Rim Valley Dream Creek

Some of these blog entries will highlight my favorite runs around the town of Moab.  Here is the account of yesterday's trek:

Moab Rim > Hidden Valley > Pipe Dream > Kane Creek Blvd.





One can start & finish this loop from a number of locations (all of which include ample parking for any size vehicle).  I choose to start at the "Moab Rim" trailhead on Kane Creek Blvd. - just a mile or so outside of town (If heading south on Main Street, take a right on the road in between McDonalds & Burger King. . . this is Kane Creek Blvd.)  This is my favorite starting point because you climb about 900 feet in the first mile.  It really gets the cardio pumping!  From this trailhead a hiker / runner has the option of the wide & edgy slickrock jeep trail known as "Moab Rim," or the singletrack "Stairmaster" option.  I choose "Stairmaster"  and am able to somewhat run for the first half of the climb, and then switch to a fast hike to finish my way to the top.  There is some packed snow. . . not much ice really - and plenty of clear earth / rock where the sun has melted any frozen water away.

Once at the top of "Stairmaster" it's worth taking a minute or two to gaze at the 360 degree views.  It's a clear, sunny day & I can see Arches Nat. Park in the distance when I look to the north.  Across the river, "Little Arch" is visible at the top of the red stone wall.  The La Sal range is to the east.  At this point I lose my long-sleeve undershirt since the path from here to "Hidden Valley" is upon an exposed plateau.  Here "Stairmaster" converges into the "Moab Rim" Jeep trail (as seen in photo to the right).  For the next mile there is gradual up-and-downs with some tricky footwork areas for sure (careful not to twist an ankle).  A fork breaks off where I choose to veer right as to gain higher elevation up more slickrock (veering to the left takes one on the "Sand Hill" route which I don't find preferable to run or hike on).   At the highest point of the loop I can see parts of Dead Horse Point State Park & Canyonlands Nat. Park  to my south-west.  Here I take a break to munch some dark chocolate, pretzels, and gummy worms.  I take sips of water here & there, but am not finding myself too thirsty since temperatures are not getting above high 30s or maybe 40 degrees Fahrenheit.

At the high-point of the loop: looking towards
Hidden Valley 

Another mile or so & the "Moab Rim" trail is now "Hidden Valley" trail.  It remains on exposed slickrock & directs me into a wash where cairns guide the runner along the path.  As I leave the slickrock wash & enter Hidden Valley, the elevation goes up slightly before dropping & the sun hides behind a wall of rock.  Hidden Valley is still covered with a white blanket of crunchy snow, but the trail has been used enough that shoes hit & bounce back without sinking in much (hard-packed snow is one of my favorite surfaces to run on).  Its about a mile or so to get through the Valley where I pick up considerable speed since it is so flat, and then begins the steep decent down to the "Pipe Dream / Hidden Valley" trailhead parking lot.  Here some of the boulders that make the trail are ice-coated & so I am careful where I step, though I try to keep considerable speed.  I've made it a personal challenge over the last few years to get fast down these steep, somewhat dangerous rocky sections of trail.  I've found in races that this technique is very useful in getting past some competitors who are not far ahead.

Along "Pipe Dream," looking north.

It's nice to be getting a tan on in the sunshine again after the chilly shadowland of the valley.  Upon reaching the trailhead ("Hidden Valley / Pipe Dream" parking lot, off of Rim Rock Lane off of Angel Rock Rd. off of 191 if one drives there), I am quite excited because I get to enter the "Pipe Dream" trail, which I've found to be one of the most enjoyable, mellow running trails near town.  It is rolling foothills that rise and fall gradually, and today the conditions are better than I would have expected for late January.  Much of the snow & ice has completely melted away leaving dirt that is not muddy, but moist enough to be firm under foot.  There are snowy sections, but it is packed snow that is easy to run on.  I manage to complete the "Pipe Dream" section without falling once (when I ran this trail last week, I bit some dirt on an icy turn).  When "Pipe Dream" nears town, there are several off-shoot trails that get you off the trail and onto roads.  I choose the "Aspen Ave." route, and am quickly pounding pavement for the next couple miles to get back to the Moab Rim trailhead where I started (Aspen Ave. > S. Mountain View Drive > Kane Creek Blvd.)

One of the many petroglyphs (a bear's paw) near Hidden Valley.

Parts of this loop can be done in isolation.  Sometimes I will just go up & down "Stairmaster" to get a quick hill-climb workout, or even at a slower hiking pace to enjoy a sunset.  "Pipe Dream" is convenient particularly because it can be accessed from in-town.  "Hidden Valley" from the parking lot trailhead is a great morning hike /run, as the sun will shine on the trail which climbs up into Hidden Valley.   There is also a vast wall of native petroglyphs at the end of the "Hidden Valley" trail, if the traveler veers to the right and goes towards the wall, instead of veering straight / left towards the "Moab Rim" trail. 

"Stairmaster" trail is a great spot to watch Jeeps
crawl on the "Moab Rim" trail (Moab Jeep Safari '18)