Beef Basin East

Beef Basin East offers nonstop scenic delights as it winds from the sandstone desert below Bridger Jack Mesa to the alpine spruce, pines, and aspens of the Abajo Mountains. Rock climbers flock to the area around the trailhead to scale the many sheer claret sandstone buttes. Cathedral Butte and Boundary Mountain stand eternal watch over the long and often dusty trail. Massive, spectacular, and imposing, Salt Canyon drops away to the north with breathtaking viewpoints dotted along the trail. Only the hardiest venture down on foot. The saner travelers choose to camp along the rim and enjoy the colorful splendor below. Narrow winding shelf roads offer vast and unimpeded views as well as a little pucker factor for drivers and passengers. Climbing higher, the trail bids goodbye to the sandstone desert's reds and buffs dotted with its juniper and salt brush and bids hello to the cool lush forest of pine, spruce, fir, aspens, and bigtooth maples of Abajo Mountains. Deer and elk haunt the edges of the open meadows. Cool evenings demand a warm coat and invite a flickering campfire. Other trails beg to be explored. Life is good along this scenic track.