Chicken Corners 4x4 Trail, Moab, UT

Hiking in Utah

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Difficulty: Moderate
Length: 21 miles / 34 km
Duration: Full day

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Overview: Camp in designated sites only in Kane Creek Canyon. Very popular ATV, UTV and dirt bike area. Descend the dramatic west side of Hurrah Pass to the Colorado River. Explore natural caves at Catacomb Rock. From Chicken Corners, look across river to see dramatic Thelma & Louise Point. (You'll appreciate this spot more if you've seen the movie.) Experience the thrill of Chicken Corners.Located on BLM land. For current status call Bureau of Land Management, Moab Field Office at (435) 259-2100.

Rating:

Moderate. With the exception of a few moderate rocky spots, most of this trail is easy. Best driven in late spring and fall. Hot in summer.

This trail is one of 55 trails from the book, Guide to Moab, UT Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails, 2nd Edition, by Charles Wells, and is available at www.funtreks.com. This trail is also in FunTreks ATV Guide for Moab.

Tips: Long drive to a remote area. May not take an entire day, but plan for it just in case. Take plenty of water and supplies. Best to go with at least one other vehicle. Those with fear of heights might want to skip this one.

Trail conditions can change without notice. FunTreks, Inc. and its owner and employees are not responsible for injury, death, or vehicle damage as a result of using this guide. The content of this guide is the property of FunTreks, Inc. and is made available to the user pursuant to EveryTrail’s Terms of Service (http://www.everytrail.com/tos.php).

Points of Interest

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Parking Lot

We start the trail here where the pavement ends. There's a parking lot on the right with BLM Information Board. Take a few minutes and familiarize yourself with special rules for this area. Then continue downhill on wide gravel road that drops into Kane Creek Canyon.

Water can get deeper after cloudburst Photo

Starting down into Kane Creek Canyon Photo

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Turn for Hurrah Pass

After following Kane Creek Road along the valley floor past many designated camp spots, you turn right and start climbing to Hurrah Pass. Left goes to difficult Kane Creek Canyon.

Stay right here toward Hurrah Pass Photo

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Hurrah Pass

After following an easy, wide shelf road, you soon arrive at Hurrah Pass at 4,780 feet. Trail is more moderate as you start down the other side, but really not too bad. Great views as you descend.

Narrow shelf road in spots going down Photo

Crest at Hurrah Pass and start down other side Photo

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Canyon Bottom

Continue straight in bottom of narrow canyon. Right passes through private property then on to interesting Jackson Hole.

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Ledge

A small ledge gets your attention for a moment, but a closer look reveals it's not that difficult. You'll climb right out of this part of the canyon.

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Turn for Catacomb Rock

Main trail continues to the right here. Trail to left goes to interesting Catacomb Rock, a network of interesting tunnels that you and the kids will love.

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Wash Bottom

Trail skirts close to Colorado River then drops down into to a wash bottom. Continue straight up a steep spot on the other side, but don't take the first right after you're out of the wash. It soon deadends. Stay slightly left then the trail starts curving to the north. Hard left in the bottom of wash goes to Lockhart Basin in Canyonlands National Park. The climb out of the wash is hard to find, and a recent washout may have closed the trail anyway. ATVs are not allowed in the national park. Our Moab book includes Lockhart Basin and hopefully it will be available as an eGuide someday.

Continue straight up other side at wash bottom Photo

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Chicken Corners

After weaving along a road with many small ledges, you arrive at Chicken Corners to the left. The road is quite wide as it crosses high above the Colorado River, but it's still very scary if you are not used to high shelf roads. Once through Chicken Corners, look across the River to Thelma and Louis Point. The final dramatic scene of the movie was shot there.

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Road Ends

Road drops down one final hill to a small parking area where you can turn around. This is a great spot to have lunch and enjoy the incredible scenery. A hiking trail continues from here across a death-defying narrow ledge. We walked it with our hearts in our throats. Please, this is no place for kids or pets to be left unattended. Return the way you came.