Welcome to Hell's Revenge, the world's most famous slick rock trail. Slick rock is petrified sand. The slick rock moniker dates back to when horse-drawn wagons would try to cross the seemingly easily traversed undulating sandstone. Metal horseshoes and steel-rimmed wagon wheels found no grip on the sandstone. Thus, it was called slick rock. Modern tires love the course sandstone.
Moab's Hell's Revenge is considered a must-do for many wheelers. It's also in most folks' top 5 Jeep Badge of Honor Trails. When picturing Moab, the slick rock rollercoaster, fins, steep climbs, insane traction, and the two rubber tracks cresting over the hills off into the distance of Hell's Revenge is what comes to mind. If eavesdropping on conversations at any Moab watering hole, you'll hear names like Hell's Gate, The Hot Tubs, Car Wash, Micky's Hot Tub, The Escalator, and Tip Over Challenge mentioned reverently and constantly at the heart of any good Moab story. They are all on Hell's Revenge. If you only have time for one trail in Moab, make it epic. Make it Hell's Revenge.
Trail Difficulty and Assessment
Recommended Vehicle:
Stock SUV with High Clearance and 4 Low
Concerns:
Summary:
This trail has a unique rating due to how the trail is set up.
You can bypass most obstacles for the first 3/4 of the trail, making the required rating closer to a 2 or 3. This is mostly because of the ample traction the trail offers.
The 4 rating comes from the end, or exit, with two sections of drops. The larger drop is just under 3 feet tall. You will have to s-turn the second drop to take this trail's easiest line or low rating.
The 9 rating is a 9 for Mickey's Hot Tube and Escalator.
Community Consensus
(Last reset on 04/12/2022)
0 votes
5 votes
3 votes
Easier
Spot On
Harder
The weighted average of your fellow members agreement of our trail
rating. As trail conditions change this helps us keep the community
aware of changes.
Mandatory
4 -
MODERATE
The hardest part of the trail that you
cannot bypass - you have to drive it.
Optional
9 -
EXTREME
The hardest part of the trail that is
purely optional - you can bypass it.
Typically, more rock or undulated road surface. Potential rocks and/or tree stumps less than 18" tall and/or vertical ledges less than 18" tall and/or near vertical ledges or waterfalls less than 36" inches. Tire placement becomes more difficult. Can be steep and off-camber.Read More about our Rating System
Hell’s Revenge gives you a taste of everything Moab has to offer. Hell’s Revenge is clearly marked. Follow the yellow flame symbols painted on the ground. It's a wild rollercoaster ride over natural, petrified sand dunes, or fins, as most people call them. If you take all the bypasses, it's not a very technical trail. However, it's not for the faint of heart. There are a lot of steep climbs and descents over the fins and areas that you must drive very close to the edge of high cliffs, which can be truly terrifying. Now, if you are looking for awe-inspiring moments on this trail, check out The Overlook, which provides a stunning view of the Colorado River. Because most of the obstacles are optional, you can make this a long day or as short as a few hours.
For those looking for added fun and thrills, Hells Revenge offers a few optional obstacles; Hells Gate, The Hot Tubs, The Escalator, and Tip Over Challenge. These obstacles are for experienced drivers or people with great spotters.
The steep ups and downs often result in dragging bumpers on vehicles with lower approach and departure angles. A stock Rubicon JLU can do the trail without bumping but might require a spotter in a few spots to ensure the right line.
There is a $5.00 access fee per vehicle to enter Sand Flats Recreation Area.
1. Trailhead (0
mi)
The trailhead is just past the entrance to Sand Flats Recreation Area to the left of the parking area. There is plenty of space to park and air down. There is also a restroom here. The excitement starts right away when you climb a small fin.
