Ain't Seen Nothin'... LbNA #39529
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Nearby Boxes
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Add Location| Owner: | N/A |
|---|---|
| Plant date: | Apr 24, 2008 |
| Location: | |
| City: | Moab |
| County: | Grand |
| State: | Utah |
| Boxes: | 2 |
| Planted by: | artTrekker
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|---|---|
| Found by: | Boxer Lover (2) |
| Last found: | Apr 24, 2010 |
| Status: | F |
| Last edited: | Apr 24, 2008 |
Redrock country is its own piece of heaven, that's for sure. I always feel if I stay long enough (and I almost did this time) the blood running in my veins will turn to fine red sand. And that would be fine with me.
Take Hwy 128 east from just north of Moab 17 miles to the Loop Road. Turn right. In a couple of minutes you will see the turn to go to C.V. Town. Continue on the Loop Road about 3.5 miles past this turnoff to a dirt road that veers off to the left. It is just before a little bridge that is distinguishable by the concrete barriers on either side. If you get to the bridge you've gone too far. When you turn onto the dirt road, stay left (it forks) and head toward the nearby rocky bluff. Drive in about a tenth of a mile (you'll go through one dip) and park before the big dip into the wash.
You shouldn't need four-wheel drive or even high clearance to get here, but it may depend on the season and what you're driving. This is BLM land (I think), so camping is allowed in marked areas, but you must carry in your own water and carry out ALL waste, so it's not for everyone. The area of this hike is very exposed (sunscreen and water!), which makes it especially good for early morning or later afternoon. It's a good area for mountain bikes, horses and dogs. The hike is around four miles, but I forgot to take my watch, and it's easy to be beguiled in redrock country, so it could be longer or shorter. If you allow at least two hours, you should have plenty of time to enjoy the area and the boxes.
Also, read up on cryptobiotic soil (now called biological soil) before you take off hiking around Moab. It is alive and fragile, and you should avoid stepping on it. Don't bust the crust, tiptoe through the crypto, tread gently through this amazing landscape.
Note: the two stamps are about the same size and fit next to one another to make a picture a little more than four inches wide. Stamp the first stamp in your book with space to the right of it for the second stamp. Only the second box has a logbook.
When you park, you may want to do some triangulating with large landmarks around you. You might want this information when you complete the loop back to your car.
Box #1 Ain't seen nothin'...
Walk down into the wash, and follow for about 5 minutes as it goes around the rocky point, then heads NNE to a green gate with a sign next to it. Open the gate and go through, close it behind you and look for a little sign or two on your right. When you see the little sign(s), look to your left for a prow of dark red rock about 20 or 30 yards away. Make your way up to the highest point of this formation and enjoy the beautiful view. Turn to the west, and step down several levels until your feet rest on a nice big rounded purple shelf of rock about 10 or 12 feet lower than they were at the high point. Just below belly button level (I'm 5' 6") behind stacked rocks on a shelf of rock is the first box. Please re-hide so that it is secure and natural-looking.
Box# 2 Like Southestern Utah
Walk back down to the wash you left. Head NE. You can follow the wash or a road; if you keep Castleton just ahead of your left shoulder, you'll make your way to a campsite at the mesa's edge, and a vast view of Priest Valley and beyond. Now pick up the trail that heads straight toward Castleton, then turns west. When you come to an intersection, stay on the high road, keeping Castleton on your right. You'll top out and turn southward (Castleton behind you) as you go down a hill, facing Round Mtn. Still going down, the track turns westward. Keep going west as you cross a wash and go through a fence. In a few steps, turn left at the wide track/wash that goes down into a little canyon, turning your back on Castleton again.
Just before you come to another fence, turn right and walk up a little wash towards Castleton. You'll pass through a campsite, then through an opening in the rocky bluff that rises above you on both sides. Turn left at the next track and go about 20 steps to the juniper just to the left of the track. Go six more steps past this tree, then turn south off the track and go about 40 steps up to the little knobby boulder grouping. There is alot of crypto here, so be careful where you step. On the backside of this grouping, where two boulders meet at a right angle at your feet, is the second box. You'll need to move a rock about the size of two footballs; please replace everything back as you found it. There is a nice flat platform nearby for stamping, a picnic, dancing or just enjoying the view.
