Moab Easter Jeep Safari Trail Descriptions - Steel Bender Trail

This trail's difficulty rating keeps moving around as the conflicting forces of erosion and trail repair modify the obstacles. The trail lies between Moab and the La Sal Mountains in the vicinity of Mill Creek, a major drainage from the mountains. It crosses the creek a few times and travels a lovely part of Mill Creek Canyon. It overlooks the North Fork of Mill Creek as it climbs to the base of South Mesa on the skirts of the La Sal Mountains. It is another variation on the canyonlands landscape, and it offers further variety to the scenery and the four-wheeling opportunities of the Moab area. The trip can be done in stock 4X4's that have excellent clearance, but only because there are bypasses around some of the challenging spots. Approximate mileages: 30 total, 15 off highway.

MIll Creek has a strong perennial flow that is highest in springtime, but the fords usually do no more that dampen your hubs. Not far above the creek is a steep, ledgy chunk of rock that may push some to the easy bypass. As the trail climbs, a succession of rock steps can be difficult for stock equipment, but each ledge area has a bypass. A couple of minor tributary canyons provide steep, rocky descents and testy climbs. Ground clearance is the name of the game. The final creek ford is followed by a short, steep climb that can get muddy and slippery.