2. Lions Back Overlook and Dinosaur Tracks (0.5
mi)
A great view of the iconic Lions Back and Dinosaur Tracks
3. First Steep Climb (0.8
mi)
After rounding the corner, you come across the first hill climb. This one often gets people's blood pumping. But this is also the first time you will understand how sticky, slick rock is. Use low gears, keep momentum, and you will be shocked at how your vehicle walks right up it.
Photos:
Left - When you first see it
Middle - Looking back down
Right - Once you get over the top
4. Second Steep Climb and Trail Intersections (1
mi)
Once you complete the first fin, you can choose which way you want to go. The straight route takes you up more steep slickrock. The right route is shorter and keeps you low. It is a little bumpier as it drops you into a little gully area filled with rocks. There is also a fun obstacle you can climb if you go this way. It's a steep slickrock ledge that is often sandy, providing a fun challenge. You can also bypass it to the left if you choose not to do it. The Staircase exits here just around the corner, just past where the trails meet up. This is a one-way obstacle, and it is coming from the other side. For your and others' safety, do not enter. The other end of the staircase is between Hell's Escalator and Tip-Over Challenge at Waypoint 17
This is one of the largest fins on the trail. The key is to keep your tires in the black marks while traveling up and maintain a steady speed. Wait for any vehicle in front of you to reach the top of the hill before you start yourself.
Photos:
Left - What it looks like going up
Center - The bypass
Right - What it looks like after you get down the first fin.
5. Bypass (2
mi)
This is a bypass if you want to skip the Overlook and the Hot Tubs. It will meet back up with the trail just before you arrive at The Escalator.
6. Rocky Climb (2.1
mi)
This area has a few rocky ledges. There are multiple lines you can take that vary in difficulty. You also have the option of bypassing it completely. You'll find the bypass on the right just before you reach the hill.
7. Trail Forks (2.5
mi)
Taking the left route will continue you along the trail to the Hot Tubs. Going to the right will take you to The Overlook and the obstacle Hells Gate.
8. Overlook (3
mi)
In the open area, if you continue straight, it will take you to The Overlook. Here you get a great view of the Colorado River.
9. Hell's Gate (3
mi)
Once you reach the open area about 0.4 miles down from the main route, you'll find the optional obstacle Hell's Gate to the left. It's a kind of v-notch on the slick rock that can easily get you on three wheels and go end over end if you're not careful. You'll find the entrance to the West if you head straight towards the Overlook. You'll first have to drive down a bit of slick rock which will lead you to Hells Gate.
10. Black Hole (3.5
mi)
This is named for the shadow that constantly lurks under the large overhang of slick rock. This is also an area where you drive right along the edge of the large cliff. If you're nervous, focus on the black tracks in front of you, but if you are brave enough to look down, you will see the rusted remains of a vehicle down below.
11. Car Wash (3.5
mi)
A popular picture spot, the Car Wash is a less intense hot tub and usually has water in the bottom making for great photos.
12. Hot Tubs (3.6
mi)
"This area has two of the Hot Tubs, which are essentially deep holes that you can drive down into. Be careful when first driving into this area as one of the Hot Tubs is right next to the trail and one could easily drive into it on accident. You'll find an easier Hot Tub, The Car Wash, that most vehicles can do to the West. It's a steep drop into a flat area and then a steep drive back out. The other Hot Tub here, Devils Highway, is more difficult. The drive in is fairly smooth but it's a good idea to put a strap on the front of your vehicle if you attempt it. It's so steep that a vehicle can easily roll backwards onto its roof. As an added element of difficulty, there is usually water (more like sludge) in the bottom that makes your tires slick. The trail continues on to the left just after the Devils Highway Hot Tub. The most difficult one, Mickeys Hot Tub, is a short way up the trail further."
13. Mickeys Hot Tub (4
mi)
You'll find this hot tub a little further down the trail from the previous two. This one is the hardest of the three. It's a steep drop in and an almost immediate steep climb out.
14. Dragon's Tail (4.05
mi)
A very, very steep descent back onto a sandy area. The rocks are clearly marked with yellow lines in which you need to keep your tires between. A spotter is recommended to check your tire placement as it's very easy to mess up here, and there's no going back if you do.
