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Help planning a Sand Hollow trip? and Report!

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    Posted: 25 Apr. 2022 at 9:23pm
A few years ago I asked for and got some great advice about my first Moab 'wheeling trip.  I'm hoping I can get some of that same expertise on Sand Hollow.

My wife and I are thinking about going to Zion National Park this September.  We also want to do some 'wheeling, so Sand Hollow seems like a natural.  I've been watching all of the videos I can find (including a bunch from Stan, Jeff and Brian).  And there are a few trails that look like they could be a lot of fun for us.  West Rim, Double Sammy, John's Trail and Wayne's World are a few that come to mind.  But most of the videos include at least something that I'm not at all sure we'd want to tackle.  Do most of the trails out there have bypasses around the hardest obstacles or does deciding to pass on something usually mean turning back?

Also, Stan had recommended a book, Guide to Moab Backroads and Trails (or something close to that).  Are there any good trail guides to Sand Hollow?  Or at least a good map?  I've done a little looking and haven't found anything that seems very helpful yet.

Thanks in advance!


Edited by Nothing Special - 03 Oct. 2022 at 8:22pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote smfulle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Apr. 2022 at 12:55am
Hi Bob,
Sand Hollow is awesome. The trails you mentioned are great. Most of the Sand Hollow trails have bypasses or bail outs. I haven’t done Wayne’s World yet though so no 1st hand experience there. I don’t know of a good Sand Hollow book. It is a fairly new area with new trails being opened all the time. I think some of the digital off road mapping companies are trying to keep up. Such as Onx offroad or Avenza. 
Sand Hollow is small enough that you can often find you way out just by heading north. 
Many of the trails criss cross and intersect and there is a large sand dune area if you like that sort of thing.
September will be starting to cool down some but expect triple digit temps in the mid day. Lots of the trails you can run in a few hours in the morning then find some shade or head to town for some dinner and air conditioning in the afternoon.
If I hit the lottery for the fall color tour my September wheeling might be in Colorado, but if not I could maybe come down and show you around some.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nothing Special Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 Apr. 2022 at 7:47pm
Thanks!

I've heard on onX, but no experience with it.  I haven't heard of Avenza.  I guess that gives me a direction to dig!

I'm not overly worried about finding my way out.  I have a GPS and a compass, so I can always at least figure out how to backtrack.  But if I'm trying for a 6 rated trail and end up on a 9 I might not be so happy (or at least my wife won't!).  But it does help a lot to hear that there are often escape options.

As far as the sand goes, dunes are something I've always wanted to try, but never have had the opportunity.  They do worry me a bit if I don't have some good backup.  I could imagine getting myself into trouble when I wasn't expecting it due to lack of experience in sand.  I've got reasonably big tires (33/12.50), and I do air down.  But no bead locks so I don't usually go THAT low, and the tires are aggressive mud treads, which I know aren't the best choice for sand.  Still, I'd like to give it a shot.

I guess I wouldn't have guessed the temps would typically be quite that high in September, but it doesn't completely scare me off either.  At least it isn't humid (and yes, we'll bring plenty of water!).

And not to wish you bad luck, but it'd be great if you were able to meet me there!
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote smfulle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Apr. 2022 at 10:24am
Found this chart of average temps in Hurricane in Sept.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jbjeeps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 27 Apr. 2022 at 1:14pm
We've only been there once, last fall for Trail Hero. We went down as spectators to watch the rock crawling competition, didn't bring a Jeep, but had a good time.  Other than a short, freak, rainstorm one day the weather was excellent. 

Winter Jamboree has grown into quite an event.  Kind of on the cool side, but still nice weather.  Plus, fewer folks in Zion. 

