Behind the Rocks
NileGuide Expert Says:
Remote, gorgeous, well-maintained trails, backcountry experience--you can hardly find better near MoabUser Rating:
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NileGuide Expert tip:
Plan day hikes or rides rather than an overnight; water is scarce here.Description:
This Wilderness Study Area (WSA) is an utter surprise to most visitors. Thirteen miles south of Moab, it is a 50-square-mile playground of sandstone fins, pinnacles, and arches that can almost rival nearby Arches National Park. Excellent hiking and mountain biking trails course through the area. If you like to boulder (rock scrambling without a harness or rope), this is a great place to do it. Off-road vehicles are allowed here as well. Still virtually undiscovered by the outside world, more and more locals seek solitude in it every year to escape the hordes of visitors that have found their other formerly secret spots.Directions: Drive Highway 191 about 12.5 miles south of Moab. Look for a dirt road on your right (west). There should be at least one sign labeled "Pritchett Arch." Turn in here. This road is dirt and potentially pot-holed and washboard the whole way in. 2WD can make it, but make sure your clearance isn't too low and don't attempt the road if it's been steadily raining or snowing.
