Moab is one of the premier off-road and four-wheel drive destinations. Comprised of some of the most well-known trails in all United States, it has trail types that suit all drivers wheeling desires. Some would call it an "off-roader's paradise." Amongst these trails, Poison Spider is one of the more popular "hard" trails in the entire area. Not only do you get amazing wheeling, but you can also take in the inspiring Little Arch with a view of the Colorado River behind it. The very bold will continue to Golden Spike, Where Eagles Dare, and finish up on Gold Bar Rim to be known as the few that have finished what is known as "The Trifecta."
Trail Difficulty and Assessment
Recommended Vehicle:
Lightly Modified 4X4 (Small Lift and Larger Tires)
Concerns:
Summary:
Several obstacles on this trail give it the rating it receives. Waypoint 8 is the only obstacle you can't bypass, which has several waterfalls up to 6 feet tall. It also has some waterfalls / near verticle ledges up to 3 feet tall.
Community Consensus
(Last reset on 04/13/2022)
1 votes
2 votes
0 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
5 -
DIFFICULT
The hardest part of the trail that you
cannot bypass - you have to drive it.
Optional
8 -
SEVERE
The hardest part of the trail that is
purely optional - you can bypass it.
Rocky or undulated road surface. Potential rocks and/or tree stumps less than 24" tall and/or vertical ledges less than 24" tall and/or near vertical ledges or waterfalls less than 54" inches. Tire placement becomes more difficult. Can be steep and off-camber.Read More about our Rating System
The trail is comprised of slick rock, sand, and dirt with plenty of waterfalls and hill climbs. Even though most obstacles have a bypass, there are still several obstacles that you have to run. Expect 6 ft+ waterfalls, steeper than 50-degree inclines, and plenty of drops that you drag off. It is recommended that you have a lift and lockers before trying this trail. However, it can be run in a stock Jeep with very careful line placement.
Note: The .gpx track available here is of the hardest lines possible on the trail. Stop at each obstacle and pick your route. When in doubt, follow the white tracks painted on the road surface.
1. Trailhead (0
mi)
There is plenty of parking area to air down before taking on the trail. Travel straight up the trail. This follows a shelf road with easy switchbacks.
There are also dinosaur tracks to the east of the bathrooms. There is a sign with more information.
2. Switchback Ledge (0.7
mi)
Continue uphill at the first obstacle. There are multiple lines to choose from here. Looking back, you can see the elevation you have climbed and the river below.
3. Obstacle with Bypass (0.9
mi)
Continue straight to take on the obstacle, or take the route to the left/southeast to bypass.
4. 3-5 Foot Ledge with Bypass (1.1
mi)
This is a double-step obstacle with a bypass on the right/north.
5. Smooth Dirt Section (1.5
mi)
Continue straight on the main trail.
6. Spur (1.9
mi)
Continue straight on the main trail.
7. Prelaunch Pad (2
mi)
This is the first big optional big obstacle. The bypass is on the right/east.
8. Required Waterfalls and S-Turn (2.3
mi)
Continue uphill. This is a series of sections that you must climb. This is also the most difficult part of the trail without a bypass.
9. V-Notch with Bypass (2.7
mi)
The bypass goes up and around to the left/northwest.
10. Obstacle with Bypass (2.9
mi)
Continue following the trail around. Just before you turn the corner, a ledge can be bypassed to the left/northwest. The next and immediate obstacle has a hard or easy line.
11. Obstacle with Bypass (3
mi)
Continue straight to take on the ledges, or follow the trail to the left/west for the bypass.
12. High Speed Mesa (3.3
mi)
The easy part of this trail, High Speed Mesa gives you a change to take it out of 4wd and open it up.
13. Mesa Trailhead (3.4
mi)
Continue straight on the main trail.
14. Grave Site (Fake) (
mi)
A popular attraction, the fake grave of Mary Jane was rumored to be the reason for the trail getting its name. As the story goes, a little girl got bitten by a poisonous spider costing her her life.
15. End High Speed Mesa (4.7
mi)
The end of High Speed Mesa is greeted with several very steep drops.
16. Steep Obstacle with Bypass (4.8
mi)
The bypass is to the left/west that wraps around these steep obstacles. There is plenty of space here to play on the slickrock obstacles or lunch down below at the Sand Bowl.
17. Sand Bowl (4.8
mi)
The trail continues to the north. This is fun play area to kick up the sand.
18. Golden Spike Trailhead (5
mi)
Continue right/northeast.
19. Begin Loop (5.2
mi)
Run the loop counter-clockwise, stay right/east.
