Moab, Utah is one of the premier off-road and four-wheel drive destinations. Comprised of some of the most well-known trails in all of the United States, it has trail types that suit all drivers' wheeling desires. Some would call it an "off-roader's paradise". Amongst these trails, Steel Bender is one of the more popular "hard" trails in the entire area. Comprised of sand, dirt, loose rocks, and some slick rock, this trail offers drivers everything they are looking for and more.
Trail Difficulty and Assessment
Recommended Vehicle:
Lightly Modified 4X4 (Small Lift and Larger Tires)
Concerns:
Summary:
There are a few obstacles that are required that give this trail it's rating. The main one is the waterfall / rocky hill as you head up the trail at waypoints 2 and 3 and the 6 foot waterfall at waypoint 6.
Community Consensus
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Mandatory
5 -
DIFFICULT
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.
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
Steel Bender is one of the more popular, harder trails in Moab. The trail is comprised of slick rock, sand, water crossings, 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 do. Expect 6 foot+ 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.
While on the trail, you will be offered some amazing overlooks and creek crossings.
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. Steel Bender (0
mi)
The trailhead for Steel Bender Trail is on the right side.
There isn't much space to air down on the trail so it is recommended that you air down prior to hitting this trail.
2. Waterfall (1.9
mi)
The first obstacle is a waterfall that you have to go down. There are several routes, but the left side is the easiest. Be prepared to drag while going down this obstacle. Please keep in mind you have to come back out this way. If you don't think you can get back up this, do not go down it. The trail only gets harder from here on out.
3. Waterfall (2
mi)
The first uphill waterfall is a long one. At over 100 feet long, this will put your skills of picking a good line to the test. Take your time and plan your line, and you should be fine.
4. Go Left (2.2
mi)
This is the beginning of the Steel Bender Loop. Turn left to start the Steel Bender Loop. The loop is one way.
5. Set of Waterfalls (2.4
mi)
This area is comprised of several waterfalls with ledges over three feet tall that you are required to go up.
6. Rocky Climb (3.6
mi)
The hardest obstacle on this trail is this 15-foot tall waterfall. The climb up is steep enough to cause vehicles to roll over backward. There is a bypass around to the left. If you plan on trying this, it is best to have at least 35-inch tires and lockers.
7. Shortcut to the Right, Fin to the Left (4.2
mi)
The trail goes left then up and over the fin. If you don't want to drive on the fin, there is a shortcut on the right.
8. Fin (4.3
mi)
This is the only fin on this trail. It's fun to drive on since it is out of place. Just watch out when you drop off the backside because it can get you into trouble swiftly with an off-camber left turn. There is plenty of space to square up before going down.
9. Stay Right (4.4
mi)
The trail is to the right. There is a gate if you try going straight.
10. Continue Straight (4.5
mi)
Continue Straight. Right takes you back to the fin.
11. Fork - Continue Straight (6.3
mi)
An old trail exit, this path doesn't look like it has been traveled in a long time. If you take it, it takes you to the beginning of the loop.
12. Intersection - Turn Right (8
mi)
An old trail exit, this path doesn't look like it has been traveled in a long time. If you take it, it takes you to the beginning of the loop.
13. Intersection - Turn Right (8.2
mi)
This is where Flat Pass meets up with Steel Bender. Left is Flat Pass; Right is Steel Bender Loop.
Flat Pass has an extreme drop that isn't recommended for anyone without a high experience level.
14. Alternate Route Intercept (9
mi)
Stay left on the main trail. This is where one of the alternate routes meets up.
15. End of Loop (9.5
mi)
This is the end of the loop. You now have to go left and drive back out the way you came in.
Dispersed
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 or soiled toilet paper. The disposal of solid human waste off public land is required. You must camp only in marked sites, and no wood cutting 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, UT
From 191 and Spanish Trail, head northeast on E Spanish Trail Rd toward Desert Rd for about 2-mile, trail is on the right.
Fun trail. Definitely some harder lines that can be taken. We. Didn't get to do the flat area because it was being worked on. Well do it next time around. With stops here and there it took 3 hours to do the loop clockwise. Not a ton of technical obstacles. Pretty drive
Some of the obstacles were fun. Much of the slow crawling of the 9 miles is a bit much. Unfortunately it was raining so we also didn’t have much in the way of views.
Liked the main trail, lots of fun climbs able to get in to the groove. Even did the big fall to get on flat pass. Boy was that a mistake. Flat pass was way tougher than bargened for and took forever to get out. Would highly recommend the loop and staying clear of the flat pass extension.
I'm a little bummed this only includes the loop. The rest of this trail is awesome, despite becoming pretty gnarly because of one obstacle in particular. There's a wall right after leaving the loop that is just massive (see 3rd photo below) and the only "bypass" it has looks super tippy. If you take it, I suggest using your E-Brake as you go down it so your rear wheels are braking. Not sure how short wheelbases will handle that wall (only had 4 door vehicles).
This whole trail is a lot of fun and really scenic. I took my 80 Series LC through, but I'd be very cautious with IFS vehicles in some places.
Some additional photos/videos on my IG post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CCj-D_6hGz7/
Easily one of our favorite trails in Moab. It’s so close to town, and the water crossing at the beginning/end is just beautiful. The waterfalls at Waypoint 3 were a bit challenging, and we found some lines we weren’t able to take.
We approached the obstacle at Waypoint 6, and opted to take the bypass on the left. Unfortunately, while we made it up, that bypass does seem to be getting chewed up, and will probably soon be unusable. The fin at Waypoint 8 was as welcome surprise, and got us up and out of the brush, to see the surrounding area. The terrain from Waypoints 11-13 was a bit rough, but not too challenging.
The trail was completely empty; we only saw the reflection of a vehicle far away in the distance.
Ran this trail during EJS. It was extremely busy as expected. The start of the trail is very pretty. Not sure if it is always like that, or if it is just green due to all the winter moisture this year. There was a vendor run in front of us with a ton of rigs, so we squirted off at waypoint 4 and hit flat pass which has some bigger obstacles. I think waypoint 2 is a lot tougher than described. The right side is probably the harder lines, while left is easier. It's not super tough, just a little harder than the pics make it look.
This was an awesome trail (well as much as we finished). I was with 4 rigs (TJ, XJ, S10 and a Ramcharger all 35's+). This trail was definitely doable but provided just enough of a challenge for us. Unfortunately, the XJ broke an ignition switch just after the hard obstacle at waypoint 6 so we decided to turn back at that point. Very fun trail, I highly recommend!
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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