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Information
Nearby Trails
| Status: | Open |
| Typically Open: | Year Round |
| Difficulty: |
2-2
(EASY)
|
| Length: | 12.9 miles |
| Highest Elevation: | 6000 feet |
| Duration: | About 1 hour 15 minutes |
| Shape of Trail: | Connector |
| Best Direction to Travel: | N/A |
| Nearest Town: | Moab |
| Nearest Town w/ Services: | Moab |
| Official Road Name: | |
| Management Agency: | Bureau of Land Management |
| District: | Moab Field Office |
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Highlights
Gemini Bridges is not only a beautiful shortcut and scenic route through to the Island in the Sky District of Canyonlands but also an option for vehicles that would like to get off the pavement and don't have four-wheel drive. The trail is named after the Gemini Bridges Arch Formation which is located right off of the trail and has a short hike to the top of it. This trail can be used to access Metal Masher, Bull Canyon, Arths Pasture, and Gold Bar Rim. The end of the trail will drop you at Highway 313 which is the paved road through the park that will connect you to many other formations including Upheaval Dome, Aztec Buttes, and Mesa Arch, to name just a few.
Video
Route Information
Technical Rating: (2-2)
(EASY)
Dirt road. Dry, or less than 3" water crossing depth. Some ruts. Slight grades, up to 10 degrees. 2WD under most conditions. Rain or snow may make 4WD necessary. Usually one and a half to two vehicles wide.
Read more about our rating systemDescription
Gemini Bridges Bridges Road is mostly compacted dirt and rock with a rocky shelf portion on the far east side. It connects Highway 191 to Highway 313. The road also serves as the main gateway to several other trails that include Gold Bar Rim, Metal Masher, Bull Canyon, Four Arches, Arths Pasture, Arths Road, and The Boulevard. The shelf road portion can sometimes get chewed up in wet weather causing it to be more rough at certain times, but overall the road is suitable for most SUV type vehicles.
Seasonal Information
| Spring: | Mid-spring can be either cold or hot and gets warmer as the season moves on. |
| Summer: | Summer brings rains and heat. |
| Fall: | Fall is a great time to do this trail. |
| Winter: | Snow can accumulate on this trail causing traction issues on the shelf road. |
Waypoints
1. Gemini Bridges Trailhead
Just a couple miles north of Moab is the Trailhead. The road is well marked with signs. There are large parking lots that charge a small fee for parking. Continue beyond the parking lots up the road.
2. BLM Kiosk (0.9 mi)
Here is some information regarding this area, also known as "Klondike Flats".
3. Shelf Road (1.2 mi)
The road quickly climbs about six hundred vertical feet along the edge of a cliff. This is the most difficult portion of the road.
4. Hill (2.1 mi)
This is the highest point on the shelf section.
5. Bride Arch and Camping (3.9 mi)
A turn to the east will take you down a sandy wash to Bride Arch and to five marked camping areas.
6. Gooney Bird Rock (4.1 mi)
This is the formation known as Gooney Bird Rock. There is a small area to pull off and take pictures right at the base of the rock. The views of this formation are better further up the road. Legend has it that driving close enough to pass a tire over the base of this formation is thought to ward off misfortune on the trail.
7. Gold Bar Rim Trailhead (4.8 mi)
Follow the road up the hill to continue on Gemini Bridges Road. Turn left (east) for the Gold Bar Rim Trailhead.
8. Scenic (4.9 mi)
At the top of the hill is a good overview of the valley you just came from and Gooney Bird Rock.
9. Bull Canyon Trailhead (5.2 mi)
Continue straight on the main road. Turning south here will take you down into Bull Canyon, where you can hike to the underside of the Gemini Bridges.
10. Metal Masher Trailhead (6 mi)
Continue straight. Turn right for the Metal Masher Trailhead.
11. La Sal Mountains Overlook (6.3 mi)
Views from along the trail.
12. Hiking Trailhead (7.1 mi)
Hiking and biking trailheads.
13. Bypass (7.2 mi)
Continue straight.
14. Scenic (7.3 mi)
Another great vantage point. There is a small parking lot here for hiking down to the formation.
15. Gemini Bridges Hiking Trailhead (7.4 mi)
A good reason to get out and stretch. You won't regret this short hike to the bridges from here.
16. Bypass (7.5 mi)
Turn left (northwest) and follow the main road.
17. Four Arches Trailhead (8.3 mi)
Turn right (north) to follow Gemini Bridges Road. Turn left (south) to explore Four Arches.
18. Arths Pasture and the Boulevard Trailhead (9 mi)
Continue straight. Turning northeast here will take you into Arths Pasture or Boulevard Trails.
19. Arths Pasture Road Trailhead (9.2 mi)
Continue straight. Turning northeast here will take you into Arths Pasture Road.