15. Trail Merges - Stay Right (4.1
mi)
This is where the first bypass from earlier meets the trail again. Stay right when you get here, otherwise, you'll do another loop back to the Hot Tubs!
16. The Escalator (4.5
mi)
After traversing the sands, you'll reach an area that's edged with log fences. You'll find The Escalator on the right. This is an optional obstacle. It's essentially a natural staircase, but each stair is a deep dip down. It's very technique sensitive and can cause vehicles to lay over onto their sides. It also has a tendency to take out rear corner lights and roofs. Once to the top, head to the right and it will take you back down to the main trail.
Photo 1 is the most technical spot of this obstacle. It is highly recommended that you hike up to this spot and figure out your line. For a lot of vehicles, something similar to photo 1 which is being high on the right will be required to climb out of it.
17. The Staircase (One-Way) (4.6
mi)
To stay on the trail and head towards Tip Over Challenge, stay to the north. Turn left or southeast will take you down The Staircase.
A new obstacle, The Staircase allows you to circle back to Waypoint 4 of the trail. This is a one-way obstacle starting at this location and heading towards the start of the trail.
The Staircase is a hard obstacle, you should look at it before attempting it.
18. Tip Over Challenge (4.7
mi)
You can only guess what happens here a lot, judging by its name. This is also an optional obstacle. Short wheelbase vehicles will sometimes struggle here. The route skirts around a rock face and is steep and off camber. You can easily lift a tire and sometimes may slide sideways and end up rolling. The bypass is right at the bottom of the obstacle and will take you to the right.
19. Spurs (4.9
mi)
Once you reach this area, there are a lot of previously used roads that may be confusing. Just stick to the dirt roads that look well-traveled.
Past this point, the trail gets pretty rocky. You can say that the lower rating is because all the ledges you must dropdown. More stock vehicles will have to pick perfect lines to avoid body damage.
20. Rocky Section and Ledges (5.3
mi)
An area of rocks and few ledges can get you a bit tippy. Try and come off the ledges as straight as possible. Take your time and choose your lines carefully.
This area is the hardest part of the trail.
21. Trail End (6.6
mi)
The trail ends in a large parking area that meets back up with Sand Flats Road. This is a good area to air back up in.
Not allowed
There is no camping along the trail itself. However, there are many options available in and around Moab. There are many hotels and campgrounds for RV and tent use in town. There are various campsites outside of Moab. The closest option to Hell's Revenge is camping in Sand Flats Recreation Area. They offer 120 campsites open year-round on a first-come, first-serve basis. You must camp in designated sites in one of the nine campgrounds.
Most offer picnic tables, metal fire rings, and vault toilets nearby. You must bring in all of your own water as none is available there. There is an entrance fee to the area.
Starting Point
Moab, UT
From City Market in the middle of town, head north on South Main Street (191) for 0.1 miles and turn right onto E 300 S. Continue for 0.4 miles. The road will come to a T. Turn right onto Fourth E Street. Continue 0.1 miles and turn left onto E Mill Creek Drive. Continue straight, and the road will eventually turn into Sand Flats Road as you pass by a graveyard. After 1.7 miles, you will reach the gated entrance of Sand Flats Recreation Area. Stop and pay your entrance fee. Just past the gate is a large parking lot. The trailhead is at the other end of the parking lot below the rock faces.
Trail rating was spot on up to the last 1.7 miles which increases this rating to a 5/6 at least. There’s a bail out option at about 2 miles out from the end, but goes against traffic and uphill, thought the main trail should be easier. Completed it all in a 2/3” lifted Tacoma with 33s.
Five stars because I mean, it’s Hells Revenge. But it’s TOUGH. The 4/10 might be if you don’t loop around past WP 8/9 and just head back the way you came. After that at least 6/10 even bypassing the obstacles. Be prepared. Luckily met up with others and went together, one of whom had a lot of experience. Otherwise I probably would have turned back quickly. Glad I did it, will try it again in the future just so I feel better about it.
