# Roadless bookcliffs



## bigbr (Oct 24, 2007)

Trying to find good trail maps for the roadless bookcliffs is a hard proposition. We have purchased a bunch of 1/10000 but it shows no trails in areas that I have been in the past that I know have trails. A few weeks ago was the first time I have been in there for about 20 years and we put on about 26 miles on foot and on horseback and I came away with alot of questions that I have been trying to research on google earth and other places. I have read about trails called totem pole and Salt Hollow etc but have yet to find them on a map. Any suggestions on this topic would be appreciated 

I have a friend who has a bull elk limited entry tag and we are going in on the 12th. We are riding in from the end of the road at Sago which brings me to my first question. Is there a stock watering barrel or place to water horses at the parking area? If so where do I find it? Also, are there any springs near the top of the ridgeline on Went ridge or Little Creek ridge?

Again, Thanks in advance.....Big


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Things can change a lot in 20 years. I remember being able to drive into the roadless area from Tenmile Knoll and down the ridge for a long ways before we had to stop but that was over 30 years ago. The trails that you are talking about may just be names that were tagged on them unofficially, I know that I have never heard of them. Also the vast majority of the springs that I remember were to wards the bottom of the canyons with nothing on top. 

Good luck.


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## bigbr (Oct 24, 2007)

I have also heard the Turner trail mentioned and can't find it. I assume from the discription that it takes off down Diamond ridge and heads over to Little Creek ridge but I can not find that trail on a map either.

I remeber some odd years ago a spring near the top of fish creek on the west slope and we searched around for sometime and could not find it. I could not even find the trail that goes down fish creek. Seems to me that the spring had a crude log cabin type box around it with a pipe coming out of the spring and the trail coming underneath on a steep slope. Any takers on this one?
Thanks again in advance and thanks for at least a reply Critter.....Big


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

Big- The UDWR pays to have water hauled to keep a stock tank for watering horses at the Sego Trailhead. (The tribal lands do not allow non-members to water stock on their lands). So the should be water there, especially when it is used so much in Sept.

Hope you guys have a great hunt! I am sure you will. Be safe and share a story when you get back.


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## bigbr (Oct 24, 2007)

Hey Mike,

For sure on the story and pictures. I leave next Sunday to help a freinds daughter on a West Uinta Mt Goat and then Tuesday its off to the books. I will stop by when I get back.
Big


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## Packout (Nov 20, 2007)

I look forward to it. I always enjoy your perspective and hunting stories. Wish I could help more on the South end of the Roadless trails, but I've never been on them.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

bigbr said:


> I have also heard the Turner trail mentioned and can't find it. I assume from the discription that it takes off down Diamond ridge and heads over to Little Creek ridge but I can not find that trail on a map either.


That may be a name for the road that comes off of Steer Ridge and Tenmile Knoll. One of them goes to the west and ends at ridge overlooking Willow Creek and the other which was a 4x4 road heads to the south and goes out onto Diamond Ridge. Naturally both of these roads are closed now and looking at Google Earth it looks like they are still there and would be good horse trails.

There are also a couple of others, one on Bogart Ridge which will go down into Bogart Canyon and another one would be in the bottom of Steer Canyon which will to into West Willow Creek and Corral Canyon and the reservation. There were really quite a few roads there when I was working out there before they shut them all down.


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## bigbr (Oct 24, 2007)

Hey Bigdaddyx4,

I got your pm and have sent you a reply. Thanks again and look forward to talking with you and your friend.
Thanks, Big


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## hoytsarrow (Nov 5, 2021)

I went up the Sego canyon way. Dont even try unless you have 4x4 with offroad tires.. and if its going to Rain at all or Snow (because snow melts like it did on me) and it took all of my 30 years of extreme Offroading and balls of steel to keep my truck from going off the side of a ridge in that deep slick steep mud. Snow melts and poof it is worse than a banana peel (even without a trailer) ... However dry is fine , even with smaller trailer and some 4x4 skill. No way I would take a Big trailer up to the top of sego. Okay the gate had a sign no trespassing , so I turned around. Others just go right thru? I dont want an arrow or tomahawk in my a**.... THanks great answers to the Questions ~


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

That gate is as far as you can drive on the Sego Canyon side, past it is Tribal Lands. Plus the Rodless boundary starts just to the east of it. 

I suggest that you get a good map to see where and where not to drive up there.

The best way into the area as far as I am concerned is the oiled road out of Oray to the Divide road and then west to Steer Ridge and Ten Mile Knoll and come in from the top.