20. Gemini Bridges End (12.9 mi)
You are back on pavement. This is the end of Gemini Bridges Road. Turning north will take you back out to Highway 191. Turning south will take you to Island in the Sky.
Directions to Trailhead
Trailhead Coordinates: 38.656166, -109.677155
Starting Point: Moab, Utah
Head north on Highway 191, continue north for approximately 2 miles. Turn left at the entrance for Gemini Bridges Road.
There are three large parking lots here for trailers and airing down. Continue beyond the parking lots up the dirt road.
This is the start of Gemini Bridges Road.
Camping
There are free camping sites near Bride Arch (Waypoint 5). You will find soft sandy spots to pop a tent in the designated camping areas. Portable toilets are required for this area.
Writer Information
Chris Shaw
Mapping Crew - Colorado
Chris is stationed out of his home office in Denver, CO with his girlfriend and two dogs. Two of his biggest motivations in life are off-roading and graphic design. How fortunate to be able to combine both interests while working for Trailsoffroad. When he is not on the trail or at the computer, you can find him enjoying all the local music or breweries Colorado has to offer.
Community
Questions & Answers (0)
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Trail Reviews (9)
| Author: | Official Crew |
| Status: | Open |
| Offroaded on: | 11/22/2018 |
| Rating: |
We mostly had the trail to ourselves. Trail was fun and a great loop is to follow Gemini Bridges road west to the highway, turn south towards Canyonlands and follow signs to dead horse and take Long Canyon Road back to town.
| Author: | |
| Status: | Open |
| Offroaded on: | 11/18/2018 |
| Rating: |
Picturesque 2WD road. Took it up to Bull Canyon to hike under the bridges, the back to the trail to drive to the top. Explored the bridges from the top prior to exploring a few of the spur roads in the area and heading to Long canyon. Easy day but a good introduction to the area.
| Author: | |
| Status: | Open |
| Offroaded on: | 11/01/2018 |
| Rating: |
Took some extra time to hike around the Gemini Bridges. Drove the trail the opposite way than this guide and the fun began east of waypoint 13
| Author: | Official Crew |
| Status: | Open |
| Offroaded on: | 03/12/2018 |
| Rating: |
Drove Gemini Bridges on two days, 11th and 12th of March; made updates to photos on the guide, as well as guides for numerous other roads--Bull Canyon, Surprise Overlook, etc. Gemini was recently graded so it was about as smooth as it could possibly be. This will change as the spring 'wheeling season goes on, and traffic erodes the soft fill along the stone ledges.
| Author: | Official Crew |
| Status: | Open |
| Offroaded on: | 03/11/2018 |
| Rating: |
The road was well graded and much more smooth than normal.
| Author: | Official Crew |
| Status: | Open |
| Offroaded on: | 04/15/2017 |
| Rating: |
I ran the first portion of this trail to access a few others in the area. After Easter Jeep Safari the past couple of days, the trail has been chewed up quite a bit more but there are no major trail changes. It was a beautiful day and very dry so the dust was at its peak.
| Author: | Official Crew |
| Status: | Open |
| Offroaded on: | 04/15/2017 |
| Rating: |
Ran this over to catch Gold Bar Rim. The shelf road portion was chewed up and a little more rough than normal. No rating change.
| Author: | Official Crew |
| Status: | Open |
| Offroaded on: | 03/06/2017 |
| Rating: |
Visited Moab for a long weekend in early March (2-6) to update some existing trail guides and write a few new ones. We base-camped in Bride Arch Canyon (Waypoint 4 of the Gemini Bridges Road) for four nights.
Weather was cold at first (mid-twenties at night), and then warmer but terribly windy. The wind on Sunday evening was reported in Moab at 61mph, according to a store clerk I spoke to Monday morning. In our little canyon, I'm confident that it was closer to 70mph!
The scenery was, as always, gorgeous in Moab. Gemini Bridges usually provides a great view to the east (La Salle Mountains), but the area was socked-in with clouds and snow much of our trip. Despite this, we had a fantastic off-road adventure, with memories to last a lifetime.
| Author: | Official Crew |
| Status: | Open |
| Offroaded on: | 03/06/2017 |
| Rating: |
Having the opportunity to run this trail again, I was able to run it from west to east. This is a "completely" different trail when you run it in this direction. The intricate beauty really jumps out with improved views of everything. I also think driving down the shelf road seems a heck of a lot less bumpy. We also camped at Bride Arch, and it was a perfect location for several rigs to meet up and basecamp. From that location were we able to hit several different trails in the area without much of a drive. However awesome all this was, we got hit with one hell of a windstorm! The attached video gives you an idea of what it is like being in an Oz tent with 60 mph plus winds.