I know Stan can provide lots of info on both.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Flatfender Ben Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 May 2022 at 11:42am
Check out Matt’s off-road recovery on YouTube. 
Lots of great examples of what not to do at sand hollow. 
Good videos of the terrain. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nothing Special Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 07 May 2022 at 8:32pm
I've been watching his videos pretty much since he started posting them!  The problem with using them to scout trails is they (like most YouTube 'wheeling videos) mostly shows the "fun" (aka "hard") parts.  I see a lot of stuff that looks like a lot of fun, but also some stuff that looks above my pay grade.  I don't necessarily want to start up a bunch of trails only to have to turn back constantly.  Stan's comment that there are usually escape routes and bypasses makes me a little more confident that it won't be just an exercise in frustration.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote smfulle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 2022 at 1:21am
Originally posted by Nothing Special Nothing Special wrote:

I've been watching his videos pretty much since he started posting them!  The problem with using them to scout trails is they (like most YouTube 'wheeling videos) mostly shows the "fun" (aka "hard") parts.  I see a lot of stuff that looks like a lot of fun, but also some stuff that looks above my pay grade.  I don't necessarily want to start up a bunch of trails only to have to turn back constantly.  Stan's comment that there are usually escape routes and bypasses makes me a little more confident that it won't be just an exercise in frustration.

One of the unusual, and nice things about Sand Hollow is that it’s “open IHV’, meaning you can pretty much drive wherever. That doesn’t mean you should go around driving over brush and such, but you don’t have to worry quite as much about getting off the usual route to get around something.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote jpet Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 2022 at 8:44am
If you like a day of challenges, Sand Hollow is the place to go. For the most part, all the trails have various levels of challenges very close together. You can do one trail, start late, end early, and you feel like you wheeled all day, or do two trails in a day and you really got some wheeling in. I still think I prefer to go to Moab because of the beautiful sculptures, canyons, rivers and other landscapes but SH is beautiful. Perhaps the technical challenges, draw my attention away from the beauty.

To me, Double Sammy is the signature trail, at least for vehicles like ours. I particularly like that trail because it has less sand than the others. You have to do sand to get in and out but that’s for everything on that end. Sand can be fun but it gets into everything, especially if you have oil on your undercarriage.

One trail not mentioned is the “Maze”. That is a super fun trail and has challenges that are close to the limit of our vehicles but doable. The drop in is epic but very doable. “Let the gravity do the work”. the famed “You Gotta Be Nuts” obstacle is also on that trail. I’d love to try it and I’m 90% sure I could after watching SXS do it but 90% is not good enough. Failure on that obstacle is unforgiving.

Edited by jpet - 08 May 2022 at 9:30am
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nothing Special Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 2022 at 10:05am
I have thought about The Maze.  I've watched at least a couple videos from Stan and Brian  showing you guys doing it.  That drop-in at the start looks like it might scare us off without having a spotter.  I'm sure I could do it, but I'd rather have a spotter.  And I'm pretty sure my wife isn't sure I could do it!  Similarly, some of the climbs in the trail look pretty intimidating until you see a Jeep scoot up.  I'm pretty sure I'd be willing to follow someone up, but I could see getting scared off otherwise.

Sand is something I've never done and would like to try.  But yes, I think I'll like the rocks better.  And I have plenty of oil on my undercarriage!

I don't expect to like Sand Hollow more than Moab.  But we've been to Moab twice in the last few years and we're planning on going to Zion and Bryce Canyon this year.  We'll be back to Moab!  But it seems like a good opportunity to try Sand Hollow. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote bight Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 2022 at 10:33am
a lesser known and quieter place is Capitol Reef. i went there in the 90's in a subaru brat. it is amazing, little talked about, and peaceful. 

Stan, have you been there? as i recall there is great off road adventure. maybe not enough wheeling challenges for some?
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dasvis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 2022 at 4:06pm
Originally posted by bight bight wrote:

a lesser known and quieter place is Capitol Reef. i went there in the 90's in a subaru brat. it is amazing, little talked about, and peaceful. 