Even with the bypasses, I still found it to be hard and not as enjoyable as Fins n' things. I guess it all comes down to vehicle, I could see how easy those with wranglers on 35s" could get up all the ledges but I did it in a stock WK2 Trailhawk taking the most mellow lines....usually. I skipped the main obstacles but did drive out to them to see them on foot. The Hell's gate/overlook had a rental side by side getting winched after tipping. The hot tubs are a lot bigger than you have seen on youtube, and WP14 (Dragon's tail) is spooky and I went right to check out the escalator after. What is glossed over in some guides is the difficulty of the exit (WP19). There are larger rocks and drop offs which are totally different from the rest of the trail (perhaps this is the revenge part). I didn't want to risk it so I turned around backtracked, and took the other route at (WP14) to head out the way I came in. In my opinion, the climbs are harder in reverse (WP5-1) and there is oncoming traffic to deal with. Am I happy that I did it? Yes. Am I going to do it again in this Jeep? Probably not!
To my grand cherokee's credit, it did everything that I asked of it, required no winching and made it back home with just a little skid plate scraping.
Great trail that can be as easy or difficult as you want. A stock JLU sport would probably have a little difficulty due to clearance, but easily doable in Rubicons or lightly modified sports.
Ok, now that’s a fun trail. Lots of unrelating ups and downs. What do you think, can they find more decent and climbs?
Now I do have to admit my rig has a forward facing camera and the blind ups and downs with a camera seems like cheating but what a great feature to have in this trail.
Definitely returning to this loop.
This was fun and in spots, if you do the entire trail loop, will challenge all. Hells Gate is more daunting going down the starting point, than actually going up!
We went out to closely look at the trail. There has been a lot of talk about the trail not being rated difficult but intermediate. So we went out to really take a close look at ourselves.
After some discussion, we agreed that the easiest paths on the trail are in fact intermediate trails. That the first of the difficult obstacles is completely optional. Thus we lowered the rating to a 4 to represent the easiest paths.
Now the hardest part is towards the end of the trail. Some spots will be needed for less experienced drivers, but there is a path a stock 4-door jeep can do without dragging or getting stuck. Anything with some lift, larger tires, can just drive straight down.
This trail guide's difficulty was changed on
04/12/2022
One of my top five favorite trails in Moab. Other reviews and videos are pretty much spot on with this trail. One thing I will add, at some point in the area of the Tip over Challenge obstacle there is an option in the trail to head back to the trail head and avoid the last 1.7 miles of the trial. This option brings you out right back in the parking lot in Sands Flat Rec area that you started from. If you continue on to the last portion of the trail its mostly just rocky and rough and not at all on the slick rock.
This is my absolute favorite trail in Moab! It has plenty of challenging optional obstacles yet the trail is still suitable for an aggressive stock rig. Amazing views, thrilling steep climbs. What else can you ask for? We run this trail a couple times a year at least and I never get tired of it. I agree with Marcus though, the traffic is getting worse on Hell’s Revenge but it seems like it’s that way on most other popular trails.
This was my first time on the trail. I was super happy to have my girl along to spot me it's super steep and you can't see over your hood. I decided to run hells gate and battled my way up it. This is by far the hardest obstacle I've ever run in the F-150. The views on this trail are so amazing. Videos don't do it justice it needs to be experienced. We got to meet Rory in his Trail Mater doing a recovery of a Jeep and he is a super cool guy.
