Fins & Things 4x4 Trail, Moab, UT

Hiking in Utah

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Difficulty: Difficult
Length: 9.8 miles / 15.8 km
Duration: Half day

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Overview: The dominant feature of this trail is its steepness and great traction on the slickrock. Unbelievable fun and fantastic scenery. Best part is between Points 9 and 13. Small fee required to enter. Fee includes map with rules and regulations. Read and follow rules carefully. For information on this trail, contact the Sand Flats Recreation Area at (435) 259-2444.

Rating:

Difficult. Steep slickrock climbs and descents. Some large ledges have bypasses, but not all. Short vehicles with high approach and departure angles do best, but many stock SUVs are seen on this trail. I'm sure their bumpers drag. The south loop is not recommended for ATVs.

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: : This is a very popular trail and can get very congested at times. Tends to be frequented by large groups in all kind of vehicles. Very hot in summer, carry lots of water and protect yourself from the sun. Be patient.

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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Campground E

Follow Sand Flats Road east to Campground E on right. Drive through campground to Campsite E7, where trail starts. (Sand Flats Road is available as eGuide from FunTreks on EveryTrail.)

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Drop Off Fin

After an amazing set of twists and turns along various fins, you can turn right here and drop off side of long fin, or continue just a little farther to end of fin. Both places are extremely steep. You'll drop down into a sandy area where people collect to take pictures of people coming off the steep fin. Make sure you stay on fenced-in route.

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Campground F

After another very steep rock descent, you'll follow a sandy road downhill to a T intersection at Campground F. You can turn left here for early exit to Sand Flats Road or turn right to stay on main trail. You'll immediately confront a steep rock wall, which you can go up and loop around back to trail, or just turn left and bypass this short loop. The fun is going up the steep wall.

3b This steep wall is optional.JPG Photo

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Campground H

The trail meanders through Campground H. This section of the trail has been rerouted several times so tracklog may not match up through this area. Follow signs that will take you out to Sand Flats Road. Turn right on Sand Flats Road and head east.

Pass through several different campgrounds. Photo

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Diving Board Rock

Turn left here on sandy road that goes past distinctive Diving Board Rock. Continue north.

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T Intersection

Turn left to continue on Fins & Things. Right goes to an overlook and to Porcupine Rim. This is an extremely popular mountain bike route, and the BLM discourages Jeeps from going this way.

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Stay Right

After following tracklog through more amazing terrain, you come to a good road. Left here goes back to Sand Flats Road. Turn right and very soon the road turns left to avoid a road that goes into a Wilderness Study Area.

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Dinosaur Rock

Pull into parking lot on right to see an amazing natural rock formation the looks like a dinosaur.

Incredible views of La Salle Mountains in background. Photo

Dinosaur Rock natural rock formation Photo

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Quick Way Out

Left here cuts across to the other side of the trail and is a quick way. Continue straight, however. The best part of the trail is coming up.

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Trails Cross

At the bottom of a long fin, you'll reach a point where the loop converges. Stay right and goes around counterclockwise. You'll come back to this point very soon.

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Top of Kenny's Climb

You'll see a very steep climb on the left marked with black tire marks. This is optional Kenny's Climb. You can easily bypass this spot by just continuing straight and circling around to the top.

Pickup truck tackles Kenny's Climb. Photo

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Turn Right Off Big Ledge

Drop downhill to Point #10, where you were earlier, but turn right down a big ledge and follow narrow canyon. Two places go left up a steep rock face. Take the second one which is not quite as insane as the first. You'll be riding along the top of another fin.

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Sandy Roads Converge

Bear right as you come down off the last fin into a sandy area of converging roads. Had you taken the quick way out mentioned earlier, you would have come to this general area. Follow the sandy road south here to return to Sand Flats Road, where trail ends.

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End of Trail

Trail ends at Sand Flats Road. Turn right to return to Moab. Start of trail is to the left a short distance.

Pictures in this guide taken by: FunTreks, FunTreks, Inc.

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Had a great day on the trail as part of Cruise Moab 2009 event. A lot of fun!
Visited on Apr 19, 2009

by FunTreks on Mar 25, 2011