Gold Bar Rim Trail

by The Flatlander for

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Summary: The 3 1/2 rated Gold Bar Rim trails offers obstacles about as difficult as should be attempted with a stock 4X4 along with fantastic views.

Location: The trail leaves Highway 191 to the west about 7 miles north of the Colorado River bridge. The trail follows Little Canyon and then turns back toward the Rim through Gold Bar Canyon.

Scenery: The Gold Bar cliff rim is about 1200 feet above Highway 191. Since the rock slopes down to the west, the views in all directions are spectacular. Bull Canyon is also visited with a stop at a breathtaking dry 300 foot waterfall and a view of Gemini Bridges from below.

The Trail: The most difficult driving is up the final slopes to Gold Bar Rim. The final ledge is just a short walk from the rim and some will park below that obstacle rather than risk their sheet metal.

4X4NOW Same Day
Jeep Safari Trail Report
Sunday, April 5, 1998

Photos by Sharon & Wayne

It was raining steadily as we met on Hwy 191 in front of the Old Ranch House Restaurant.  It was cold and overcast.  The few occasional glimpses of the Moab Rim revealed snow.  I was not looking like an ideal day of 4-wheeling.  But nearly all of the 25 4X4s that had signed up for the trail showed up and Brian Axtell led us out on the highway.  We were surprised to find dust on the dirt road we turned off on about a dozen miles out of Moab.  There hadn't been much rain there at all.

Most of the first part of the Gold Bar Rim trail is the reverse of coming down from the Golden Spike trail.  The plentiful ledges are more challenging going up hill but still suitable for a stock 4WD.  For some reason the trail was being especially obstinate today and was leaving broken vehicles both from our group and others all along the way.

Sharon guided the 4X4NOW TJ up without spinning a tire.  The Gold Bar Rim trail separates from the Golden Spike not too far from the Double Whammy.   Once the trails separate both the obstacles and the scenery improve dramatically.  

The last optional step is difficult enough that Action Shots stations a photographer there to take photos.  You can look at any they take of you at the end of the day and buy prints if you like them.  We noticed a tendency for 4Xs to slide to the right toward a sharp rock that threatened to add character to your sheet metal.  At least one 4X in our group took advantage of the free remodeling.   I got to take the 4X4NOW TJ up.  I gingerly tried several lines before finding one that allowed the obstacle to be overcome without battle scars.

Once the last obstacle is crossed it is an easy but unnerving drive to an overlook where you can get an impressive shot of your 4X4 right on the rim.  I'm not sure I'd recommend it though.  When we were returning on Hwy 191 at the end of the day, we noticed that some of the rim in this area has collapsed.

The view from Gold Bar Rim is incredible.  You are 1200 feet above Hwy 191.  And since the rim also tips down to the west you have a 360 degree vista.  You can see Hwy 191 below including the bridge over the Colorado River just North of Moab.  The La Sals are in the background.  And Arches National Park is to the left.

The first part of the return trip is the same way you came.  One obstacle that is getting more and more difficult taught me something about my transfer case linkage.  The first time I tried it my front wheels weren't turning.   I shifted it out and back into 4LO and tried it again only to find out I had front wheel drive but no rear wheel drive.  There wasn't enough travel on the linkage to consistently force both shifting rods in to engage both axles.  By trial and error I finally engaged both axles and easily climbed the obstacle.  I will need to adjust the linkage when I have time.  In the meantime, I'll have to crawl under and make sure both shift rods are in.

The trail diverts to Bull Canyon.  This is an easy run, the main purpose of which is to get to the base of Gemini Bridge arches and look up at them.  But this little Canyon is scenic and interesting in itself and makes for an enjoyable trip.

From below you can study just how massive the Gemini Bridges are.  They look like one bridge in the picture but if you walk farther up you can start to see the light coming through between the bridges.

From Bull Canyon we headed back toward Little Canyon.   The "Gooney Bird" keeps watch over Little Canyon and shows the way back toward Hwy 191.

34th Annual Easter Jeep Safari (2000)
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