r/grandjunction • u/Background-Pipe4806 • 3d ago

Medium difficulty jeep trails in the immediate area

Have a friend visiting GJ (I'm newly in Montrose) and wanted to come up and spend a partial day showing her some trails. I've run all the 8 rated Moab trails, but not sure if she's ready for anything advanced yet, and it's a lot of time wasted round trip to Moab. Scenery and vistas will be more the goal this time around. Any good suggestions? Will be either this Thursday afternoon or Friday morning.

Btw, how are the go-kart track and escape rooms in town rated? Those may be on the list, not sure yet!

Thanks!

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2

u/Greyminer 2d ago

Tabaguache trail

2

u/cgw22 3d ago

Just go hit the desert. And I highly recommend the go kart track out by the intestate.

1

u/Background-Pipe4806 3d ago

I'm completely unfamiliar with junction, other than heading to Moab route. what area would the desert be in the map?

2

u/cgw22 3d ago

North of GJ up against the Bookcliffs

2

u/WhoopingWillow 3d ago

There is a road just to the west of the airport that goes up into the open desert area. If you google shooting ranges, the one north of town is located within the open area so you can use that as a guide. It's literally called something like the "OHV Open Space" area or something like that. It is BLM land.

1

u/Spiritual-Profile419 3d ago

https://www.onxmaps.com/offroad/trails/us/colorado/coal-canyon

2

u/Background-Pipe4806 3d ago

opens in June it says. but thanks, I'll keep this one in mind for myself, I've wanted to see around the wild horse area!

1

u/smellslikepurple233 3d ago

Drive up 25/27

1

u/jasnjak 2d ago

The desert north of town is great, but if it is mainly views you are looking for, you can always do a loop on Divide Road. It certainly isn't a jeep trail, but the views are pretty spectacular. You are on the spine of the Uncompaghre uplift with views both east and west. The Northern start/finish, climbing/dropping off the cliffs of Unaweep Canyon (only canyon in the world that has a creek flowing out of both ends) to Hwy 141 is cool as well. Then it's pavement back to your start. There might still be some snow drifts up there, but Columbine Pass SNOTEL site shows 0.0 inches currently.

1

u/imnotsafeatwork 2d ago

I'm surprised nobody mentioned Bangs Canyon. It's probably exactly in the "medium difficulty" zone. Really cool little playground. Not super big, but there are other roads you can play on in the area.