Rusty Nail

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Status:	Open
Typically Open:	Year Round
Length:	1.89 miles
Highest Elevation:	5091 feet
Duration:	About 3 hours
Shape of Trail:	Connector
Best Direction to Travel:	North
Nearest Town:	Moab
Nearest Town w/ Services:	Moab
Official Road Name:	Rusty Nail
Management Agency:	Bureau of Land Management
District:	Moab Field Office

Highlights

Rusty Nail is a difficult rock crawling 4x4 trail that is a "shortcut" to the most popular, and most difficult obstacles on the Golden Spike & Gold Bar Rim trails. This trail will challenge the most seasoned veteran wheeler both physically and mentally. Large, off camber, undercut ledges, true to the Moab testament, make up the majority of the obstacles on Rusty Nail. Although there are only 4 named main obstacles, the trail is riddled with numerous challenges and no bypasses. There are alternate routes on a couple obstacles, but those alternate routes prove to be just as difficult if not more difficult than the main route.

Video

Route Information

Technical Rating

( SEVERE )

Waypoints

1. Tailhead (0 mi)

After 1.5 miles on the Gold Bar Rim Trail, you reach a Y intersection with a sign in the middle. Rusty Nail Trail starts at the sign on the right. The trail sign is very easy to see. Going left continues Gold Bar Rim Trail.

Directions to Trailhead

Starting Point: Moab

From Moab, take highway 191 north to the parking lot on the left marked with a sign for Gemini Bridges. This parking lot is an ideal place to prep your vehicle for the trail. Follow the road past the parking area and up and over the bluff for a while, through a sandy wash area and turn left following the sign marking Gold Bar Rim. Follow Gold Bar Rim for 1.5 miles where you will see the trail split to the right and a sign marking the Rusty Nail Trail.

Camping

Not allowed

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Writer Information

Ryan Boudreau

Mapping Crew - Colorado

Hi, I'm Ryan! I am a Colorado native and I've been wheeling since I was 16 years old. I grew up with a relentless passion for all things Jeep and off road related, and that passion has never died out. I am a member of the Mile-Hi Jeep Club, Patrol 16 Sasquatch Jeepers and currently own an '06 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Unlimited (LJ) nicknamed "Minion". I am a huge supporter of Stay the Trail and Tread Lightly, and have participated and even been in charge of many trail restoration projects. I have been a trail leader several times for events such as All-4-Fun, ColoradoFest, Set Them Free, 14er Fest, and other. I am also the creator of the Unlimited LJ Adventure. My rig is built for extreme offroading, but I love to get my tires dirty on any kind of trail whether it's rock crawling or just scenic high Alpine drives. I've wheeled all over the country including Colorado, Utah, Kansas, the Carolinas, AZ, and California. I love a great adventure, and love even more to share those adventures with others. If you see the "minion" out on the trail, make sure to stop and say hello.

Moab, Utah (Grand County)