How fitting that we were on a ROAD TRIP (Covid style) during October of 2020 and discovered the unbelievable 4×4 offroad opportunities around Moab, Utah and Canyonlands National Park.

We had packed enough clothing, gear and food for an undetermined amount of time into our Ford Raptor. Beginning from the Seattle, Washington area, we figured we’d be out for a couple, maybe three weeks. It was an unknown itinerary. The basic plan was to circle down through Oregon, the California coast, across the Mohave desert of Nevada and then the Utah national parks. Then back home. Covid-19 developments would dictate where and when we went.

Once we hit Utah and researched the parks on the fly, we learned a lot. It turns out that you can spend weeks just in the off country backroads of one national park: Canyonlands. If you have the time, you can canvass hundreds of miles of unpaved roads in Canyonlands and get to isolated view points, trails and camping areas. It can take weeks because it can be very slow going and extremely technical. The payoff is a wilderness of towering monoliths and valleys formed over millions of years. The endless landscape views are highly textured and colored, providing solitude and respite from our ultra connected modern world.

The warnings from the park service abound before venturing out on these roads. Most require a low range four wheel drive with high clearances. You’ll be utilizing your technical driving skills through deep sand, rocks, steep switchbacks and slickrock. All OHV, UTV and ATV vehicles are prohibited. Motorcycles are OK as long as they are licensed and legal for normal travel. Bicycles are also OK.

Two wheel drive and all wheel drive vehicles are prohibited. Pets are also prohibited, even in vehicles. While the NPS does not address specifically why, there is some speculation that the biological soils are easily upset from pet waste. And, pets are typically not allowed on NPS trails so the outdoor options for pets become limited since they can’t stay in a vehicle with Canyonland temperatures.

Day permits are required for all roads except Potash and Shafer and available at the Visitor Centers. The cost is $36.

The routes are: White Rim Road, The Needles and The Maze Roads. More detail on driving distances, answers to frequently asked questions and contact information can be found here.

We shot a quick video of over areas of the White Rim Road.

Revisiting our favorite boating places of all time!

We’ve always had some kind of runabout boat.  We’re what you’d consider boating aficionados.  Part of the reason is  that we’re in a boating part of the country….the Pacific Northwest.  

Continue reading “Travel Budgets Take a Turn: The Run on Boats during Covid-19”