We drove the Shafer Trail (often referred to as Shafer Road or Shafer Trail Road) in Canyonlands National Park in Moab, Utah. The Shafer Trail Moab is a dramatic and scenic route that descends from the Island in the Sky district of the park down to the White Rim Plateau.
Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park is located in southeastern Utah, near the town of Moab.
It has amazing desert views, deep canyons, tall mesas, and striking rock formations in over 337,000 acres.
Canyonlands has several distinct districts. The Shafer Trail Moab route is in the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands.
Shafer Trail Route
The Shafer Trail off-road route near Moab is known for its steep switchbacks and breathtaking views.
The road is unpaved and requires vehicles with high clearance and 4WD capabilities, especially due to loose gravel, steep grades, and sharp turns.
The Green River Overlook provides a good vantage point for seeing the top of the mesa down to the canyon floor.
Driving the Shafer Trail Back to Moab
You start the Shafer Trail near the Island in the Sky Visitor Center at Canyonlands National Park.
To get to the bottom of the canyon, drive down the Shafer Trail Road near the visitor center.
The cliff edges were the scariest part!
You will drive along the edge of the cliff, but the road is not too bad, despite some hairy 180 hairpin turns along the way.
We drove the Shafer Trail in an F-350 long bed truck, and some of the corners were tight, but we made it.
Along the way, you drive on shelf roads with little room for error.
Once you get to the canyon below, you can follow along the popular White Rim road for some spectacular scenery.
We drove as far as the Musselman Arch and then turned around.
This provided incredible up close views of the humongous red rocks and the gorgeous greenery of the river at the very bottom of the canyon.
Instead of going back to the visitor center via the Shafer Trail Road, we took Potash Road all the way back to Moab.
It took several hours but the close up views of the huge red rock cliffs and the river were spectacular.
If you’re interested in hiking to some slot canyons near Canyonlands National Park, check out the Bluejohn Canyon area where Aron Ralston had to cut off his arm to survive being stuck behind a boulder. This is what the movie “127 Hours” is about.
Permit Requirements
We drove the 18 mile route that starts at the mesa top and drops down to the canyon floor below.
Shafer Trail is the road leading down to the White Rim Road. The full route of the White Rim Road is a much longer route that takes several days to complete.
To drive the Shafer Trail route and along the road to Potash and back to Moab, you do not need a permit.
However, you do need a permit if you plan to continue onto the White Rim Road beyond the Shafer Trail. You can obtain a permit at the Island in the Sky visitor center.
We were able to obtain a permit the same day in October on a weekday.
We simply walked into the Island in the Sky Visitor Center and were given a permit when we asked.
Final Thoughts on the Shafer Trail in Moab
Take this drive if you can! It does require a 4×4 vehicle, so do not attempt it in a regular passenger car.
Be sure to check in with the Island in the Sky Visitor Center to find out about the latest road conditions and permit requirements.
This viewpoint of Canyonlands National Park was so much better than the view from above, in my opinion!