I literally got my Jeep one month before I did this trail. The trail is well marked. The obstacles are challenging and steep but the rocks make it easier because your tires grip really well. The views on this trailer are spectacular you’ll never see anything like it. I can’t wait to go again
Great trail! Definitely a favorite. It's easy to follow a group up this if you like. I followed a group that had a guide with an awesome blue Jeepster. A lot of fun accents and decents. I did the overlook, Hellgate, Mickey's Hot Tub, and Tip Over Challange. I chose not to do the Escalator because I don't think I or my jeep could handle it right now. Sometimes you don't know where that line between over and confidence are. Even just after doing Hellgate, I didn't want to find out in a bad way I was overconfident. Looking forward to doing it again sometime.
Be aware of tour groups in the big vehicles that hold 6 or 8 people. They're cool vehicles and all. Very impressive. I felt like they had to make things exciting for their customers so they seemed to do their own thing regardless of what you are doing. I was going through the Hot Tub and had someone filming me and they didn't look or see the person filming and started flying up a climb right at them. I know they run that trail all the time but they seemed to not care that they were smoking their tires while driving towards someone.
Embarrassing to admit but... we tipped on the escalator! It drops about halfway up and you need to keep a hard passenger line. We were able to fix it without winching by backing up and finding a new line. We did Mickeys Hot Tub and Hells Gate as well. All are fun! If you cannot do Hells Gate, don't try the Hot Tubs, if you cannot do the Hot Tubs don't try the escalator. The end of the trail had a few shelves and rocks to keep things interesting as well. Highly recommend as a gatekeeper trail to the harder back country trails near Moab. Lot of traffic but the groups around us were respectful (minus one group of SXS rentals...)
I love this trail but it’s losing some the appeal with the increased tours and rentals. Weekday at the end of July and it was an absolute zoo with traffic.
Fun trail with high climbs on the edges of slick rocks. Did the Car Was bath tub and was fun. A few in our group did Hells Gate but everyone passed on the Escalator. Over all the trail is not extremely hard but has some spots where you can’t see the trail ahead of you and just have to follow the marks on the rocks with some steep down hills
A fun trail that’s quite easy if you want it to be. I was with a group and so we bypassed Hells gate and the escalator. It was Memorial Day weekend so it was pretty busy. Overall seems like a good trail for a wide range of experience levels if you want to stay right in town.
Very busy trail even starting at 8 am.
Will have to come back in more of an off season to not feel like we are pulling over every 5 min for a pack of side by sides.
Great trail! Ran it on a Friday in mid-May and it wasn't too crowded, but there were plenty of side by sides that wanted to pass us which we obliged.
I am in a 2017 Tacoma with a ~2" lift on 31s and went up Hell's Gate with just a bit of trouble at the rock step, but no scraping. Like Jon said, though, there is a descent before the crawl back out! I was alone without a spotter and made it, but it's no joke getting down, let alone back out again.
What can you say other than it’s a classic! Fun without being too much of a technical challenge - short wheelbase Jeeps make it more exciting! Ran the gate without issues and the scenery there is spectacular! Finished out in the dark and only puckered a couple times
Had a lot of fun on this one. Tackled it after fins and things a baby lions back. Lots of great views and the trail was pretty clear and dry even with last nights snow and rain. Looking back I really would have cut back over to exit near the entrance. The drop down for the real exit was not as much fun. Had to have decent tire placement, stock even more so but just not that scenic or interesting for the difficulty. Would have preferred to do some of the large fins instead.
Way cool. The 2007 JKU on 35's sitting under 2 1/2" lift did very well. I did not try Hell's Gate or the Hot Tubs, but if I ever go back in a group maybe the peer pressure and assurance of some recovery assistance would give me the currage. The jeep did great on all the other obsticles, a few chirps on some of the harder ones and a back up with a little momentum over one rock wall and that was the extent of the dificulty. Now I'm glad I have the big break kit, because the back side of this trail is rocky with some drop off's that I really needed to ease down. I saw a couple guys in front hit hard on few that made me pucker. But the old JKU did just fine, nice and easy, I did use the rock rails once and the back smittybuilt bumber with the tire carrier did scrape on 2 decents. I'd say I had to concetrate alot more in this last section than any other part of the trail.
