Is the road to Upper Muley Twist doable in an Outback?

Parma

Parma

@parma26
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Feb 12, 2014
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Looking at hiking Upper Muley Twist in a couple weeks, I read everywhere that a high clearance vehicle is needed to get to the trailhead. Is my Subaru Outback high enough for that road?
 
Parma said:
Looking at hiking Upper Muley Twist in a couple weeks, I read everywhere that a high clearance vehicle is needed to get to the trailhead. Is my Subaru Outback high enough for that road?
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Perhaps, depends on conditions. There's one nasty spot near the beginning and after that it looks smoother. It's only three miles though; it'll take you an hour, so no big deal to leave your car at the Burr Trail and just hike it.
 
I've done it in a moderately lifted Subaru. Lots of people take Outbacks in there no problem. Check with the visitor center for the most current info.
 
I chickened out in a rental Patriot and left it before the road drops into the wash. Ended up hitching a ride from a guy (and what I assume were multiple wives :lol:) in the back of their truck. Man, that was a bumpy ride...
 
I chickened out in my 03 Forester a few years ago but have done it 2x in my Xterra. Saw a XV Crosstek out there last time I went. There's a couple of bad spots including right at the beginning, but as with anything in a wash, conditions can change after each flood.
 
I was going to open a new thread in Trip Planning but I'll just bump this one...

Judging by the comments here, it's looking like a stock lift Suburban or Yukon XL shouldn't have any trouble with driving those 3 miles up UMT to get right up to the Strike Valley Overlook trail. Can anyone confirm? We just got ourselves an old Yukon XL (2002) yesterday with 4WD for our family, stock lift, no running boards. If it had a shorter wheel base, I wouldn't even be asking this, but given that it's an XL, would a longer wheel base have any struggles with any tricky spots where it could bottom out or get straddled?

While on Spring Break next week, I'm hoping to take the family out for a day driving Cathedral Valley in the morning and then the Burr Trail that afternoon to complete the big bad scenic loop. If anyone can believe it, for all the trips I've done down there, I've yet to drive either area. While on the Burr trail, I was thinking of pulling up into UMT to check out the Strike Valley Overlook and perhaps hike a little further up the twist to see some of the arches. Since I'll have my family that includes a near 3 year old that would take all day to have to hike those first 3 miles, if the car is too big and wide to comfortably handle those first miles, we won't be trying it.
 
There is a wash crossing right near the start of the drive into UMT that might prove challenging for a longer wheelbase vehicle.
 
Dave said:
There is a wash crossing right near the start of the drive into UMT that might prove challenging for a longer wheelbase vehicle.
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Would that include a full size truck?


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It’s been a few years since I was in there but at the time the wash was deep enough to cause problems for a full-size truck. Based on other responses here though, sounds like it’s not a problem anymore.
 
Last time I was there the hardest thing would have been finding a good spot to turn around at the end of the road if there were a bunch of other vehicles. The road itself was nothing. But keep in mind, I took my F150 to the Land of Standing Rocks.
 
Nick said:
Last time I was there the hardest thing would have been finding a good spot to turn around at the end of the road if there were a bunch of other vehicles. The road itself was nothing. But keep in mind, I took my F150 to the Land of Standing Rocks.
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And you remodeled it in the process, no? :)
 
@WasatchWill Sometimes the rangers have struggled on the wash in to the trailhead with their big trucks, but like everyone else says, it really depends on the road conditions at the time. I once saw a regular little 2wd car, like a corolla or something, at the trailhead. Was blown away because no way would I have driven something like that down there that day. And when we got back from our hike it was gone, so they managed to get it out again. Amazing.

Also just want to say that all of Cathedral Valley and then all of Notom to UMT and then (I assume) Hwy 12 back to Torrey is a really big day. I'd recommend splitting them up into two days if possible. Poking around Cathedral Valley can take an entire day by itself. There's a lot to see out there and quite a few scenic overlooks and little hikes to consider doing, even with a 3-y-o. Same with Burr Trail. Just my opinion.
 
JulieKT said:
@WasatchWill Sometimes the rangers have struggled on the wash in to the trailhead with their big trucks, but like everyone else says, it really depends on the road conditions at the time. I once saw a regular little 2wd car, like a corolla or something, at the trailhead. Was blown away because no way would I have driven something like that down there that day. And when we got back from our hike it was gone, so they managed to get it out again. Amazing.

Also just want to say that all of Cathedral Valley and then all of Notom to UMT and then (I assume) Hwy 12 back to Torrey is a really big day. I'd recommend splitting them up into two days if possible. Poking around Cathedral Valley can take an entire day by itself. There's a lot to see out there and quite a few scenic overlooks and little hikes to consider doing, even with a 3-y-o. Same with Burr Trail. Just my opinion.
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K. Thanks. We'll see what happens then.

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We have been there a couple of times in our Tacoma loaded down with a camper, with no issues at all. The last time in 2014 there was one little boulder section that required some thought and care, but both a 2wd full size pickup and a subaru also made it in.
 
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