Hey Joe Canyon EJS '06

[Floppy Hat]

Its a little late, but I had to get my Jeep Safari trail report in. We ran Hey Joe Canyon on Thursday (13 April) with the Red Rock 4-Wheelers. The trail leader was Bob Widdison, who has been leading this trail for the past ten years. This was my first time as a gunner on Hey Joe Canyon and my first trip with Bob. I must say it was a great time and I would highly recommend running Hey Joe Canyon with Bob if you get a chance. He knows a lot about the area and made the trip both enjoyable and interesting.

Trail Map

The trail isn't really difficult at all. It is rated as a 3 and that is mostly for the climb up the dugway to Hey Joe mine. While it isn't real difficult the scenery is great and the off-camber portions near the Green River can really get your attention.

The group preparing to drop into Spring Canyon

The road into Spring Canyon

 

[Floppy Hat]

The bottom of Spring Canyon

Driving along the Green River

Starting the climb up to the mine

The dugway leading to the mine

 

[Floppy Hat]

Lunch at the mine

Exploring the mine

The trip back out

 

[Floppy Hat]

Some reps from Toyota came along for the ride in a new FJ Cruiser

The reps were allowing people to take turns test driving it along the trail. A number of people took them up on the offer, so they're were people jumping in and out of it all day long. It seemed to do fine, but they're wasn't anything to really challenge it. The reps said they had taken it on Hells Revenge and climbed Hells Gate.

 

[wally]

Looks like a trail I would like to see sometime.

 

[I Lean]

Excellent scenery in that one...I'll have to do it one day.

 

[cruiseroutfit]

I love HJ Canyon, one of my favorite Moab trails, great pics

 

[Brett]

I am guessing that from the way that it looks there that they cut the tamarisk back off the road. Last time I went in, my Tacoma came out looking like I'd run a couple thousand keys down the sides of it!

I'd be down to run that trail sometime soon though. I am always up for exploring (that and I have never made it to the end!)

 

[Floppy Hat]

Yea, the tamarisk has been cut back in places, but there are still spots that will give you some pin striping.

Some work has also been done to clear some rock slides off the trail along the Green River in order to keep the trail passable.

 

[DevinB]

How easy is it? Could a stock WJ make it okay?

 

[cruiseroutfit]

How easy is it? Could a stock WJ make it okay?

Yup, I was with the BLM in their stock XJ when they ran it last year...