Shafer Trail is one of the most iconic dirt road drives in the Moab area. If you’ve visited the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands National Park, it’s impossible not to want to take this road after looking down on it from the overlook above. I know that from the first time I saw this road in 2012, I knew I wanted to take it on. 12 years later, Matt and I finally completed this drive! However, there are things to know before driving Shafer Trail in Canyonlands National Park that I think will make your adventure easier.
You Can Drive from the Top Down or the Bottom Up
We decided to go from the bottom up to the top so that we could catch the sunset inside the park. However, I think that made the route a little less clear because roads weren’t marked beyond the initial “Entering Shafer Trail” sign, but there are other small, private roads that we felt a little unsure of our route because….
Downloaded Maps Didn’t Work
We had the area map downloaded on Google Maps, but for whatever reason it didn’t download for us. So, even though it’s super straightforward, in theory, Google Maps tried to tell us we were coming to a weird dead end road, which made us nervous and we almost just turned around, but I’m glad we didn’t. Google Maps also called it Shafer Basin instead of Shafer Trail, but it was indeed the Shafer Trail that led us up into Canyonlands National Park.
Is There a Fee or Permit Required?
There isn’t a permit required to drive Shafer Trail, nor an additional fee. However, to enter Canyonlands National Park, there is a fee. We get an Annual National Park Pass (America the Beautiful Pass) every year which covers the entry fees to parks.
Give Yourself Time
Matt had read 1 hour was all the time it took to get up. But if you think you might stop and take pictures or that you might need to take some sections a little slower, I would give yourself 2 hours and just be excited if it takes less time.
The Roads Are Rough, Like Really Rough
I drive a Subaru Outback, so it has all-wheel drive and is considered a high clearance vehicle, but it was rough in sections and I definitely bottomed out briefly a couple of times, but luckily did no damage. Obviously this isn’t the highest clearance vehicle at 8.7 inches, but it got the job done. I’ve also heard that wet conditions make these rough sections even tougher to get through.
Uphill Traffic Has the Right-Of-Way
The major pro of driving up Shafer Trail is that you get the right-of-way the whole time. But it’s good to know either way because if you’re coming downhill, you have to make room for the vehicles trucking it up the canyon.
The Drive is Safe, But I Could See it Being Quite Scary for Someone Afraid of Heights
Obviously, you can’t drive like a bat out of hell on this road, but it is safe. Use caution and your best judgement on what you feel comfortable with or if it’s raining heavily. But there are very narrow, sometimes switchbacking roads, with sheer drop-offs. If you’re petrified of heights I could see this being a struggle.
I Wouldn’t Drive This at Night
While I just said I think this is a perfectly safe drive if you’re driving responsibly, it would also be exceptionally dark on these roads. I would be really afraid of potentially running off a cliff and down into the canyon because I couldn’t see very well.
There Are Several Things to See Along Potash Road
Potash Road is the road at the base of the canyon, that leads up to Canyonlands or is where you’ll end your adventure on Shafer Trail. Potash Road is a destination itself because of the beautiful and unique things you can see along this stretch of road: petroglyphs, arches, rock climbers and even dinosaur footprints. Check out our guide to the things you can see along Potash Road here.
Be Prepared for the “Just in Case”
There’s something to being prepared. This is a rugged and remote road, so if something was to go wrong, I would recommend bringing enough water and food for the night for everyone in your car. You obviously always hope nothing bad will happen, but it’s always best to be prepared for the worst case scenario. I’d also throw a blanket or two in the back because the desert can get cold at night.
Fill Up Your Gas Tank
You definitely don’t want to run out of gas out there, and let me tell you, there are no gas stations out there. Plus, you have the drive to or back from Canyonlands too!
I hope these tips of what to know before driving Shafer Trail help you check this incredible drive into the backcountry near Moab, Utah off your own bucket list.
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