Onion Creek

4.8/5 (35 reviews)
Moab, Utah (Grand County)
Last Updated: 10/15/2022

Trail Information

Highlights

Desert
Iconic
Overland
Wash
Slightly stinky to the nose but super pleasant on the eyes, Onion Creek is a must-do trail in the Moab area. No matter what your wheeling style is, the drive is sensory overload as you meander through several different rock formations formed hundreds of millions of years ago. The contrasts from the start of the trail to its end are simply startling.

Trail Difficulty and Assessment

Trail Navigation

The Onion Creek Road surface is mostly compacted dirt with multiple shallow creek crossings. It is narrow in spots with no passing, and it climbs in elevation roughly 1,500' to Fisher Valley where it connects to the more difficult Rose Garden Hill and Thompson Canyon. There can be hidden washouts along the ridge that require extra attention and eyes on the road. Avoid in rain or ice. Note: the creek crossings are frequent, but playing off the designated route and attempting to drive in the creek is strictly prohibited. This trail is suitable for any high clearance SUV when dry.
Impassable when wet or icy.

Trail Reviews

4.8/5 (36)
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 05/26/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

This was our first trail in Moab on our first offroad trip to Moab. We were camping in the Lower Onion Creek Campground and arrived at the campground around 2 pm, set up camp, then went into town for a quick bite to eat, firewood, and some misc supplies. On our way back we decided to run Onion Creek trail instead of going right back to camp. By the time we reached the end of the trail it was starting to get dark so we made the drive back in the dark. The trail is mild enough that it actually makes for a great night ride. As stated in the overview for this trail, it is a bit smelly due to the minerals in the water around this area, but not so bad it takes away from the beautiful scenery.
100
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 05/26/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Absolutely spectacular scenery
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 05/15/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

Very very fun trail. 27 creek crossings this morning each way. Great scenery of the mountains and cliffs, the road is very smooth and easy to navigate. While there are some places for only 1 car, there are plenty of areas for pull out to let others pass each way as you navigate the trail. If you like splashing through puddles, this is the trail for you. NOTE: There WAS some crazy smell about mile 5 into the trail, and it wasn't Onions, but passed relatively quick. I agree with the review below that it would be great to continue the Thompson Canyon loopback into Moab in the future. Excellent work as always, TO.
Open
Rated 4/5
Visited: 04/28/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Easier

Wanted to run something easy to catch sunrise. No challenge whatsoever but a very pretty drive. Saw a few deer at the meadow at the end of the trail.
Open
Rated 5/5
Visited: 04/26/2023
Difficulty Accuracy: Spot On

This is a beautiful trail you can access from the Scenic Highway 128. You'll mostly follow the Onion Creek and cross it over 20 times. There isn't any real difficulty along the way, but a bit of ground clearance is benefitial. The one-way time estimate of 1:30 is quite conservative; without photo stops (which are a must), you can expect around half of that. One of the best easy trails around Moab!

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