In salute to the many four-wheelers who have been making the annual pilgrimage to Moab, Utah, for years and to those who are only just discovering this amazing natural playground, this month's issue is coupled with our second annual Moab Survival Guide.
Whether you have long experience with this little corner of Utah or are rolling into town for the first time, one thing remains a constant: the need for good information. Every year as Easter week approaches, we are inundated with phone calls, e-mail, and letters asking for information about the most basic things. How do I sign up for trails? Where can I camp? Are there condos or hotels? Every year is the same.
Consequently, our guide is designed to ensure your survival in the broadest sense of the word. We have assembled answers to the types of questions we know four-wheelers will be asking themselves not only this year but in future years as they plan return trips. So by all means, when the Easter Jeep Safari is over, don't throw this guide away. It will come in handy somewhere down the road.
Because there are so many beautiful and challenging trails to be explored in and around Moab, we have once again included a guide to 32 different trails in the area, along with their ratings, locations, and a brief description of each. We've even included the GPS coordinates for the trailheads. So as long as you have a local map, you can leave town every morning with the confidence that you know where you're going.
We also included a special segment in our guide on the Upper Helldorado and Cliff Hanger trails, referred to respectively as Moab's toughest and Moab's most scenic. I have no doubt that opinions will vary widely, but take a look at the stories, enjoy the photography, and read our descriptions. I think you'll agree that we make a good case for our judgments, whether or not you agree with our conclusions. But that's one of the things that makes Moab so much fun; the possibilities for exploration are nearly limitless. And everyone seems certain that he or she has discovered the greatest trail ever.
Following on the heels of last year's success, we've included a very much new and improved map of Moab's far-flung trails. Longtime four-wheeler, Rick Russell, kindly undertook the arduous task of producing a color topographical map that indicates where Moab's many trails lie.
As I put the final touches on this year's guide, Easter is barely two months away. If you are given to procrastinating as much as I am, then know that there is little time to waste. Moab beckons, and you don't want to be late.