20. Big Hill (5.3
mi)
The trail goes uphill.
21. Obstacle with Bypass (5.4
mi)
Continue straight for the steep obstacle, or the bypass is on the left/north.
22. Obstacle with Bypass (5.6
mi)
There is a bypass before the hill on the right/south. There are two options for this hill; straight up, or making the turn along the slope for off-camber fun.
23. Little Arch (5.6
mi)
A large parking area on top of this slick rock, Little Arch is off to the Northeast Corner. It's a very short hike to the arch and if you are daring you can walk out on it. (FYI, there is no recovery if you fall from the arch.)
24. Big Hill (5.7
mi)
Follow the marks uphill.
25. Big Hole (5.9
mi)
As you come up the hill, mind the big hole.
26. Barnes Overlook Trailhead (6.3
mi)
Continue the main trail straight.
27. Hill with Options (6.6
mi)
The main trail veers right/northeast here. This slickrock in front of you is optional.
28. To The Overlook (7.2
mi)
Continue the main trail southeast.
29. Sand Dunes (8.1
mi)
Continue straight down the dunes. Notice the stormy skies and the views you can have from on top of Poison Spider Mesa
30. End (8.8
mi)
Continue on to finish the loop and end back at Waypoint 19. From here, you can return back down Poison Spider or try your luck on Golden Spike.
Not allowed
There is no dispersed camping in the immediate area.
Remember, when using free designated sites, you are required to remove all solid human waste from the area. Campers are required to possess, set up, and use portable toilets. Campers may not bury, or leave exposed, solid human body waste and soiled toilet paper. The disposal of solid human waste off public land is required. You must camp only in marked sites, and no woodcutting is allowed. Following these simple rules will ensure that the sites are attractive to future campers. Enjoy your stay! The Moab Field Office maintains 26 campgrounds. Many of the campgrounds are located close to Arches National Park along the Colorado River. These campgrounds offer views of spectacular red rock cliffs amidst a green ribbon of vegetation.
http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/fo/moab/recreation/campgrounds.html
Starting Point
Moab, Utah
Head north to Highway 279 (Potash Road), and turn left. Take Potash Road 5.9 miles to the trailhead and parking lot on your right.
Ran PS today in a partially built Tacoma. (33”, bumper, skids, sliders, 3” lift.). We didn’t bypass anything and made it up most obstacles with just MTS. We did lock the rear on a few obstacles. The scenery is amazing. Beautiful views. The trail markings are starting to fade and the post markers are getting old or have fallen over. You just have to be paying attention or you will end up on a side trail. Overall we had an awesome time. I highly recommend it.
Second time in Moab and hunting more badges! Ran Poison Spider with a local who was so helpful, awesome when you meet other great folks. Other than 3489756439857 mile an hour winds and being covered in sand afterwards, the trail was AWESOME! Completed it with no major damage in a stock JLUR. A little scraping going up. I got a little stuck on the unnamed obstacle but was able to maneuver around, choose a slightly different line and with a little bump and both lockers, able to make it up.
A LOT of scraping on the way down. Nothing leaking, tow hook is nice and scraped up, some scratches underneath on metal but overall good to go! I think some heavy duty skids are in my future along with a lift.
Probably my favorite trail in Moab so far. Lots of technical stuff but nothing super difficult. We did have a newer JL flop over at the v-notch in front of us. There are a couple steep climbs, a lot of waterfall action, and the switchbacks at the start are exciting. The lookout was awesome over Moab and the views into canyonlands were superb. I will run this one again!
Awesome trail. A Jeep Badge of Honor Trail, if you're into that. I'm a sucker for it so...
Most the challenging but are on the first half of the trail. If you only want to do that, minus any traffic, you probably could get in and our pretty quick. I went there on a Monday afternoon. Nobody on the trail til we did everything and started seeing more people on the way down. I definitely recommend doing the loop and checking out the the overlook. There's a arch along the loop too.
This trail connects to Gold Bar Rim via Golden Spike. Unfortunately at this time that I'm doing this review, Golden Spike hasn't been mapped out yet. I hoping it does, especially since it's also a Jeep Badge of Honor Trail too.
Awesome trail! Had a blast with this one. This is the hardest trail I’ve done so far and it was great! Really good views and a great mix of terrain. My LJ on 35s was a great tire size and wheelbase combo. Never hit the stock skid plate even though it hangs down quite low. I was able to complete just about every obstacle although I did use the bypass on one in part due to my front auto locker which make it very hard to turn in 4 Low. Dual lockers are very helpful if you don’t want to take a bypass. Bring plenty of water as this trail can take some time if you do the whole thing!
