Salt Creek and Horse Canyons: Canyonlands NP

[ret32]

According to the park service "Salt Creek/Horse Canyon: impassable (Due to quicksand, boulders and other obstacles.)" http://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/roadstatus.htm

It has come to the attention of U4WDA that the route has been listed as "impassable" by the park service for nearly 2 years. U4WDA has contacted Canyonlands National Park and reports the following:

I spoke with Emma B. of the park service. They have had a few work crews go in there in the last couple of weeks and have spent most of their time stuck in quicksand. They were able to get as far as the junction with Horse Canyon and get some boulders cleared.

Regarding the concern that the NPS might eventually allow the temporary impassable status to become an excuse to close the road permanently: She emphatically disagreed. She said that there is no way that would ever happen. She said that once the route dries out and becomes "passable" (in the NPS view): use of the road will be resumed as previously.

She was very clear to state that the NPS has not "closed" the road, but that the road is simply "impassable." A vehicle permit and gate combination are required to travel up the road, and they are not giving those out because the route is impassable.

I asked her to please let us know if there is anything U4WDA can do to help as far as a service project or whatnot. She said they don't typically use volunteer service projects for something like this, but that once the road dries out they may be interested in some help clearing the route and making some repairs. She will pass on the information to her superiors.

She was very thankful for positive contact regarding the situation. It seems that they have been taking a lot of abuse from people upset about not being able to get in there. If there is anything we might want to pass on to our members at this time, it would be to be cordial and patient with the rangers as we all wait for the route to dry out.

I told her I would pass on the information publicly.

Please feel free to link this on other forums you frequent.

 

[jackjoh]

I do not understand, waiting for the road to dry out, does that mean we have had too much rain or is the quicksand in a river bed? This seems like a good opportunity for a fun run even now. Too bad it is closed.

 

[ret32]

I do not understand, waiting for the road to dry out, does that mean we have had too much rain or is the quicksand in a river bed? This seems like a good opportunity for a fun run even now. Too bad it is closed.

The road IS a streambed.

 

[ret32]

Park Service sent out the following email yesterday...

Hello, for the past several weeks the NPS road crew and Needles District
Park Rangers have been working diligently to make Salt Creek and Horse
Canyon passable to 4 WD high clearance vehicles. At this time both Salt
Creek and Horse Canyon are passable but still have several challenges.
Those wishing to drive into these areas are still required to obtain a
permit through the NPS. It's also important to point out that these areas
may become impassable at any time due to changing road conditions, weather,
heavy use, etc. We strongly recommend that if you plan on obtaining a
permit for Salt Creek and/or Horse Canyon that you travel in 4 WD high
clearance vehicles, travel in groups of two or more vehicles having
winching capabilities and be capable of pulling your own vehicle out or
have a tow truck respond as NPS Rangers are unable to wench vehicles out.

In Salt Creek there is still one section of stream bed approximately 2.5
miles from the gate, 150 yds long, covered in 2-3 foot deep water. It is
passable as long as you keep your momentum going and do not let up on the
gas. Please do not drive on the bank. In addition, deep pockets of sand
and quicksand remain scattered throughout.

In Horse Canyon, the following conditions exist. The ever persistent hole
at the Salt Creek/Horse Junction is still present. It is very deep but
passable on the west side. We worked on the road in several places and the
only problem we ran into is a common location approximately 5 miles south
of the Salt/Horse Junction. There is a large boulder, surrounded by deep
sand beneath an overhanging rock ledge. We became high centered on the
rock trying to avoid the rock ledge and sand. Coming back through we were
forced by the deep sand into the overhanging rock ledge and became stuck.
There is obvious evidence that vehicles commonly scrape the top of their
vehicles here, trying to get through the sand.

If you have any further questions please contact me.

Thanks,

R. Steven Edwards
Acting Needles District Ranger
435-259-8859 ext 12

Canyonlands National Park
2282 SW Resource Blvd.
Moab, UT 84532

 

[Houndoc]

Good to hear they are opening it up. Thanks for keeping their feet to the fire.