Utah to Colorado via the RimRocker Trail.

Along a random trail we found just north of Moab, Ut, there is no shortage of gorgeous spots like this!

A few months ago a buddy and I decided to plan a quick trip from Salt Lake City Utah to Denver Colorado. We were both interested in driving the RimRocker trail, 160 miles of dirt from Moab to Montrose, along with a few other attractions. The planning process for us was minimal, we tend to wing it for the most part and this trip was no exception. Exploring a few breweries, eating some good food, and a solid hike or two was the basic idea. I was able to get a full 7 days off, but my buddy only had 3 and a half so we had to cram a ton of exploring into a short amount of time. 

From where I live in California to Salt Lake is about 14 hours drive time. I left work after lunch with plans to get to Vegas for dinner, hit a few stores I don’t have near me, and then find somewhere to camp north of Vegas a bit. I ended up driving very late in the night setting up camp about 3 hours south of Salt Lake. I now had a full day to spend exploring the area, Mt. Timpanogos has been on my bucket list hikes for years and though I didn’t attempt to conquer it on this trip either, I did get to knock out a few fun miles in the area. Every time I go to Provo I love it even more, with the walking path along the Provo River and the dog park in the middle, there’s no shortage of fun to be had, and the Wasatch Range offers an exceptional backdrop. The provo river walking path is 6.8 miles long each way and for this trip I took River on every inch of it, it took us just over 3 and a half hours and then we explored the town for a couple hours before finding camp. Unfortunately this was the worst night of the trip, I set up west of salt lake along a small creek only to later be booted out by a herd of mildly angry bulls and a reportedly violent drug fueled couple up the road. I very quickly packed up and drove to a truck stop near the airport where, much to my surprise, I actually slept pretty well, even if I did wake up with my head stuck tilted to the side. 

Really wish this spot worked out, with the river for River and the lack of bugs it was ideal!

One of the coolest stores I’ve ever been to! Featuring Ty’s goofy smile.

On day three my buddy landed at the Salt Lake Airport and we were off, our first stop was Equipt Expedition Outfitters which did not disappoint. After poking around and shooting the breeze with the guys there, and somehow with our life savings’ in tact, we grabbed a quick burrito and pointed the truck east for Moab. We hit a few short trails just north of town, all of which were an absolute blast at times, albeit nerve-racking in the newest and nicest vehicle I’ve ever owned. After an obligatory stop at Moab Brewery, we made our way to the official start of the RimRocker trail and ended up driving 70 fairly rough miles in the dark to the base of Mt. Peale where we managed about 2 hours sleep in the front seat before our early morning hike. Although we didn’t go for the summit due to poor trail conditions, we did enjoy about 8 miles and 2,000 vertical feet of running and hiking at sunrise. It’s difficult to beat a good hike, and on that day we sure had a hell of a time! One very cool thing they do in that particular hiking area is allowing dogs off leash on odd dates, and on leash for even days. I really liked this system, although I’ve always had my dog off leash and never had an issue(because she’s the cutest and sweetest dog on earth), this system really seems like a great idea to help those weirdos who don’t like dogs pick the best day for their hike. Also would help people who may have more aggressive furry friends stay less stressed on the trail.

Nothing beats a good rocky trail!

Moab Brewery is a must anytime you’re in town!

Views like this are why we do it!

Back to driving the now mundane RimRocker trail, we were able to breeze through the trail stopping at a random mine shaft and some other interesting structures along the way. We ran the entire trail aired down around 18 pounds in the tires making for a super smooth and comfortable ride, and even with the trail being uneventful it was still a fun route to take into Colorado. We made very quick work at finding the closest taco shop in Montrose, CO before going to one of the best dog parks I’ve ever seen! After that, driving north to I-70 and decided to go all the way to Denver for a hotel because I’m finally too old for camping in the rain! After a few drinks at the hotel bar with the guests of a wedding held there that night, and the first shower I had in a week, we caught up on some sleep. First thing in the morning I got River out on a trail in town for some much needed running and fresh air. Denver is easily my favorite big city in the country, with the amount of trails easily accessible right in town, River and I have never been bored. And of course, Colorado is home to more breweries than any other state, so we had to explore a few of those! We spent Sunday afternoon hanging out in Denvers Rino district, a personal favorite of mine, enjoying 6 breweries and more food trucks than anyone should experience in a single afternoon. River North Brewing is quite possibly my favorite in Denver, they have a great selection including some very different brews. On this trip the one that caught my eye, and taste buds, was a triple ipa blended with whiskey for a ridiculous 18% abv and only served 4oz at a time. 

Crossing into Colorado about 100 miles from our last paved road.

This trail was less than a mile from our hotel on the west side of Denver, this place is just terrible!

After dropping my buddy off at the airport, I headed to the base of Pikes Peak, where some other friends live. The goal was to spend Monday morning fishing for beautiful cutties in a tiny creek, and we nailed it! The area we fished was absolutely beautiful and remote enough that I was able to leave River off leash to frolic in the river. I don’t know what I enjoy more, catching perfect cutties or watching my dog go crazy all day, ultimately resulting in her sleeping for 18 hours straight.  From there it was a 15 hour drive home to be at work for 8am. Pro tip, don’t leave yourself 20 hours to make a 15 hour drive so you can be on time for a job that’s exclusively driving! 

River North Brewing, one of my favorites!

Road trips are easily my favorite thing to do. I’ve seen so many cool things throughout this country that I would have never known about had I flown places. It may take a little longer and cost a little more, but seeing these incredible places and having my dog happily along for the ride will always win! There’s nothing better than stopping at a random trail you never knew about, and finding the most incredible views that you never planned for!