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## hoytsarrow (Nov 5, 2021)

Critter said:


> That gate is as far as you can drive on the Sego Canyon side, past it is Tribal Lands. Plus the Rodless boundary starts just to the east of it.
> 
> I suggest that you get a good map to see where and where not to drive up there.
> 
> The best way into the area as far as I am concerned is the oiled road out of Oray to the Divide road and then west to Steer Ridge and Ten Mile Knoll and come in from the top.


East of the "Top of sego canyon as far as you can drive" the gate there had a sign on it. To the east was a drop off.. I was up there where the trailers park and road ends. I will not use that way for sure. I live South of moab so I will use the Westwater exit I believe and head up to hay canyon.. Westwater creek I think. I have gps I just dont like the idea of being on tribal land at all lol .


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## hoytsarrow (Nov 5, 2021)

Critter said:


> That gate is as far as you can drive on the Sego Canyon side, past it is Tribal Lands. Plus the Rodless boundary starts just to the east of it.
> 
> I suggest that you get a good map to see where and where not to drive up there.
> 
> The best way into the area as far as I am concerned is the oiled road out of Oray to the Divide road and then west to Steer Ridge and Ten Mile Knoll and come in from the top.


I may try to get there from Ouray ! A little more drive for me but I usually stay for a week at a time. I try to find a place that I am in no ones way.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Hay or East Canyon are good, East Canyon runs up the bottom of the wash until almost to the top and then it hits a couple of switchbacks and you are up on top just to the west of where Mc Cook Ridge comes in. Hay Canyon has a long climb, but it has been long enough since I was up it I can't just remember how it is. The last time I was up Hay Canyon was 20 years ago but I was just up East Canyon 2 years ago.

But on the road conditions, from Hay Canyon over to Ten Mile Knoll if it is wet it can be a bugger, but it is a wide road.

If you are south of Moab it would be a long haul to come in off of Hwy 40 and Oray. Having to head all the way over to Helper and up US 191 or over to Fruita and up and over Douglas Pass and then back.


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## hoytsarrow (Nov 5, 2021)

Critter said:


> Hay or East Canyon are good, East Canyon runs up the bottom of the wash until almost to the top and then it hits a couple of switchbacks and you are up on top just to the west of where Mc Cook Ridge comes in. Hay Canyon has a long climb, but it has been long enough since I was up it I can't just remember how it is. The last time I was up Hay Canyon was 20 years ago but I was just up East Canyon 2 years ago.
> 
> But on the road conditions, from Hay Canyon over to Ten Mile Knoll if it is wet it can be a bugger, but it is a wide road.
> 
> If you are south of Moab it would be a long haul to come in off of Hwy 40 and Oray. Having to head all the way over to Helper and up US 191 or over to Fruita and up and over Douglas Pass and then back.


Oh boy, I was just looking at East canyon, you are the man! Okay so westwater to east canyon and Up ~ THanks ALot! = )


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

If you are dragging a trailer you might dump it in the bottom of Hay Canyon and run your truck up the road to the top to check out the road before heading up East Canyon. 

Just one thing, do not dump it where the road forks and you are right across the creek from the ranch house. The caretaker is a royal PRI$. Drive up the canyon a ways until you cross a cattle guard that will put you on BLM land, same with East Canyon. 

Also if you like to hunt birds both East and Hay Canyons are full of chuckars...


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## hoytsarrow (Nov 5, 2021)

Critter said:


> If you are dragging a trailer you might dump it in the bottom of Hay Canyon and run your truck up the road to the top to check out the road before heading up East Canyon.
> 
> Just one thing, do not dump it where the road forks and you are right across the creek from the ranch house. The caretaker is a royal PRI$. Drive up the canyon a ways until you cross a cattle guard that will put you on BLM land, same with East Canyon.
> 
> Also if you like to hunt birds both East and Hay Canyons are full of chuckars...


 OH Okay Great advice! I cant blame anyone for wanting privacy ~ And im not taking a trailer. Also I will be there for anything frankly, I love chuckars = )


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## hoytsarrow (Nov 5, 2021)

Critter said:


> If you are dragging a trailer you might dump it in the bottom of Hay Canyon and run your truck up the road to the top to check out the road before heading up East Canyon.
> 
> Just one thing, do not dump it where the road forks and you are right across the creek from the ranch house. The caretaker is a royal PRI$. Drive up the canyon a ways until you cross a cattle guard that will put you on BLM land, same with East Canyon.
> 
> Also if you like to hunt birds both East and Hay Canyons are full of chuckars...