What an overblown trail. I did this one because it was THE Hell's Revenge, and... as far as its quality as just a trail, it's pretty bad: It's crowded, very few technical obstacles, narrow with high rollover risk, and two way on top of being insanely crowded. Most of the trail, you'll be driving along the top of the sandstone "fins" there with 50 ~100ft drop off either side, and blind corners the whole time. You won't see many pictures of the precarious fins and corners because it's legitimately dangerous to be out there on foot. Most modern SUVs would be able to get through the main trail with no modifications of any kind, definitely not a 6-8 difficulty. If you're looking for a more technical challenge without the heights, Fins 'n' Things is fantastic.
ALL of the obstacles have extreme heights. The tubs are on top of a fin, and are off the side. If you shot out of a tub on a bad line, you'll be taking the express route down.
One thing nobody mentions about Hell's Gate: YOU HAVE TO GO DOWN A NOTCH JUST AS STEEP BEFORE YOU GO UP.
Ran this in my Xterra with 2" lift and stock size Toyo Open Country A/T2. Had a great time and was constantly amazed at the ability of my X. Several jeep guys commented on it. Didn't do the hard obstacles. Still this is the most fun I have ever had 4 wheeling. I agree with several of the reviews that the last mile was really rocky and tough. Made it out with no damage. Great day!
Awesome trail and a must-do in Moab. By far one of the busiest trails we've run, but it was really fun to watch others do the obstacles we weren't able to try with overland gear on top of our JKU Rubicon. We even got to winch a SxS out of one of the "hot tubs." This trail is unlike any we've ever attempted, and we will definitely be back (without our tent) to try Hell's Gate! Overall, a very fun and slightly anxiety-inducing day ;)
Great day on the trail. We ran Hells as the final day in Moab during the 2020 Unlimited LJ Adventure. Plenty of traffic still for it being a monday. It was a little warm, but still a great day. I woukd agree with some previous comments that the section coming out of the trail is getting a bit beat up. Also, note that the parking lot at the very end is currently very limited because it is being used for construction, so there is not as much open trailer parking as there once was.
Dedicated trail. Be expecting of rear bumper scratches. The last section of the trail was rocky, be ware of tire placement.
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Incredible trail, with incredible views. My buddy and I did it in our Xterra Pro-4Xs, his bone stock and mine lightly built. First time for both of us. It took us four hours with all the scouting and picture taking we did, but amazing fun. Scary if you don't like heights!
Amazing trail and no wonder why it’s so popular. The tourists and amount of people on the trail even on a Tuesday evening takes away from the experience. However it’s just that good of a trail that I have to give it 5 stars. I took my Powerwagon and conquered some fears that day! We came out in the dark and the last couple miles of ledges in the dark were scary but fun. Definitely one to do!
The iconic entrance sure didn’t disappoint! Hells is a very intimidating trail, though actually not too difficult; so long as you skip the major obstacles. But there are a few parts that made us nervous; like the blind corner around Waypoints 3 and 4, the Black Hole at Waypoint 10, and the Dragon’s Tail at Waypoint 14.
We opted to skip the gate and escalator this time, maybe trying them over EJS when we had a spotter with us. I considered the Tip Over Challenge, but was talked out of it. The most challenging section to us was at the end, past Waypoint 18. It was a completely different trail, being rough and rocky. I think we’ll opt out of this section next time, and exit early. Despite that, this is a fantastic, and iconic trail that is a must do, if you’re up for it.
After passing by that morning heading to Fins and Things we decided to give Hell's Revenge a go that afternoon and what a great experience. No issues any where on the trail but we avoided the difficult obstacles. The first hill climb at the trail head look crazy but once on it, it was nothing. One of my favorite trails so far in Moab.
