Onion Creek and Thompson Canyon, Moab, Utah

 Onion Creek and Thompson Canyon Trail, and Castle Valley

This is not a well known 4-wheel drive trail. I studied Moab area trails very well but did not know about this trail until we accidentally entered Thompson Canyon trail while looking for the Fisher Towers trail.
The Fisher Towers trail is about less than a mile east of this trail coming off the same Utah Highway 128. The canyon and the rough road through it are really wonderful. One shouldn't miss it as it is so close to Moab, Utah.
It will take only 2 hours to explore the beginning part (not the entire length) of this trail just the canyon area. They say that the road eventually reaches La Sal Mountains a few hours later and then ends there as a blind end.

Utah Highway 128 starts at the northern end of the town, Moab, Utah just before US Highway 191 crosses the Colorado River. This highway runs northeast and eventually meets I-70 west of Grand Junction, Colorado. The highway runs along the Colorado River for a while and should be a wonderful scenic drive that runs through the deep canyon carved by the Colorado River. From Onion Creek Road, I saw the beginning of the awesome canyon to the northeast and decided to drive it some day.

Onion Creek Road is clearly marked but the marking isn't easy to see. The first half of the trail is graded dirt until the start of the Thompson Canyon Trail. However, the numerous creek crossings mean it is best suited for a high-clearance 4WD vehicle. Do not attempt this route after heavy rain or if thunderstorms are threatening. Onion Creek often washes out, and flash flooding is possible. The second half of the trail is rougher, rocky, and sandy in places.

This trail provides respite from Moab’s hot summer temperatures as it climbs over 8,000 feet into the La Sal Mountains. The scenic drive through Castle Valley is enhanced when viewed from high in the mountains. There are other trails nearby that takes you to a high secenic view point.

 Special Attractions:

Spectacular variety of scenery;
Numerous crossings of Onion Creek;
Backcountry camping opportunities;
Great one-day route from Moab when combined with Polar Mesa Trail.
High-clearance 4WDs are preferred, but any high-clearance vehicle is acceptable.
Expect a rough road surface; mud and sand are possible but will be easily passable.
You may encounter rocks up to 6 inches in diameter, a loose road surface, and shelf roads,
though these will be wide enough for passing or will have adequate pull-offs.

Trail entrance from Highway 128:  38.7237°N 109.3551°W, Elevation: 4,222 feet (1,287 meters)




Just off the Utah Highway 128, we enter Onion Creek Road. Then, shortly after, there is this sign.



This is a primitive camping site without any facilities. We saw one self-supporting RV parked here.
One can see the Fisher Towers far away in the right side of the picture.
The solitary tall tower is known as the "Titan" among other Fisher Towers group.



Many chimney rock formations along the canyon walls. The road is well graded in the beginning.
A lot of strange rock formations and high canyon walls create an awesome driving tour.



The trail winds through the canyon wall on a shelf above the Onion Creek.



Numerous chimney rocks. The scene changes dramatically on every turn in the 4WD road.
On this particular day, it appeared that a high clearance 2WD car can easily run on this trail.



The creek and the distant canyon walls. All the rock walls are heavily fractured.
It looks like the whole walls may crumble down into the valley if there's any shaking or quaking of the earth.



Crumbling canyon walls here and there.



Unusual rock formations.



Some canyon walls farther out. The canyon gradually widens after about a few miles.



Another canyon walls.



The trail goes on and new sceneries unfold at every turn.



A pair of old Utah junipers as if they were born as twins,
are basking in the morning sunshine against the shady canyon wall.



Junipers and bushes, some have fallen and some died. We turned back here without going any further.



Some of us decided to walk down the trail for a while.



Twisted and bent rock layers of the canyon wall.



Some climbed down into the shallow slot canyon below, formed by the Onion Creek.
It's remarkable that there's clear stream of water at this dry time of the year.



The canyon walls on the way down, looking at the same sceneries from the other side.



The rocks in the canyon walls aren't very solid and are breaking easily.



Walking down the canyon bottom along the stream.



Canyon walls, far and near.



We were on time for the beautiful fall colors. Despite of ample water, trees are relatively rare here.





A shining willow-like trees against the dark canyon wall.



Some of us were walking down the 4WD trail....



While some walked down in the creek bed.



Once out of the canyon, we are near the town of Castle Valley, just east of Colorado River and Highway 128.
The narrow Colorado River canyon opens wide into a large open plain here.
And the plain is occupied by a half dozen mesas, small and huge in size.



A few castle-like mesas (Mesa: flat table-top shaped land form) in the wide open valley.



Another huge mesa in the shape of a castle.



A distant view of the Castle Valley area with a few mesas, seen near highway 128.



Priest and Nuns, Scenic Byway 128:
At the right side of the mesa top, one can see the silhouette of "Priest and Nuns".
This is one of many interesting rock formations that can be seen along Scenic Byway 128 near Moab, Utah in the Castle Valley area. In the north facing slope, there's still some snow that came a few days ago.

Some of the information data came from the Internet and "Climb-utah.com"
Photo (November 2, 2009) and webpage (November 16, 2009) by SNUMA WM