Fuel Your Wanderlust with Another Installment of our Adventure Log Series
Get ready to fuel your wanderlust with another installment of our Adventure Log series.
It’s taken far too long to recap this route, but with adventure season around the corner…there’s no time like the present, right? Last June TJ & Molly tackled the Rimrocker Trail, a 160-mile overland route from Moab, Utah to Montrose, Colorado or vise-versa.
IF YOUR SUMMER ADVENTURES AREN’T DIALED IN YET, ADD THIS TO YOUR OVERLAND BUCKET LIST.
RIMROCKER TRAIL
DAY 1
TJ and Molly set out from Moab, Utah, their rig fueled up (hello, extended fuel tank!) and packed with supplies for the 160-mile journey ahead. As they navigated through the red dirt roads of Moab’s lower elevations the scenery soon morphed into rolling hills of sage and cactus, bumping along, heading towards Utah’s La Sal mountain range.
Throughout the trip, road conditions varied, sometimes smooth gravel, other times rutted dirt or rocky trail, but the rig handled it all with ease thanks to some suspension and tire upgrades. TJ’s Method bead-grip wheels wrapped in 37” Toyo RT Trails and a blend of Thuren/Carli suspension with King shocks provided just the right amount of confidence and comfort needed.
As the sun began to dip below the horizon on day 1, they found a perfect spot to set up camp with Moab in the rearview and the La Sal’s straight ahead. After a hearty meal, they hung out over an open (propane!) fire, and settled in for the night under a blanket of stars.
DAY 2
The next morning, TJ and Molly were up with the sun, eager to continue their adventure to Colorado. The trail took them through more stunning scenery, with each turn revealing new vistas – pine and aspen forests, open meadows and tight (we mean tight!) brush-lined trail. As they skirted along the “Salt Mountains”, the abundance of wild flowers in late June signaled the end of a lengthy winter.
By midday, they had crossed into Colorado; a pit stop for lunch along Buckeye Reservoir and a halfway(ish) point rig check and new pinstripe inspection, and they were off. The landscape changed once again to desert mesas with a climb back to elevation…
From this point in the trip you can see for miles and miles in either direction – Utah in the distance behind, and the Rockies towering over the Colorado valley’s ahead.
With a goal to make it as close to Nucla, Colorado as possible, they powered on. After descending into the Dolores River canyon, they meandered back to higher ground through what was notably the rockiest and most technical ascent of the trip along a portion of P12 Road.
With sunset looming, it was time to find a camp spot. They found a perfect location perched atop the mesa, with the now San Miguel River and Co Route 141 below, the colors of the sunset matched the landscape, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink – a fitting end to an epic day 2.
DAY 3
On their final day, TJ and Molly completed the last leg of the journey heading from the mesa into Nucla, Colorado. Back on the trail, the morning scenery felt reminiscent of home, rallying across wide dirt roads, under the trees, catching a glimpse of the snow capped peaks every so often. They reached an elevation of 9,000 ft along the boundary of Colorado’s Uncompahgre NF.
Just before entering into the town of Montrose, Colorado they stopped along a flower-lined field for a snack, and some reflection on the miles behind them as they aired up their tires and prepared to head towards Durango.
END LOG.
HERE'S THE SCOOP ON THE MUST-HAVE UPGRADES TJ HAS IN HIS TRUCK + CAMPER SET UP:
FULL UPGRADE LIST
SUSPENSION
Thuren High-Clearance Radius Arms
Thuren 2.5" Coils
Thuren Track Bar
Thuren Long-travel Rear Progressive Leaf Pack
Carli Pintop Remote Res. Shocks
Carli Long Travel Airbags
Synergy HD Steering Linkage
DRIVE TRAIN + POWER UPGRADES
Calibrated Power CARB Approved ECU Tune
S&B Cold Air Intake
Banks Intake Elbow
Banks Power Exhaust
Dynatrac Freespin Locking Hubs
EMF HD Ball Joints
AAM 4.10 Re-gear
ACCESSORIES
SuperTramp Flagship LT Camper
Fast Gun Camper Tiedowns
Dirtcom Swingout Spare Tire Carrier
ARB On-Board Air
Baja Design Aux Lighting
Switchpros Lighting + Accessory Control
Rugged GMRS Radios
Wolfbox Live View Rear Mirror Camera
Overland Vehicle Systems Awnings
DMOS Shovel Mount
MaxxTrax Recovery Boards
Aluminess Storage Box
Factor55 Recovery Gear
Agile Off-Road HD Scissor Jack
GoPower/Victron Solar and Battery System
We hope this Adventure Log installment inspires your next destination. We love to see your rigs in the wild! To be featured in an upcoming Adventure Log email our team to share your story and photos.
Happy Trails!