The Moki Dugway

[MyronL]

Doing the Moki Dugway

I am into mesa country. After doing Monument Valley ET-19 followed me deeper into south eastern Utah. Past Mexican Hat and after dramatic Goosenecks State Park, a roadside sign gave me fair warning. It warned trailer tow people and RV’ers over 28 feet to not continue on US 261 up on the Moki Dugway. I really wanted to go to the top of the Moki, to see Muley Point from the mesa overlook. But, I took that warning seriously and made a right turn off US 261. In BLM land again. Hoping to then find a spot for the night, the turn off took me into “The Valley of the Gods,” on the trail of the ancients.

Towing through this aptly named valley, I got a 23 mile long, red-rocking, dusty good ride up and down many dry washes. It had the gods speaking to me. They said, "Do you really think you can keep that trailer attached to the truck?" The rock formations I saw, Rooster Butte, Sitting Hen Butte, etc., were majestic enough, but could find no spot I wanted to stop for the night.

Finally out, I drove north, and then went 50 miles west to the Natural Bridges National Monument. Lovely campground there, $5 (senior pass) no hookups. Natural Bridges has a scenic 9 mile loop to 3 naturally eroded, massive sandstone bridges. You look down from the mesa overlook, or scamper down hiking trails to the bridges. At night, the sky is ablaze with stars.

On my way again late next morning. Decided I simply must take that ominous Utah route 261 south and get to see the Muley Point overlook. On red dirt now into Muley Point, another sign at beginning warned all vehicles if it was wet they would absolutely get stuck in the sticky red mud. Road was dry. The drive, 4 miles on concrete-hard red ruts to the edge of the mesa, was very much worth it. Muley Point is a very long, very isolated cliff edge. Absolutely no conveniences there. The place will challenge any need to turn your trailer around. It makes you wonder if you’re doing harm to your trailer but, what a view!

Now came the Moki Dugway. Dugway is a term used to describe roads carved into a hillside. Moki is a derivation of the Spanish word explorers used for its regional puebloan ancestors. The Moki is 3 miles of 11% graded dirt switchbacks. It’s a helluva ride and I was glad to be going down it, not up it. At one point there a pick-up came nose to nose with mine. It looked like somebody would have to start backing up a hundred yards to the last switchback. It wasn’t going to be me. I thought about busses going over the cliff in South America. We compromised. I pulled my rig over to within eleven inches of carved rock and he was able to slip past me on the outside.

Finally down to the bottom of the Moki, driving now past that other road, the one into the Valley of the Gods, I passed the intersection and gave it a mental thumb flip. These great areas are amazing but not particularly trailer-friendly. I really thought I stretched the envelope a tad.

Enough mesa-ing around. (Sorry.) On to Shiprock, gas up, late lunch at the Burger King.

[Bobbito]

Thank you for this delightful post. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Bob K

[gabeck]

You really do have awesome adventures , love starting the day with a "Myron Story" ....

[MyronL]

Thanks much. That's Utah for you.

[Mike Lewis]

Wow, look at those stars!

[KarenH]

I can't believe you did that!! Unbeknownst to me at the time, a friend and I came that way (uphill) several years ago on a road trip. Approaching the bluffs, I wondered how we were going to get around or up them. But then we came to The Road from Hell. Faced with that grade and drop-off, I turned the car over to her. She was fine. I was absolutely terrified. I almost had to get out to walk (hugging the wall) part way up the road. I later related our daily route to my son on the phone and he knew exactly where we'd been having driven down it. Not my cup of tea. Nope, nada, nyet, no. Crazy.

[Greggo]

Love your travelogues, Myron!

[gbaglo]

Great stuff Myron.

[BCnomad]

Absolutely amazing Myron. Will get there one day.

[rbryan4]

Nice trip Myron! The last photo in post #1 reminds me of the Cottonwood Canyon road between Kodachrome Basin SP and Hwy 89. Beats going around to Carmel Junction and Kanab to go east on 89, but MAN what a rough road.

[Greg A]

Great trip report and locations, Myron. The road description reminds me of back in the day in Moab, UT and the Lionsback challenge. Unfortunately, because of injuries, etc. Lionsback access is closed and will live in memories.

[Jill]

Thanks for sharing - love the story and the pics. Can't wait to get there someday ourselves. Although I can't imagine that we'll be brave enough to take our trailer!

[Ron in BC]

Great story telling Myron and well done on doing the dreaded, by some, Moki Dugway.

What I liked about going uphill was that it made it easier to stop on the "right" side of the road for photos. I'm glad we did it. I'd have hated to have taken advice on not doing it and then wondered it we could have done it.

Ron

[IBOACRES]

Man! I can't wait... for August to get here. I have Monument Valley, Gooseneck, Moki Dugway and Valley of the Gods all lined up after a R2R2R hike. But hell no I'm not towing the camper over those stretches... Just going to bite the bullet and stay at Gouldings CG.

[Ruthe]

Thanks Myron -- I was eating lunch and started to read the NYTimes but decided not to get depressed and turned to Escape. My jaw dropped at those pictures. Thanks so much!

[Losangeles]

awesome pics and tale.... much appreciated!



thanks!!!

[KarenH]

Thought I'd better add a comment lest it be inferred from my earlier post that I was criticizing Myron's route. Au contraire! I truly believe in pushing the envelope beyond one's comfort zone, especially at my age. Time is running out...so just get out there and do it. Myron just happened to push the envelope over the edge (figuratively) for me and it gave me heart thumps to read his story. Thank you, Myron for a workout today!

[Patandlinda]

Myron you sure are one brave soul ! You are really living your life ! Pat

[cpaharley2008]

Makes me want to get a "sliding" 5th wheel hitch if I ever wanted to traverse that route....as always, great pictures and trip report, Myron

[MyronL]

"...I can't believe you did that!! ... I wondered how we were going to get around or up them. But then we came to The Road from Hell...."

Not to worry, Karen, no critical inferences perceived. Besides, "especially at my age," and, "I can't believe you did that" and etc., etc., are comments I love hearing. They are what keep our bones feeling young. Ron, I had read your early thread references to going up the Moki and they are exactly what put the place on my radar.