I never thought this would be a trail I'd see. My goals were milder but we went with some friends who love it. Newbies to the Moab world (usually more overlanding style) but loved this trail!
It was extremely crowded the day we went but the trail itself was fantastic.
My Xterra ate it up and I gained a lot of experience from this run.
We only went to the Little Arch before turning around and heading back because of crowds. Still ended up finishing the trail in the dark but it was a blast.
I see why so many people put this on their list of favorite Moab trails and I can add myself to the list. Great trail with amazing views. Good variety of obstacles with some areas to open her up and breath a bit. Having bypasses is also nice, didn't need them except for 1 severely undercut ledge. Able to do the most difficult lines on the obstacles with 35s aired down to 18 psi and a 2.5 inch lift. Worth going up to the view point as well.
Trail wasn't too busy today but could see it getting busy on weekends.
Fun trail that we took before breaking down later that day on Golden Spike. Still worth it. The #TrailMater saved us by welding the axle housing sleeve back together. Snowed a few inches on us while we waited. Made for an interesting exit in the dark as we were 8+ miles in.
35s JKU w/ 2” lift
Ran this trail today in my 2020 Wrangler Sport with a JKS 3" lift and 35's. Air'd down to 20. We very much took our time and watched others perform and spent 5 hours. Definitely could cut that time down. This is a busy (lots of obstacles) trail with lot's of climbing and then descents on the way back. We definitely climbed bigger shelves than we had prior to today!
Of the trails we did in Moab, Poison Spider was our favorite! This trail is FULL of obstacles. Go with a good spotter, and plan for a long day, as you have to go back through the whole beginning section again in reverse after you complete the loop.
This trail was fun from the very start. It has many obstacles and great views. It was very hot in July, so we had plenty of water, which is a must. To do this trail, highly suggest a lift and bigger than stock tires on a Jeep Wrangler.
Poison Spider was the trail we were most looking forward to on our trip, and it was a blast. The first mile of the trail was pretty intense, and took us a little longer than expected. The waterfall at Waypoint 8 is probably the hardest required part of the trail, and I can proudly say I did it in my first attempt, without using my lockers or winch.
At Waypoint 19 we found a nice spot in the shade to take a break, get more water, and enjoy some mochi we brought in our freezer. Unfortunately, we got a little bit off of the track at Waypoint 27, completely missing Waypoint 28 and rejoining the trail at Waypoint 29. We were following a trail left behind by someone who was clearly scraping something.
On our way back at Waypoint 18, we were stopped by people in a rental Jeep that had sheered off the track bar; they had just come from Golden Spike. Luckily we had the tools they needed to limp off of the trail. Between the challenges and the fun parts (like the high speed mesa), this was a fantastic trail that we hope to do again. Also, doesn’t the rock formation at Waypoint 15 look like a roast pig?
Only ran the trail up to waypoint 18 as I took Golden Spike over to Where Eagles Dare. The local clubs had recently done a lot of work closing off illegal routes and fixing downed fencing. Great job by those guys!
The trail is a fun one with sporadic obstacles and some fast moving sections in between. For any rig on 37s+, there are not as many challenging obstacles as there would be if you are on smaller tires. Still a fun trip, but if you are on 37s or 40s, don't expect this to be a trail full of challenges. Longer wheelbase vehicles will also find this trail easier than short wheelbase.
We had a few hours left on our trip so went up to the high speed mesa in a Nissan Xterra Pro-4X with 2" lift and a full suite of body protection (rails, front/rear bumper, full set of skids). We hit the trail at 7am on a Sunday and didn't see anyone until heading back down.
It's a challenge in a rig like mine but with thoughtful line selection it isn't crazy. Really fun!
I think Poison Spider is the trail that you want to do, if you could only do ONE trail in Moab. It has so much of everything. From sand, to high speed, to technical rock crawling, to amazing vista's with snow in Colorado in the background, to the river below, to even an Arch to remind you. I don't think it can be fully appreciated in one trip, and this trail will have my attention for years to come.
Ran the trail with a stock 2019 JLU rubicon… Lockers were not needed and that jeep make the trail look easy. I also brought my CJ7 for the more insane / impossible lines.
Had a great time on poison spider with very few people out there. Probably due to the heat. The trail was clearly marked and presented a good challenge. I recommend high clearance and having lockers would be a great help. I also recommend having a spotter on obstacles like the waterfall which do not have a bypass
One of my favorite trails in the Moab area. Awesome view of Moab from the ridge where the portal mt bike trail starts down. Most of the really steep or off camber places have a bypass .
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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