Amasa Back Trail

Amasa Back

The Amasa Back trail (ascends from the Colorado River just west of Moab, climbing up onto an outcropping of rock surrounded on three sides by the Colorado. The trail is a rocky Jeep trail with ledges and drop-offs, and is for advanced riders. As an out-and-back, the trip is 10 miles. Vertical climb is 1050 feet.

Chad Hunter rolls along a smoother stretch of slickrock trail, with the Navajo Sandstone bluffs of Kane Creek in the background. The horizontal layers at the base are Kayenta. Photo April 15, 2000 by Bruce Argyle

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Amasa Back has plenty of Moab's great sandstone to play on. At the top, there are wide areas of slickrock. There's a not-well-marked route around to the northeast side of the peninsula, and a technical downhill return route along the north side of Amasa to the Colorado. We haven't been there, we've just heard.

But on the way, you'll have eye-popping views of the canyons, as well as a cliff-side cruise overlooking Jackson Hole and its rincon (called Jackson "Not-Hole".

Gary Argyle cranks up the stone to where Matt Flygare and Dominic Bria are waiting. April 15, 2000.

Gary tackles a slope

On the way to this ride, you'll climb ledges in the Kayenta Sandstone of the early Jurassic Era (about 200 million years ago, when this area was dunes on the western edge of the continent) onto the familiar Navajo Sandstone. The Navajo Sandstone is a course-grained sandstone deposited by the wind in dunes in a broad, flat desert area. In some areas, it is thousands of feet thick. Where the land surface was fairly flat, the stone is smooth. Where steep dunes prevailed, there are oblique bands marking successive layers of sand deposits on the downwind side of a dune. Navajo Sandstone tends to break up into fins and domes.

The lower two miles of the trail is a tricky series of ledges and rock challenges. Clearing the multiple rock obstacles will test your skills on the way up and again on the way down. Amasa Back has a downloadable trail video! See our video download page.

Mike Engberson shows his jumping form. The fins above are Navajo Sandstone. April 15, 2000.

You'll run into a couple of side routes. Just stay on the main path by following the tire tracks when in question. Side routes can take you out onto the peninsula, or down into Jackson Hole. As you cruise the cliffside, notice "Jackson Not-hole," a rincon where the Colorado formed a gooseneck, then cut it off to form a new straighter channel past the rock "island."

Matt Flygare takes some air near the top of the Rock. Of course, you don't have to go over every cliff in the trail. There are easier cheater routes around most obstacles. April 15, 2000.

"Air Matt"

The end of the "official" trail is this view over the Colorado. But you can extend your ride by heading northeast. This trail is faint, and not well-marked, but you can try to find it if you're hungry for more.

Dominic Bria, Bruce Argyle, Mike Engberson, Matt Flygare, Chad Hunter, and Gary Argyle at the summit overlooking the Colorado River valley west of Moab. April 15, 2000.

Getting there: Head south on Moab's Main Street. When you reach the McDonald's on your right, turn right onto Kane Creek Blvd. After 1.5 miles, go straight at the "Yield" sign where the road seems to turn right. Continue 5 miles until the road turns to gravel, and watch for the "Amasa Back Parking" area at GPS N 38° 31.329' W 109° 35.501'. Head further up the gravel road 1/2 mile, and turn right onto the trail at the sign.

Chad Hunter shows a group of "Jeepies" how a real man handles a trail. Yep, that's air (also called "not-rock") under his tires. April 15, 2000.

Chad takes the plunge.

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For a printable one-page ride summary, click here!

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Original review 2000. Update ride 2006.
Copyright 2006 Mad Scientist Software Inc

For additional information, including nearby lodging, rentals, camping, and current conditions, may we suggest:
Comprehensive info on visiting Moab: http://www.moab-utah.com/
More stuff, activities: http://www.discovermoab.com/ Another source: http://www.moab.net
BLM information (OHV info, hiking, camping): http://www.blm.gov/utah/moab/rec-frame.html
Arches National Park Information: http://www.arches.national-park.com/
Canyonlands National Park: http://www.canyonlands.national-park.com/

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