Overlanding Moab, Utah's Tenmile Canyon with a Polaris RzR UTV and Canam Maverick SxS
- peteuga
- May 10, 2022
- 4 min read
Updated: Mar 26
Moab, Utah, is one of those special places that words can't describe. One must simply experience Moab to know Moab, and there is no better way to do this than overlanding and sleeping under the stars. This blog talks about day two and day three of a three-day camping trip that took us into Tenmile Canyon.
What an incredible adventure we had! After an exhilarating first night camping on Poison Spider Mesa, we revved up our UTV engines and headed out on an unforgettable journey with our Polaris RZR Pro 4 and Can-am Maverick Sport XRC, heading north and west of the tourist town of Moab. One of the highlights was our stop at the fascinating Dellenbaugh Tunnel. This captivating tunnel stretches about 100 feet and opens up to a breathtaking overlook of Spring Canyon. We were thrilled to visit during the fall, when the cottonwood trees in the canyon below were ablaze with bright yellow hues. After thoroughly exploring the area and daringly crawling on our stomachs around a cliff, we eagerly jumped back into our side by side, ready to continue our thrilling adventure!
Our next destination was to continue to the Crystal Geyser Jeep Trail out past Tombstone Butte and The Needles rock formations. Experiencing this trail for the first time was exhilarating, as we found ourselves on the side of a massive mesa with breathtaking views to the north. Navigating the trail was thrilling as it wound through enormous boulders scattered across the landscape. Despite the trail being easy and flat, maneuvering around the large boulders provided immense fun and an exciting driving adventure.
Just as we entered Tenmile Canyon we stopped at the Dripping Springs cattle corral. This large corral offers a glimpse into the past and what it might have been like to live and work in the desert surrounding Moab, Utah, long before the area was popular with trillseaking tourists.
Tenmile Canyon is undoubtedly my favorite UTV trail in all of Moab. The trail through the canyon is narrow, perfectly suited for a Side by Side to navigate. Unlike many of the more popular trails in Moab, where users avoid rocks and increasingly make the trails wider, this trail embraces the rugged terrain. Modern UTVs boast up to two feet of suspension travel, so why do drivers avoid rocks? The machines will barely notice them.
The trail begins at the shallow head of the canyon among water-seeking cottonwood trees. But, as you progress a few miles in, the canyon transforms, with the trail deepening and the canyon walls rising up to tremendous heights. As the canyon deepens, the trees become sparse.
We eventually found a beautiful camping spot in a wide sandy spot that was surrounded by five alcoves. The site was very remote, with no light pollution or cellular service, it was great. We spend the evening admiring the stars and talking with one another without any modern distractions. The next morning, we spent some time exploring the alcoves and the slickrock above them. I wish these alcoves could talk! I would bet people have been visiting this area for thousands of years. Ever since the first time I had entered the canyon, I had put camping there on my bucket list. The canyon is just so beautiful, and the fall colors made it even more lovely. For two riders in our group, this was their first time in Moab, and they were just speechless about how fantastic the area was. My uncle actually knew nothing about Southern Utah and was completely shocked by the beautiful canyons and cliffs.
While thousands of tourists were fighting for the few good camping spots in nearby Canyonlands National Park and Arches National Park, we had Tenmile Canyon to ourselves. It would be difficult to imagine a better camping spot. Was this the best camping spot in Moab? Maybe. The only way to find out is to check it out for yourself.
After breaking camp, we stopped several times to hike and explore some side canyons. We spotted several large paw prints in the sand, but we were unable to identify what type of animal left the tracks. That shows how remote the area is, there are more animal tracks than human tracks. If you read through my vacation guides, you will notice that I often recommend slowing down, getting out of your off-road vehicle, and wandering around. This statement is especially true for Tenmile Canyon. The farther down the canyon we took our RZR Pro, the narrower the trail became. Slowly what had started as a wash was now becoming a very deep canyon, at times we were 750 feet below the mesa above.
Though in the past, I was able to navigate my Polaris RzR all the way to the Green River, this time, the lower portion of the trail was flooded. We ended up having to walk the last few hundred yards to make it to the river. Due to the amount of underbrush growing in the area, we didn't get a good look at the river. On previous trips, we drove all the way to the sandbar on the shore of the river and were able to enjoy the beautiful canyon setting. It is easy to see how the Green River earned its name; the river really is green when contrasted with the red rocks of the cliff walls.
There are no guide books that I know of that show this trail and it isn't even marked on most maps. But if you can find the canyon and can get out to the area, I highly recommend the trail. It is undoubtedly a bucket list Moab trail. Camping not your thing? Then check out our vacation rentals at https://www.moabadventurecondo.com/
Important Update: As of March 2025, Tenmile Canyon Trail has been closed to off-road traffic by the BLM. It is hoped that this closure can be lifted. For more info and the most up to date status check out www.BlueRibbonCoalition.com
