Shafer Trail

Closed due to ice and snow.

Closed temporarily due to icy conditions.

Wow - amazing incredible must-do trail with views views views but definitely not for the faint of heart! Almost entirely graded and well maintained with no concerns other than the side-of-cliff roadway. This trail is popular and because some parts are narrow and inhabited with less experienced drivers, you may find yourself backing up in places where you’d rather not. But all in all a definite can’t miss if you are visiting Canyonlands NP.

A trail I have been wanting to do for a while. Finally did it on an impromptu trip, and didn't plan on doing this until we got there. Took it all the way to Moab. Defiantly worth it and plan on doing it again.

Cold and a little sketchy at the top with snow and ice on the first few switchbacks but no issues.

FYI: Shafer Trail Road will close for required maintenance November 7–8 (Monday through Tuesday).

Great trail that offers even better views! The switch backs look more intimidating than they actually are. There are plenty of pull offs and plenty of room to pass oncoming traffic. The views from the top or worth the drive up.

Great easy trail, we combined it with Potash Road. We ran it in the direction noted here. This was our last run of the week and it was a good way to end our visit to Moab. The switchbacks look intimidating but are not bad, just take your time.

A very easy road that provides insane views. Highly recommended.

Be advised: Shafer Trail Road will close for routine maintenance October 24–27, October 31–November 3, and November 7–10 (Mondays through Thursdays). During this time, the road will reopen for public use at 4 pm Thursdays and remain open through weekends, closing again at 7:30 am Monday morning.

Fun, beautiful, and in good condition

Recent rains have created more erosion issues. AWD or 4WD is recommended.

Fantastic views and just enough pucker factor to make it an exciting drive without being technical. Recent rains have left some deep ruts along the road and a few washouts, but BLM construction vehicles were repairing things even as I drive the trail. Combine with the Potash Road for an excellent few hour drive between Canyonlands and Moab.

Iconic and easy to get to from Island in the sky district. Saw a lot of AWD and FWD cars/SUV on the road so it must be doable. Not too difficult but can be busy. If you want the same or perhaps a better expirience with less traffic, check out the switch backs on Mineral Bottom Road.

Fun trail and breaks you in for White Rim. It’s steep and easily passable if you pick your spots but nothing anyone with off-road experience should worry about.

This is a must do when visiting Canyonlands. It's a very easy drive but the sheer drop-offs along much of the trail create enough pucker factor that you'll certainly never take your eyes off the road. If heading down make sure and take it very slowly. Many of the switchbacks have a pretty steep grade and slamming on the breaks isn't going to stop your vehicle immediately if you're doing much over 8-10mph. And let me tell you, sliding an extra foot of two before coming to a stop on this trail will scare the heck out of you. Luckily I learned the lesson mid switchback and not at the end of one when needing to turn. I also recommend putting your vehicle in a lower gear and letting your engine do some of the breaking for you so you aren't constantly riding your break. My last bit of advice is look ahead down the trail, way ahead if you can. Plan for where you want to sit and wait for a vehicle coming up to pass you. It's a lot more comforting to be able to pull to the side that has a wall than to the side that falls off into the abyss. All that said, if you take your time and use caution you'll be treated to some absolutely amazing views and an experience you'll never forget.

It was a fun road but not for anyone super weary of heights / shelf roads. There are points where there are significant drop-offs, no barriers, and narrowing roads. Lots of areas for pullouts if you meet up with someone going the other way, overall an easy, enjoyable drive and the scenery was outstanding. Took from the bottom of the trail, up to Island in the Sky visitor center. Drives you passed 'Thelma & Louise Point', then onto the higher elevation shelf road. Good fun overall - wife was a little white knuckled throughout the last 5-6 miles on those roads though, simply due to the height and narrowness of the road.

Super fun & easy trail with beautiful views. Continued on Potash Road and into Moab. Switch backs are fun with pretty good visibility to oncoming vehicles. Lunch overlooking the Colorado River was perfect.

Trail was great today. We headed up from Potash towards Canyonlands. No issues on the lower sections and the road looked to be recently bladed. Towards the top, there were several sections of packed snow and ice (even in the late afternoon) that could cause issues. On Jeep we passed relayed a story of a truck that slid into the canyon wall that morning. Overall it was a great drive.