My wife & I drove a Honda CRV on the main road thru Capital reef a few years back. Very scenic, almost no traffic. Flash floods would be a hazard though, you need to check with ranger station before heading out. There was a really spectacular zig-zag down a steep canyon at the end. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nothing Special Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 2022 at 4:39pm
We may or may not do Capitol Reef on a different trip.  (Did I mention we would be going back to Utah in the future?)  But this trip will just be Zion and Bryce Canyon as far as National Parks go.  We spent a little time in Arches on our first Moab trip and a little in Canyonlands on our second.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote AKoller Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 08 May 2022 at 10:38pm
You guys will thoroughly enjoy Bryce and Zion. They are both absolutely breathtakingly beautiful.
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote Nothing Special Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 25 May 2022 at 8:44pm
How about thoughts on camping options?  We'll be staying in a motorhome and usually do full hookups, but we'll only be there 4 nights so not having sewer wouldn't be a deal breaker and even no water isn't completely out of bounds.  But I do think we want to have at least electric.

Westside Campground in Sand Hollow State Park looks like a reasonable option.  Or possibly the KOA on the northwest side of Hurricane.  Any thoughts on either of those?  Or any others?


edit to add:  WillowWind RV park also looks nice, but right in Hurricane (whether that's a good or bad thing)


Edited by Nothing Special - 25 May 2022 at 9:10pm
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote drm101 Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 May 2022 at 8:59am
We did the mule ride into Bryce. It was very fun. Those mules are even more sure footed than an old Willy's. 
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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote smfulle Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 May 2022 at 10:30am
Originally posted by Nothing Special Nothing Special wrote:

How about thoughts on camping options?  We'll be staying in a motorhome and usually do full hookups, but we'll only be there 4 nights so not having sewer wouldn't be a deal breaker and even no water isn't completely out of bounds.  But I do think we want to have at least electric.

Westside Campground in Sand Hollow State Park looks like a reasonable option.  Or possibly the KOA on the northwest side of Hurricane.  Any thoughts on either of those?  Or any others?

edit to add:  WillowWind RV park also looks nice, but right in Hurricane (whether that's a good or bad thing)

I can't help you much with RV park facilities. I stay at my mom's or a rental house when I'm there.
The Sand Hollow State park RV park is VERY convenient for Sand Hollow/Sand Mountain trails. Like two minutes from the trails convenient. 
The Hurricane KOA is a ways away from Sand Hollow and Hurricane itself. Not game changer distance, more like 15-20 minutes.  
WillowWind in "downtown" Hurricane - Being in town would be nice for restraints and stores. Hurricane is small and selection is limited, but there are nice choices there. 

St. George is the bigger town and still not far from Sand Hollow or Hurricane. Tons of eating and shopping choices there. 

I don't know anything about the actual facilities at either site, but if I were choosing I would go with Sand Hollow, for the convenience factor to the trails.  

When I'm in the area, NOT for jeeping, one of our favorite things to do is catch a live show at the Tuacahn outdoor theater. The do a great job there with their productions. And the setting is spectacular.

Zion national park is only about 30 minutes from Hurricane. Bryce, on the other hand, is 2+ hours. 
Bryce could be a 1 day excursion. Drive up there, drive to all the overlooks and head back, or you can make it several days. Take the mule ride. Hike down into the canyon etc. 

I believe that Zion is doing the reservation system now. If you want to go there you should check on that. I know you have to have a reservation to make the famous Angel's Landing hike. 

Side note: the KOA is located at the south end of a little township called Harrisburg. Harrisburg was an early pioneer town that failed and most of the people moved a few miles north to the town of Leeds. Leeds is my ancestral home. My dad was born there and my grandfather used to own most of the abandoned town of Harrisburg as a farm. A little subdivision has sprung up now in Harrisburg, but there are a couple of old adobe houses still partially standing that my grandfather used to store grain and melons in that he grew there on the town site.


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Post Options Post Options   Thanks (0) Thanks(0)   Quote dasvis Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 26 May 2022 at 3:46pm
https://youtu.be/2bhFCts-Rt0

So what you are saying Stan, is that you are a legacy from Harrisburg?
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