Onion Creek Trail

Mike cruises past rusty cliffs of banded sandstone, typical of the rock you'll see in the Onion Creek Narrows. Photos October 19, 2002 by Bruce.

Onion Creek Trail

Onion Creek is a dirt-road ride. The highlight is several miles riding through a deep chasm carved in colorful sandstone, the Onion Creek Narrows. The surface of the Onion Creek portion is fairly smooth, for a very easy technical rating. As an out-and-back, the ride is about 7 miles each way (depending on where you turn around) with 1500 vertical feet of climbing. This section can also be ridden downhill one-way with shuttle -- the road is easily passable in the family SUV.

In addition to a one-way or out-and-back through the Onion Creek Narrows, there's the option of a long ride from the La Sal Mountains via the Kokopelli This version is 25 miles, with 4000 vertical feet of downhill. There's a moderate one-mile climb near the beginning, and a brutal 400-vertical foot, 1/2-mile climb in the middle. This ride is entirely on dirt road. The upper section has some loose rock and a few ruts, but is still an easy technical cruise.

View back towards the peaks of the La Sal mountains, from early in the long-version ride.

Dropping from 8200 feet, we're now at 7000. In front of us pinion pine frame views of sandstone cliffs. This is about 7 miles into the ride.

The long ride starts in long-leaf pine, pinion, and juniper. A portion of the ride is on the Kokopelli trail. As it drops down, there are distant views of mesas and cliffs. After popping over the steep hill into Fisher Valley, the cliffs of Wingate sandstone frame this picturesque scene.

Plan to splash through Onion Creek uncountable times. If you're riding uphill doing the Narrows as an out-and-back, bring some extra chain lube. If you don't want to get your butt wet, throw a quick-lock fender on your seatpost. Your feet WILL get wet.

In Fisher Valley, Chad rolls west. The entrance to the Narrows is at the extreme left in this photo. We're about mile 16 downhill. This valley would be your turn-around for an out-and-back ride.

Just before the Narrows itself is an other-worldly collection of multicolored badlands formations. The chocolate-colored rock in the middle is typical of the Narrows.

The banded cliffs in the Onion Creek Narrows are impressive. This appears to be Organ Rock formation sandstone from the Permian period (284-240 million years ago), but I'm not absolutely certain about the ID. This rock was uplifted, blocking the flow of water and letting sediment build up in a lake bottom in Fisher Valley. As Onion Creek cut through the mountain, it drained the lake as it created the impressive Narrows.

Riding Notes, Long Shuttle Version:
0.0   At the fork, head downhill left
        N 38° 36.716' W 109° 11.738' Alt 8100
0.5   Pass ATV track on L, corral on R
2.0   Keep straight on main road
        N 38° 37.284' W 109° 10.365' Alt 8200
        Straight at any other spurs
4.3   Left on DT marked Kokopelli Trail
        N 38° 38.693' W 109° 09.452' Alt 7600
7.2   Hard left, ignore track on R
13.7 Stay left on main road, head south

Matt rides towards the Onion Creek Narrows, looming ahead.

Mike (red jersey) and Dominic hit the water.

14.1 Begin climb up steep hill
14.4 Gate at top of hill
15.2 Fork R, west
        N 38° 40.623' W 109° 12.704' Alt 5800
16.2 Keep straight L (R = Kokopelli Tr)
        N 38° 41.340' W 109° 13.233'
18    Dropping towards Onion Creek Narrows
        Multiple creek-crossings!
23    Leaving Narrows
25.0 Back at parking area
        N 38° 43.253' W 109° 20.576'

Getting there:

Drive north from Moab (2.4 miles from Center Street) on US 191, and turn right on U-128. Set your odometer as you turn. At mile 15.2, you'll pass the paved Castle Valley - La Sal Loop road on your right. Continue on, passing a gravel road on the right at mile 18.0. At 19.7, turn right onto the gravel Onion Creek Road. Drive 0.7 miles to a parking area on the left-hand side of the road N 38° 43.253' W 109° 20.576'.

Onion Creek ride

GPS track file (right-click and select "Save Target as..."):
GPX (w. Kokopelli track)
Topo map for printing: High-Res
Lodging, camping, shops: Links to Moab area resources