Sweeping dramatic views as you ascend the side of the canyon. Plenty of pull offs and a long line of sight aid in passing other vehicles. Not for those with a fear of heights or shelf roads, although the road is pretty wide in most places. Coupled this with Potash as an alternative route into Canyonlands NP.

The NPS has opened the road. Enjoy!

A winter storm advisory has temporarily closed Shafer. https://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/conditions.htm

Closed due to hazardous ice and snow conditions. There is currently no anticipated date of reopening. Potash Road is recommended as an alternative. Check here for the most up to date info:https://www.nps.gov/cany/planyourvisit/road-conditions.htm

did this going up after coming in via the potash road. route becomes much smoother and easier once inside the nat'l park boundary. switchbacks were dry and smooth when we did them. no challenge at all as long as you're not afraid of heights. absolutely stunning views. would be a different story when it's wet, though. we visited the park again the next day in the rain/snow and the vehicles we saw come in via this route were covered in epic amounts of mud...

We came in from Moab on Potash Road...easy drive...minimum traffic...no fee is required if you come in this way...turn around at the top and go out the way you came in...no fee. What can you say about the view...just absolutely beautiful. There is two-way traffic so if you wish to gawk, please stop and pull over. No guardrails or signage. 2 wheel drive unlocked the entire way. A couple of hours well spent, and no crazies trying to climb something they know they can't make. We got rained out for three days out of seven, so did not get to go everywhere we wanted, but still enjoyed and will be returning.

Schafer Trail is really just a set of switchbacks, but they're a lot of fun! Most of the trail is wide enough for 2 vehicles which is good because you should expect to have to share the road with oncoming traffic. There was only one time when we were worried about passing but those sections were short and it was easy to see oncoming vehicles so you could easily plan your stops. Nothing difficult here, but if you continue on to Potash Road you will encounter a bit more of a challenge (but not by much). We ran this trail dry, and while dry I would actually rate this as a 1.

Drove from east to west after taking the Potash Road from Moab. Shafer Trail was very well-maintained, unlike Potash Road. There was a fair amount of traffic in both directions, but not so much that it was a problem. It was lots of fun to drive and the views are spectacular! The switchback turns were not a problem for our long wheelbase.

A great road that leads to two other fun trails. There are some spectacular views but if you have a very healthy respect for heights this might be challenging.

Views are world class! Road in great condition. We came down, which in my opinion provides the better views. There was a 20 minute wait at the park entrance. Beautiful views while waiting and it was a cool weather day, so no problem. Used four low to keep speed down to avoid over-using brakes. We exited the park via Potash Road, otherwise it would be a good up-down trail.

This was an unexpected surprise. We drive it from the bottom to the top which makes for some interesting questions as the switchbacks blend in really well leaving you to question how you will get up the wall. Road is plenty wide especially for a shelf road. Had 2 plus inches of snow at the top and ended up airing up in the snow. Wild weather

I had seen this trail from the top in Canyonlands on a previous visit with a buddy, and it looked scary. But, I didn't have a Jeep then and had never done any offroading. So, three years later and with my 2018 Jeep Wrangler on a solo trip I wanted to take it on. It turned out to be quite easy, with beautiful views, and pure joy being out on such a gorgeous day. Little to no traffic encountered. I went down first and turned around to go back to the top. After a packed lunch was eaten, I drove back down again and then continued all the way to Moab via the Potash road. There were many places to turn off and take in the views on the lowland sections and be completely alone. It's a nice leisurely trip. I loved it.

My 5 star rating is based on being a real newbie and only this trail for a reference point. This was our first challenge in our stock 2020 Jeep Overland and loved it. We opted to start at the "top" and work down and east to Moab via Shafer Trail and Potash. I think the top to bottom route give you the best views and ability to see opposite direction traffic. There were plenty of spots to pull to the side when needed. Driving on the edge seemed intimidating but not so bad once we got on the route. The road from top to bottom is actually pretty good with the tighter "hair pin" turns a little rutted but not bad. The road after you reached the flatter area was actually more rough with sections of bumpy rock but nothing to really challenge our jeep for clearance. Running down the ledges was easy in 4 wheel low in 2nd or 3rd gear (About 9-15 MPH between turns). Even on the relative flats I used 2nd through 4th gears in 4 wheel low and was comfortable in speed and torque for the trail. I seldom exceeded 15 MPH through the course. (I'm certain experience folks with proper equipment could go faster. We took about 3 hours from the trail head to the end of Potash road. That included a lot of time for taking pictures.

