The Moab Maiden

Gopher Flats
Moab, UT
April 3, 2017


Finding the Moab Maiden, sometimes called the Moab Princess, is a fun way to spend a couple of hours especially when you are hiking with friends.  Monday dawned rather chilly and overcast so after the gym, Joe and I settled in for a lazy day with the pups.  The phone rings about 10:00 am and Scott says, "Do you want to go exploring?"  We couldn't reply "YES!" quick enough !

The round trip hike to Moab Maiden takes an hour or more depending on how long you want to explore and enjoy the sights.  The trailhead, located just outside of Moab on Kane Creek Road, features a creek crossing,  a steep ascent/descent, some rock scrambling, and slick rock. 

The Maiden is a solitary figure on a boulder.  The boulder rests on a ridge that overlooks a canyon where Kane Springs Creek flows into the  Colorado River.  The trail that follows Kane Creek Springs is another fun trail to do, but we turned right at the junction and headed up ! 







The scenery from the top of the ridge was spectacular. 

 A close up of Kane Creek Road and the cotton woods from the ridge...

and another picture of Kane Creek Road as we saw it. 

 Humongous, beautiful red rock filled the landscape as far as the eye could see...

and the little things up close that always catch my eye made for a picture perfect day.  Such impressive needles !

The Indian Paintbrush is quite showy among the greens and grays.  

The creek crossing where I was happy to have waterproof boots.



Scott took us to another spot to see petroglyphs, and it turned out to be more of a rock climbing adventure.  Joe, sat this one out.  My vertically challenged self made it up two of the steep ledges with no foot holes or anything to hold on to. Keep in mind we were going up and the spot where we started was fading away fast.  Trust me, its a lot steeper than it looks.  This is the spot anxiety took over and I called it quits even though Scott and Chris were willing to help me.    

  

  

Scott 

We walked the base of the cliff searching for more rock art...





















but only found a lonely longhorn sheep.




From there, we were all off to the Moab Diner for a late lunch.  

Until next time, 

Chris getting a selfie with the Moab Maiden.

HAPPY TRAILS ! 

Secret Spire

Gopher Flats
April 2, 2017
Moab, UT
Golly gees, its been a long time since I sat at the computer to do a blog post.  We have been busy, we have been lazy, most importantly, we have been enjoying our first few weeks back in Moab.

The apple trees are budding/blooming at Gopher Flats.


 Red rock and the La Sals heading out to Kens' Lake.

Low clouds on Moab Rim...our view to the west from Gopher Flats.

An important activity we have added to our schedule is working out...  

Moab Recreation and Aquatic Center is a beautiful, well equipped  center for getting/staying healthy.  Both of us are working on body strength as well as cardio.

Sunday, Moab Friends For Wheeling (MFFW) did a mellow, easy trail ride to Secret Spire with a side trail to Dellenbaugh Tunnel.  

Our group had 10 vehicles which included our leader, Carole Hahn.  





Carole did an awesome job guiding us as we rode along the mesa top between two of the Green River's large tributary canyons, Hellroaring and Spring Canyons.

The clouds sure added to the scenery shots... 

Landmarks play such an important part in the vistas here.  Below is Tombstone Rock. 

Our first stop was to check out the pools where water rushes into Spring Canyon from the mesa.  

 Then is was off for a lunch stop at Dellenbaugh Tunnel.  The tunnel is a watercourse that has cut through the Navajo Sandstone.  It's about 100 feet long and so worth the heebie-jeebies to go through because the other side offers spectacular views of Spring Canyon.


Looking east...

 and west.  Of course it's more impressive in person !

You can't see Secret Spire from the main trail.  We took a right hand turn onto a loop that lead us right to the spire made of Navajo Sandstone standing all alone on a dome like base. 

 If you look closely, you will see Ginny standing at the base of the spire on the right hand side.  

 With all the cracks and holes, it's amazing it stands at all !

 The up shot from the base...

And the view from the base...

Secret Spire is rated a 3 by Red Rock 4-Wheelers.  It is not listed in the Charles Wells Guide to Moab Backroads & 4-Wheel-Drive Trails.  The trail itself features sand, slick rock and a sandy wash which any stock jeep can do. 

Parked on the slick rock to explore the pools.

Dee getting photos of the pools.  The designs in the sand was so pretty.

Some of the group standing on the edge of the cliff as I came out of the tunnel.

Susan and her puppy Cinder heading towards the spire while Joe (not my Joe) and Ginny (top left) explore on top of another mound of slick rock. 

It was a fun day.  Thanks again Carole ! 
Until next time, take care and...

HAPPY TRAILS !