Colonnade Arch road conditions

powderglut

In search of Fresh
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Hi all, long time no see. My wife and I are heading down to the Hanksville area to meet up with a bunch of folks for a long weekend. Starting Sept 19. In other words, next weekend. On Friday, most of them are planning on hiking around the Irish canyons and Hog Springs. Since we've been in these canyons a few times, the two of us thought we'd head in a different direction and maybe check out Colonnade Arch and the Green River overlooks. From Hanksville, I see the route as being the Horseshoe Canyon road 1010, across from Goblin Valley rd, then right onto 1026 to the end. I keep reading about the end of this road being pretty gnarly. We''ll be driving a Ford Expedition. I wouldn't call an Expedition as a really high clearance vehicle. Any problems reaching the trailhead? Current road conditions of anyone recently visiting this area? Would really like to see these arches. Thanks for any input.
 
Don't recall anything that I would call gnarly last October. One minor slick rock wash area maybe, and close to the end a short narrower bit of sidesloped dirt. But then- we were in our Taco with a small camper and not what you are driving. Only issue we had coming from the north was initially taking the wrong side road off of the main road for a short distance- there are two somewhat close together, for Collonade you want the more southerly one.
It's a great place to camp!
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I would add- as Collonade is a pretty short hike- if you are driving all that way out, consider the most excellent Moonshine Wash slot as well which is maybe 1/2 hour further north. We had no problem reaching the 4WD-HCV trailhead there but I wouldn't try it in an Expedition. Others we saw there had simply walked the extra 3/4 mile or so.
 
Thanks @SteveR I think we'll be fine driving out there. Hopefully, the sideslipped dirt area, that got @Udink years ago, is in better shape. Better bring a shovel. :D Was hoping someone had been out this way recently with most current road conditions. I'll talk with BLM guys in Hanksville on Thursday.
 
I was out that way on August 1st but I only went a little past Keg Knoll, right to where road 1026 makes a turn to the northeast. That road was in excellent condition, and the spot where I got stuck in the sand was gone. It's been quite a while since I've been to the end of the road where it gets rough though, so I have no recent info about whether your Expedition can handle it.

Strangely, all along road 1026, there are survey stakes every couple hundred feet, about 20 feet to the north of the road. They appeared to all say "Prop R." It looks like someone is planning some work out there?

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I was out that way on August 1st but I only went a little past Keg Knoll, right to where road 1026 makes a turn to the northeast. That road was in excellent condition, and the spot where I got stuck in the sand was gone. It's been quite a while since I've been to the end of the road where it gets rough though, so I have no recent info about whether your Expedition can handle it.

Strangely, all along road 1026, there are survey stakes every couple hundred feet, about 20 feet to the north of the road. They appeared to all say "Prop R." It looks like someone is planning some work out there?

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Thanks , I'm sure things haven't changed too much out there, unless there was a big gully washer since then. I'm feeling pretty good about getting to the trailhead. Excited to visit a new area. There's a lot around here I need to see.
 
Thanks @SteveR I think we'll be fine driving out there. Hopefully, the sideslipped dirt area, that got @Udink years ago, is in better shape. Better bring a shovel. :D Was hoping someone had been out this way recently with most current road conditions. I'll talk with BLM guys in Hanksville on Thursday.

I will invoke Kelsey here: "Don't Blame Me!" :D
Would be interested in hearing how it goes, as our friends who we will be spending a few days with in Cedar Mesa in two weeks time, and drive an F150, are thinking about checking out Collonade after we part company.
 
@SteveR I'll be glad to give a road report after our visit. I think the F150 and Expedition use the same chassis... though they may have different height clearances.
Thanks for the Kelsey disclaimer. I've learned to always add time and "up the difficulty factor" to his estimates. Hopefully... my many years of poking around Utah desert sites, will keep me out of trouble this time. I know that I've sent a few people on hikes that didn't turn out quite the way they were meant to be. I wonder if telling them over beers and whiskey, at the campfire the night before, had anything to do with it?
 
@SteveR Your friends should have no problem driving out there in their truck. I thought road conditions were very good.
Thanks @Udink Similar road conditions to what you reported. Could there be some kind of pipeline? Odd all the survey stakes in a very straight line.
Thanks @Nick for your Mountain healthcare report. Made it very easy to find the arches. Perfect 70 degree day with a steady light breeze. https://intermountainhealthcare.org...ell/healthy-hikes/find-a-hike/colonnade-arch/
I'll post a trip report of our days down there soon. Great weather and a great variety of day trips.
 
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