Ah yes the infamous hell's revenge, This was a great trail to push the capabilities of my Xterra, however when we got to car wash (Point 11) we attempted a optional line going directly up the side of the hill. With my tire off the ground it gained too much momentum and when it came back down it snapped the u joint and the drive shaft, the driveshaft slung around and hit the transmission cracking the case. But through this I realized something great, everyone was out for the same reason and we had large amounts of people offering to help in any way they could. I couldn't have chosen a better place to break my first part. I can confirm for you that from point 11 on wards it is a little challenging but a 2wd vehicle can do it, other than the last little bit of the trail which turns rocky and a little sketchy in some areas, this trail was a blast, with great views and constant challenges it is so far one of my favorites.
One last run out to the desert before the snow. Went through snow on the way over and back but nice out there!
Hell's Revenge was great as always. Saw a group of Range Rovers each with their own hired spotters dressed in matching polo shirts. Well, that's one way to do it.
Anyway, all went well and a great day out on the rocks chirping a few tires here and there.
A great day and I love my new swaybar link extenders. I didn't know how much travel I was missing out on!
This was a dream trail and it didn't disappoint. We got turned around a few times and there's definitely plenty of spots where we had to get out and see what was over the hill before we went. So much fun though!
Nail bitter at first. Some of the areas get a little tight with two vehicles passing if your not use to the area. Beautiful views. Get the local book...it list the trails and where to stop for the views of the area. also list camp sites.
Took the jeep out to play on Hells Revenge. The brand new JLU we picked up from JStar did great. Could have been the Falken Tires or the driver. But one fun trail.
#FalkenTires #JStar #SpiderShade #Trailhead_Deflators
Hell's Revenge is the definition of off-roading in Moab! It is a must do trail if you are in the area. I was in a group of 4 rigs, (TJ, XJ, S10 and a Ramcharger all 35's+) and we walked the trail. The difficulty makes it attractive to such a wide audience and it is very close to town which is an added bonus. We encountered a crazy snow storm as we started hell's gate but luckily it didn't last long, Made for some great photos. Overall it was a fantastic day!
I did it on my Stock 2005 Land Cruiser, fun but wife was driving me crazy, she was scared.
Overall is not difficult just need to go slow and steady, I have 32" tire no lift I did it with no damage at all thanks to the back hitch.
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Fantastic trail, it's busy, but worth it. You can bypass things if you need to and we ran it while it was raining so it was a bit slicker then usual. ran this in my 08 JK with a 2.5" lift and 35's with no issue. Hells Gate and Escalator are optional as well.
Hell's Revenge is AMAZING. Tackled this in my 17 Taco with a 2" lift and 33s. Myself and my friend ran the entire trail with the exception of Hell's Gate, The Escalator and the Tip Over Challenge. I got in and out of the Car Wash Hot Tub on my second attempt after not gassing it enough the first try getting out. Awesome trail, I will definitely run it again!
Hells Revenge is one of my favorite trails. For being the biggest day of Easter Jeep Safari it was surprisingly quiet on the trail. We took our time and took in the sights as well as the dinosaur tracks at the overlook. One thing I wanted to see is the newly created exit by the main entrance. They paved the first section from the parking lot to the fin, and closed off the steeper optional section to the left as you approach the fin. Which is unfortunate as it was a fun little warmup. The original path of the fin is now one way. They do have clear marked signage on both ends to show this. They did some blasting on the rock to create the new route beside the original. This is to help with the follow of traffic. A few buggies attempted the Hot Tubs without success. Same ones all went through Hells Gate and the Escalator. We did come across a pretty large jam on one of the bigger obstacles near the end of the old exit due to a Jeep rolling onto its roof. But it was quickly recovered. Overall it was a great day.
Jeep Renegade crew killed this trail even with all the extremely modified vehicles telling us its not possible. We completed the trail %100 Amazing trail with some awesome obstacles!
Took this one after getting talked into it by a friend at camp. Trail is definitely not for the faint-hearted but it wasn't that hard to get through there with my rig. This was my first time in Moab and one of the first trails I did there and I'm glad I did. It's a great intro into the area.
