Monday, April 29, 2013

Kane Creek , Chicken Corner, and Lockhart Basin Roads

Monday: (04/29) Corned beef hash and eggs for breakfast. We got an early start for our drive today. When I got to the road we wanted to explore, I finally remembered we needed to fill the gas tank. Not because we were too low but because I don't like going into the wilderness with less than the fullest gas tank possible. Since we stopped for gas, we also stopped and filled our water bottles at the market nearby. Then, I remembered I forgot my camera/phone so off we went back home to get it. Now 1.5 hours later than our early start time we were off out Kane Creek Road. There are several campgrounds and lots of other campsites along the road. most might be good for future stays. We climbed up Hurrah Pass, the road that was just below our viewpoint at Anticline lookout a few days ago. Frankly, it wasn't as bad driving it as we thought it might be when we were watching the cars slowly travel the road. When we got out near the river we stopped at the Base Camp Lodge. We chatted with the proprietor for a while  then continued on out the Chicken Corner Road. It was a total of 28 miles from Moab out to Chicken Corner. The road just ends on a cliff above the Colorado River. The name of the destination seems to be the short trail along the cliff to the mesa on the otherside. Many people chicken out and don't go around the corner on the narrow trail several hundred feet above the river on the edge of the cliff. We enjoyed out ham and cheese sandwich lunches there. We then returned about seven miles back on Chicken Corner Road to where the Lockhart Basin Road we'd off of it. We attempted to find a road that went anywhere . Three times we crawled over impossible rocky spots and steps, between narrow spots only to end up at the ends of box canyons. Obviously other people get lost too because there were lots of tire tracks going our way. At 3pm we decided to call it quits and return. Actually Lou did. She was getting tired of having the jeep cling to the steep hills and ledges.When we got back to Kane Creek Road we took the primitive extension of that road a couple of miles out to a point we didn't want to continue on. It was a real jeep road and rather fun as well.The we returned to town and stopped at the Moab Brewery for dinner. We both had the BBQ tri-tip dinners. I had one of their brews as well. All very good. We stopped by the market for some bread then returned home. We had tea overlooking the river. then retired for the day. I did some work posting photos. Lou worked puzzles.

Moab Kane Creek To Chicken Corner Road Moab Kane Creek To Chicken Corner Road
The road never looks as bad in pictures as it feels when we negotiate it. I also never seem to stop to take a picture at the really interesting spots in the road.

Moab Kane Creek To Chicken Corner Road Moab Kane Creek To Chicken Corner Road Flowers
There are some interesting rocks like the columns on he left. Also some early flowers. Judging by the flower buds, we came out just a few days too early for a real flower show.

Moab Kane Creek To Chicken Corner Road Moab Kane Creek To Chicken Corner Road
The scenery is grand. On the right is the trail at Chicken Corner.

Moab Kane Creek To Chicken Corner Road Moab Kane Creek To Chicken Corner Road Cactus Flowers
Above left is a picture from the trail back to where the road ended and where  we had lunch. On the right are more of the early flowers.

Moab Kane Creek To Chicken Corner Road Moab Kane Creek To Chicken Corner Road
A couple of the rough spots in the road.

Moab Kane Creek To Chicken Corner Road
One of the box canyons we ended up at.

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