When I went there I expected a harder trail but I got a nice cruise instead it might be good for Prerunner or some high-speed action as long as you are careful. there are some scenic views and almost at the end, there is some kind of farm.

Classic!! The views are amazing as you come down from Island in the Sky. It's not for the faint of heart if you're afraid of heights. That said, it's an easy drive down and truly unique!

Whst a Fun Trail, Very Scenic and the Switch Backs made it Awesome

My wife and I rented a Jeep for the day, and wow, what a great first trip. It was a beautiful area and gave me my first experience driving roads like this. It was a little harrowing on those switchbacks, as we were headed up, and others were headed down. I would suggest keeping an eye out where you can to look for oncoming vehicles and find those pull-offs to wait for people to pass. We had one frustrating experience with a driver that wouldn't pull over enough to let us through (even though there was plenty of room and they were next to the safe side!). We had to back up quite a ways to the 180 turn that was wide enough to pass by. Overall a great ride and beautiful area.We started from Moab and ended in Canyonlands... would probably try the other way around next time.

Hi everyone - new poster from the UK here! I was invited by Trails Off Road to leave a review and post pictures of my "accidental" drive down the Shafer Trail after commenting on a video of it on YouTube. Sooo... and bear with me, the back story is fascinating (possibly not). My screensaver at work in London is of Dead Horse Point and I was obsessed with getting the exact same photo so after going to the official view point which was a lot higher than the view I needed to get the photo, we asked someone how "we can get down there", were given directions and off we went. It all started okay, we left the Visitor Centre and turned left onto the road down as we had been told...... What followed was the most terrifying thing I have ever done. Bear in mind that my other half is a truck driver so an accomplished driver who wasn't fazed at all but the rental car we were in (Kia Sportage... stop laughing!) was booked on my credit card and when I wasn't worrying about dying in a Thelma & Louise style dive over the edge, I was thinking how much a snapped axle would cost me. I will never forget doing this drive and while I genuinely thought I was about to die all the way down, I'm proud to say that we did it. Thank you for reading!

A must if you're in the Canyon Lands area. The trail is easy because it's a well groomed gravel road but you and your passengers better not be afraid of narrow shelf roads. We saw all types of vehicles on this route. Remember to downshift and not burn up your brakes.

Nice easy Moab trail. Among the vehicles that I saw on this trail - A Subaru Outback and a Chevy longbed dually. Theres no way in hell I'd want to make 8 point turns in a longbed dually on that trail. Just seemed obnoxious. This trail provides great views of the Colorado River and the general Moab area. If you are squeamish about heights, this may not be the trail for you.

Pretty rad driving down the switchbacks. Easily done in 1st and 2nd gear in 4 Low. There's a few pull offs at the top of the switchbacks that are well worth the stop.

Our incredible weekend in Moab ended with Shafer Trail, and what a way to end the trip it was. The views from the top of, and on the switchbacks are absolutely phenomenal. I thought Moab was great, but this trail truly made me fall in love with the area and I can't wait to get back. Can be done in any 4x4 vehicle. If you are anywhere near Canyonlands, do yourself a favor and take a couple hours to check this out. You will not regret it.

My first exposure to shelf roads. Needless to say, I was white knuckled the whole way down. Reality is, it's really not that bad. Absolutely stunning views. I would say that it's an absolute must do trail if you're in the area.

This is the way we normally access the white rim trail, or run down the white rim to access the river for a good break then head back out via potash road this makes a nice loop without doing the entire white rim. But this section is all about the switchbacks which are amazing

One of those trails you never get tired of. This was my 3rd time driving this road and it still always leaves me with a sense of wonder as I do. Today was a great day on the trail, even during an Easter Jeep Safari week we did not encounter any other vehicles on the trail as we descended. One tip I would give is that before drive the road, be sure to check out the overlooks off of the main paved road that gives you additional vantage points on a grander scale.

An easy and scenic drive that consists of a winding and descending road with great views and imposing edges. A must see/do trail for all that visit Moab.

A lot of twists and turns. The road is well maintained. It worked for my RAV4.