The Return
You can go back around the way you came in, or complete the loop, which is probably the shorter course. It does give you different scenery. Go back to and down the little wash with the campsite. To complete the loop, turn right and go down the little canyon. Soon the track flattens out. When it turns to the right, head straight into a wash. Soon you can turn left into another wash (facing Round Mtn.). Follow this wash as it winds around near the base of the bluff about half a mile back to where you parked.
Take Hwy 128 east from just north of Moab 17 miles to the Loop Road. Turn right. In a couple of minutes you will see the turn to go to C.V. Town. Continue on the Loop Road about 3.5 miles past this turnoff to a dirt road that veers off to the left. It is just before a little bridge that is distinguishable by the concrete barriers on either side. If you get to the bridge you've gone too far. When you turn onto the dirt road, stay left (it forks) and head toward the nearby rocky bluff. Drive in about a tenth of a mile (you'll go through one dip) and park before the big dip into the wash.
You shouldn't need four-wheel drive or even high clearance to get here, but it may depend on the season and what you're driving. This is BLM land (I think), so camping is allowed in marked areas, but you must carry in your own water and carry out ALL waste, so it's not for everyone. The area of this hike is very exposed (sunscreen and water!), which makes it especially good for early morning or later afternoon. It's a good area for mountain bikes, horses and dogs. The hike is around four miles, but I forgot to take my watch, and it's easy to be beguiled in redrock country, so it could be longer or shorter. If you allow at least two hours, you should have plenty of time to enjoy the area and the boxes.
Also, read up on cryptobiotic soil (now called biological soil) before you take off hiking around Moab. It is alive and fragile, and you should avoid stepping on it. Don't bust the crust, tiptoe through the crypto, tread gently through this amazing landscape.
Note: the two stamps are about the same size and fit next to one another to make a picture a little more than four inches wide. Stamp the first stamp in your book with space to the right of it for the second stamp. Only the second box has a logbook.
When you park, you may want to do some triangulating with large landmarks around you. You might want this information when you complete the loop back to your car.
Box #1 Ain't seen nothin'...
Walk down into the wash, and follow for about 5 minutes as it goes around the rocky point, then heads NNE to a green gate with a sign next to it. Open the gate and go through, close it behind you and look for a little sign or two on your right. When you see the little sign(s), look to your left for a prow of dark red rock about 20 or 30 yards away. Make your way up to the highest point of this formation and enjoy the beautiful view. Turn to the west, and step down several levels until your feet rest on a nice big rounded purple shelf of rock about 10 or 12 feet lower than they were at the high point. Just below belly button level (I'm 5' 6") behind stacked rocks on a shelf of rock is the first box. Please re-hide so that it is secure and natural-looking.
Box# 2 Like Southestern Utah
Walk back down to the wash you left. Head NE. You can follow the wash or a road; if you keep Castleton just ahead of your left shoulder, you'll make your way to a campsite at the mesa's edge, and a vast view of Priest Valley and beyond. Now pick up the trail that heads straight toward Castleton, then turns west. When you come to an intersection, stay on the high road, keeping Castleton on your right. You'll top out and turn southward (Castleton behind you) as you go down a hill, facing Round Mtn. Still going down, the track turns westward. Keep going west as you cross a wash and go through a fence. In a few steps, turn left at the wide track/wash that goes down into a little canyon, turning your back on Castleton again.
Just before you come to another fence, turn right and walk up a little wash towards Castleton. You'll pass through a campsite, then through an opening in the rocky bluff that rises above you on both sides. Turn left at the next track and go about 20 steps to the juniper just to the left of the track. Go six more steps past this tree, then turn south off the track and go about 40 steps up to the little knobby boulder grouping. There is alot of crypto here, so be careful where you step. On the backside of this grouping, where two boulders meet at a right angle at your feet, is the second box. You'll need to move a rock about the size of two footballs; please replace everything back as you found it. There is a nice flat platform nearby for stamping, a picnic, dancing or just enjoying the view.
The Return
You can go back around the way you came in, or complete the loop, which is probably the shorter course. It does give you different scenery. Go back to and down the little wash with the campsite. To complete the loop, turn right and go down the little canyon. Soon the track flattens out. When it turns to the right, head straight into a wash. Soon you can turn left into another wash (facing Round Mtn.). Follow this wash as it winds around near the base of the bluff about half a mile back to where you parked.