Also I want to fish there = ) Alot to do in a couple of weeks ~


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## Isuckathunting (Sep 15, 2019)

The sego canyon road has those signs because it's reservation but there is an access easement agreement with the tribe. So you ride in and the signs say "please stay the sego canyon road" and "access courtesy of the Ute tribe" then after a mile or so you pass another gate and it puts you back into public land. It's totally legal to ride in there as long as you don't go off that main trail until you're back into the designated roadless.
The roads everywhere over there turn greasy and soupy due to the type of soil. If you get snow that melts other areas might not actually be any better. Just be glad you weren't coming down with a load of horses. Took me about 2.5 hours to get from the trailhead back to oil roads.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

There's no fishing up there that I know of. 

The streams that do have fish up there are closed from what I remember. But the cottontail's should be coming back down in the bottoms, just make sure that you are on BLM land.

Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk


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## hoytsarrow (Nov 5, 2021)

Isuckathunting said:


> The sego canyon road has those signs because it's reservation but there is an access easement agreement with the tribe. So you ride in and the signs say "please stay the sego canyon road" and "access courtesy of the Ute tribe" then after a mile or so you pass another gate and it puts you back into public land. It's totally legal to ride in there as long as you don't go off that main trail until you're back into the designated roadless.
> The roads everywhere over there turn greasy and soupy due to the type of soil. If you get snow that melts other areas might not actually be any better. Just be glad you weren't coming down with a load of horses. Took me about 2.5 hours to get from the trailhead back to oil roads.


OH man you are Right!! And okay Thank you for clarifying. You are one brave soul! = ) Glad to hear you made it. 2.5 meant you were, on brake off brake the whole way inching it. Son of A.... Thank you also


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## hoytsarrow (Nov 5, 2021)

Critter said:


> There's no fishing up there that I know of.
> 
> The streams that do have fish up there are closed from what I remember. But the cottontail's should be coming back down in the bottoms, just make sure that you are on BLM land.
> 
> Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk


Oh OKay that is Great advice thank you ~ I guess I was seeing old advice on FIsh in the westwater creek.


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## hoytsarrow (Nov 5, 2021)

Critter said:


> There's no fishing up there that I know of.
> 
> The streams that do have fish up there are closed from what I remember. But the cottontail's should be coming back down in the bottoms, just make sure that you are on BLM land.
> 
> Sent from my SM-J737V using Tapatalk


Cottontails too, man you are reading my mind!! = ) just go down from knoll ? I do want to think variety. THANKS!


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Isuckathunting said:


> The sego canyon road has those signs because it's reservation but there is an access easement agreement with the tribe. So you ride in and the signs say "please stay the sego canyon road" and "access courtesy of the Ute tribe" then after a mile or so you pass another gate and it puts you back into public land. It's totally legal to ride in there as long as you don't go off that main trail until you're back into the designated roadless.
> The roads everywhere over there turn greasy and soupy due to the type of soil. If you get snow that melts other areas might not actually be any better. Just be glad you weren't coming down with a load of horses. Took me about 2.5 hours to get from the trailhead back to oil roads.





hoytsarrow said:


> OH man you are Right!! And okay Thank you for clarifying. You are one brave soul! = ) Glad to hear you made it. 2.5 meant you were, on brake off brake the whole way inching it. Son of A.... Thank you also


But the question that I would have is is legal to drive into the roadless area once you come off of the Tribal Lands? 

I also would not park and or camp on the Tribal Land either, they frown on it and have a habit of confiscating equipment.


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## hoytsarrow (Nov 5, 2021)

Critter said:


> But the question that I would have is is legal to drive into the roadless area once you come off of the Tribal Lands?
> 
> I also would not park and or camp on the Tribal Land either, they frown on it and have a habit of confiscating equipment.


Exactly. You come back and even if you are parked on BLM at the last gate the tribal peeps could take your vehicle and you have no proof of diddly squat. I agree best to take west water to East canyon and Up up up... I definitely dont trust leaving my truck in remote sego right on tribal line.


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## hoytsarrow (Nov 5, 2021)

Critter said:


> But the question that I would have is is legal to drive into the roadless area once you come off of the Tribal Lands?
> 
> I also would not park and or camp on the Tribal Land either, they frown on it and have a habit of confiscating equipment.


I do know there is a Sign somewhere that states " Sego .... to roadless


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Usually when it says Trailhead it means that it is time to start hiking.


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## hoytsarrow (Nov 5, 2021)

Critter said:


> Usually when it says Trailhead it means that it is time to start hiking.


RIght ON ! Mystery solved, you Hike into tribal from Sego and into Roadless ~


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