While at the overlook, we rolled up to see a chopper there. Someone who was walking up there had fallen and broken their leg. SAR was contacted and flew him to a nearby hospital. These guys were true professionals and everyone on the ground was highly respectful of the situation. It was good to see the community come together to help someone.
There is one small change to the trail as written. The parking lot entrance now has two points of access for the trail, one entrance and one exit. This is not a major change to the trail, but it simply means that the climb up the beginning of the trail is now one way (up). Shortly after the top, about .25 miles in, there is a trail on the left and that is the new exit lane if coming out of Hell's Revenge here for some reason. We will have teams there for EJS and should have the waypoints updated with that information soon.
To finish up our trip to Moab during Rock Therapy 2016, we decided to take it easy on our last day there. We got a casual start to the day getting there around 10am. The parking lot was already full of fellow Toyota's, some Jeeps and a handful of UTV trailers. The trail was pretty populated with bikers on the Slickrock Trail as well. They were entertained by everybody climbing up all the obstacles. This was the first time I've run the trail with all the new signage too. It's a great addition. Very clear directions and maps posted in various parts along the trail so it's nearly impossible to get lost now. We stopped and watched a few in our group make it up Hells Gate successfully. Continued on and a few tried the hot tubs. We didn't stick around up there too long because boy it was a hot one that day. We dropped down a bit lower off the rocks and ate lunch at the Escalator. A couple trucks nailed the line going up and did so without damage. Even eating in the shade of our trucks it was still super hot so we didn't stay long there either. Tip Over Challenge didn't claim any vehicles while we were there. The trail looked good and provided a fun time as always! We stopped for some well deserved milkshakes and walked downtown afterwards.
This was my second time visiting Moab - what a magical place it is! The first time was 2 years ago and I rented a 2 door Jeep Rubicon on 33" tires and ran most of Poison Spider without any issues. For this past trip, I was able to run Fins & Things, Steel Bender and Hells Revenge with my buddy who has a 2006 Land Rover LR3 all done up. Saturday we ran Steel Bender but I was surprised not to see that many other vehicles on the trail, however on Sunday we ran Hells Revenge and encounter many more enthusiast on the trail all having a great time. I skipped some of the major obstacles like Hells Gate & Escalator but did most of the other obstacles without any damage. Knowing that I had to drive my Jeep home 650 miles back to CA made me play it safe rather than be sorry.
The ledge to be climbed for WP3 is probably the most dangerous part of the trail as it has no bypass and you will likely slide on your skid plates even with a lift and large tires. Pick a decent line and stick with it.
For the fourth of July, the trail's end is closed and the parking area at the end unavailable (depending on timing vs fireworks display) for a few days leading up to the 4th. The trailers launching the fireworks are placed in the parking area and the trigger wires running from the control panel to the trailers snake across the parking lot.
From the Community
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Josh Noesser
Mapping Crew - California
Joshua Noesser grew up in Southern California but has lived in different parts of the country during his young adult life. Josh was first turned to four wheeling when he road with one of his friends dad up Surprise Canyon in the Panamint Valley at age14. After nearly 3 different roll overs later and a half dozen intense waterfalls, Josh was hooked. At 16 he purchased his first Jeep a CJ 7 and by 17 was putting his first locker in it.
Currently, Josh is the owner and CEO of Nybble, an IT Solutions Company based in Orange County, California. Nybble isn't your normal IT company where everyone stays in and plays video games. Nybble's average company trip is out on the trails since a good amount of his staff enjoy wheeling too. As Josh likes to say, he offers the only IT Company with the ability to provide services in extreme locations. "If you want a server at the top of The Hammers, we will take care of that for you."
Today you can find Josh out on the trail behind the wheel in one of his three different off-road vehicles. See the vehicles below for more information.
If you ever run into Josh, please say high, he is a very friendly person and is always happy to have a new person join the group.
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