Jeep Jamboree - Moab 2023

The Rubicon may be considered THE iconic Jeep trail but when it comes to scenery and diversity, Moab really is hard to beat. Now mix in the Jeep Jamboree organization with their experienced trail guides, attention to details and the friends and family that we've gained at their events and you start to understand why we never miss the Moab Jamboree.

If you've only ever driven in or left using the main highways into Moab you know just how beautiful this area is. If you want to step up that experience you should really look at taking the scenic road 128 northeast out of town. It's always worth the drive. The combination of the river and high rock formations gets better and better with each turn. Luckily Rusty and Nina were able to take that route up on Friday for their run of the Top of the World trail. This is one is definitely a must do at some point. The view at the top really hard to beat. The height and expanse of the canyons is displayed in one of the most beautiful panoramas in the world.

The rest of the Rusty's crew decided to take on Cliffhanger trail. Another classic with a spectacular canyon views that end up wheeling right up on the edge of. The trail starts right off with some descent steps and stays pretty entertaining the whole way through, steep climbs and large boulders looked intimidating but the trail guides kept everyone moving right along, expertly positioning the shorter TJs and longer JTs so crawl right through. The trail winds through some spectacular views allowing you to see the diversity of rock formations and in the greater area. Ever turn is a different view and different colors and textures in the distance.

The lunch spot is right after the obstacle that has you right on the cliff's edge. I did this trail over a decade ago and at the time, I felt like we were practically driving off the edge. This time around the 3.75" Advanced Kit with 37" General Grabber X3 MTs rolled right through. Not that it's an obstacle, but great spotting and a well build rig with the right parts just makes things a breeze. It's an out and back trail so everything we tackled on the way out we got traverse the opposite way. The climb out of the canyon was quite entertaining as we let a group of side-by-sides throttle their way through. Lots of 3 and 2 wheeling! Just an amazing trail all around and so good to get back.

Day 2 had us scheduled to do Poison Spyder, another Moab classic and always fun, but we found out the Moab Rim group was quite a bit smaller so we decided to try that out. The Rim starts out climbing right on the edge again and has a few obstacles that can get you in trouble real quick without a good spotter. The Trail Guides got everyone through pretty easily and let the rigs that were built a little more try some of the harder lines. Rusty was driving a prototype kit that will be coming out this Fall on his JLU Diesel. It's a 2.75" Kit rolling on 35" General Grabber X3s. Nothing on the trail slowed him down at all though. With everybody in a rush to get to 40s, don't sleep on a Trail Tested, American Made, Rusty's Suspension System. 46 years building Jeep parts delivers unquestionable strength, function and quality.



The crawl up the canyon opens up more and more views. The river below with the sun rising was just gorgeous. The overlook on Moab gives you a good view of the towns growth. The rest of the trail is a good mix of rocks and sand and lots of fun areas. We spent lunch near the petroglyphs so it was fun to hike back there and see some of this ancient history on the canyon walls. A storm looked like it was going to crash in on us but stayed just far enough away to make for a beautiful drive back out.

As we got back the Rim's edge and the final climb down were were able to see the Poison Spyder group on the top of their climb on the other side of the river. You can see them if you zoom in on one of the pictures. There's just non-stop opportunities to capture some great photos in this area. The river makes such a breathtaking backdrop.

With all the potential land closures happening right now in the areas around Moab, we're extremely thankful that the Jeep Jamboree gives the opportunity to explore this majestic area. We encourage you to check out the Blue Ribbon Coalition and Tread Lightly. Both groups are working to keep these trails we love open for generations to come.

It's always good to wheel with friends so it was extra special to have our good friend Kyle drive up from Texas and Ken from All-Pro in Michigan (one of our most trusted dealers/installers) and his son Blake drive in and surprise us. Getting to wheel with Spencer from General Tire is always a pleasure. And then, of course, those that we see at all the Jamborees, our extended Jeep family. Great to see you all!

If you haven't experienced Moab, you really do owe it to yourself to make the drive. There's a wide variety of trails from easy to extreme that will keep all skill levels entertained. The town has some great shopping and food spots too. And we can't say enough about the Jeep Jamboree organization, the Trail Guides and the other sponsors that keep things growing year after year. We hope to see you next year in Moab, if not soon at another Jamboree.

Photos: BrayshawCreative.com