would like to bring up is you need a 4 wheel drive vehicle. Even though this is an easy trail, there might be some areas on the trail where it is rocky or has potholes. A stock 4 wheel drive is all you need. As we are talking about a 4 wheel drive, there are important things to bring on a trail ride:
Extra gas
Tow rope
Water (drinking and for your vehicle)
Oil
Towels or blankets in case you need to stay the night
Food
Camera! A must for this trail
We finally hit dirt (are we there yet?) and pulled over to air down. This is important if you want a semi comfortable ride. Plus it is much easier on your tires. Once we are done with the tires, we were ready to start off on our journey.
A beauty about Moab is the red rock you see all around you. The red against a blue sky is a magnificent contrast to each other. The first part of the trail, you will see a manufacturing plant. Just drive along and focus your attentions on the natural landscape before you. Balanced Rock is a good stopping point for photos and a good stretch of the legs. Isn't it amazing how this rock can stay in place? Let's hop back into our vehicles and drive on!
The trail is full of smooth red rock, mountains and open spaces. There is a point that you must stop for. Have you heard of the movie, "Thelma and Louise?" There is a point on this trail that is named after the famed movie. It is about two women that happen to be besties, and end up on the wrong side of the law. At the end of the movie, the duo had a meet up with law enforcement and had a decision to make. They were at this point on the trail and had to decide if they wanted to turn themselves in or jump off the cliff. They chose the latter, and the movie was over.
The mighty Colorado River is located at this famous point and is another spot to get out and stretch those legs. This is also a great place for photo opportunities. You have plenty of places to park and walk around. The La Sal Mountains are to the southeast. It is amazing how a river can carve itself in rock and make such beautiful canyons in Moab. As we drove on, the trail was getting a little more challenging. This is when careful driving can come into play. If you are a passenger you can concentrate on what you are driving by, maybe take a photo or take a break to walk around. We decided to take a look at Musselman's Arch.
Musselman's Arch is a short trek from the Shafer trail, and well worth the delay to getting to Canyonlands Park. You actually can walk on the arch! It is not recommended, however, but is great for photos. It is 5 foot thick, 6 feet wide and 187 feet long, plus 300 feet down! The name, Musselman, comes from a local resident who used to explore the area.
Now, it is time to head on up the Shafer Switchbacks! It definitely was daunting as we looked straight up to see where we would go. We moved forward and up, with careful driving as there is no guard rails and in some places, the road was narrow. The incredible views were so much worth it. We made it to the top and stopped for more photos. Mother Nature was on our side as the day was so beautiful with clear skies and average temperatures. Basically, you spill out to the Canyonlands Park. There is a fee, and worth it. After sitting for a while in a vehicle, it is nice to straighten your legs on a hike. It was a long trail, but we loved every second of it. As a matter of fact, I think this is one of my favorite trails to drive on. Planning on going to Moab soon? I highly recommend the Potash/Shafer Switchbacks, for the views, movie history and the challenges of the open road!