# Monroe Mt. road access for a travel trailer?



## mrkrik (Jan 26, 2016)

My wife was incredibly lucky and pulled the only NR early rifle elk tag on the Monroe. So my family and I are planning on spending 10 days of summer vacation on the unit in order to learn the roads and area while doing some fishing and relaxing. Does anyone have any suggestions on the best access roads up the mountain for pulling a 30' trailer and some good areas for parking it for some dispersed camping? I've been Googling like crazy but haven't found much info on which roads are good for pulling a trailer. Thanks for any help.


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

Not much info on roads for that unit because there is not much for roads. One road on the east side from Antimony goes up to Jones's Corral area (a lot of camping spots in that area), heads south along the summit then drops back down. There are a few access points and roads on the west side do the same thing but do not go up to the top.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Lower Box Creek road out of Greenwich is the only one I would recommend for a 30' trailer and it is a pretty good haul.
Plenty of places to camp on top past Box Creek and you are pretty centrally located.
Heck of a tag to have. Enjoy!


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## Vanilla (Dec 11, 2009)

I have never taken a trailer up there. We have been riding ATVs/UTVs down there for years, and I regularly see trailers heading up the mountain. I often think, "Man, there is no way I'd pull that thing up here!" But I'm a bit of a chicken when it comes to stuff like that. Honestly, a lot of people do it, and there is pretty good access. 

There are good roads from each direction to access the top and basically the whole unit. Where are you coming from? That would probably dictate how you access the unit. The roads are for the most part very well maintained. They can get a little narrow and they wind a bit as they climb, but like I said, a lot of people do it. Of course, if you are curious how well your trailer will do, you can always disconnect it and take the truck up first to make sure your will be okay with your trailer. 30 feet is a good load on those roads. 

You can head up the canyon straight out of Monroe on the west side of the unit. There is also a good access to the north west side out of Annabella. I know that you can come in from the east out of Koosharem, and people will pull trailers up that way too. I have never been up that road myself, so I can't speak for how it is. I just know people do it. We always have accessed it from the west side as we usually stay in Richfield when we ride down there. But depending upon where you'll be coming from and where you want to camp, Koosharem might be the best option.

*edit - middlefork is correct for your trailer size, the box creek area is likely your best bet for camping.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Utahbigbull is referring to Dutton, 
The range to the south. Wrong unit.

Monroe has roads and ATV trails EVERYWERE! 
I'd pull the 30 foot trailer in from a koosherm. And hunt Cove mountain.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

One more thing, 
They are doing controlled burns on Monroe right now. Not much smoke the last 2-3 days but the fire could get going good with this hot dry weather. 

The burn right now is above Greenwich 
And north of Box creek.
Something to keep an eye on.

I'll be on Fishlake until at least the 12th.
I can give yoi another report.


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

Roads can be found all over the Monroe...if I were pulling a trailer up it, though, I would most certainly use the road up out of Greenwich. This road isn't as steep or narrow and is probably the best road. Also, if I had the tag I would avoid Cove Mountain because that seems to be the most popular area....I would be looking close at areas/holes that are not accessible by road. Cove will certainly hold elk and good bulls, but I would look to avoid the crowds as much as possible. Last year a nice 7x7 was hanging not far off the road up Monroe Canyon near the switchbacks...anyway, good luck on the hunt and enjoy!


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

Here is another vote for the road out of Greenwich. 

It has been a few years since I was up on the mountain but you'll find elk. What is going to be your transportation once up on it, ATV/Side by side or your truck? there are a few side roads that are best for ATV's.


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## utahbigbull (May 9, 2012)

goofy elk said:


> One more thing,
> They are doing controlled burns on Monroe right now. Not much smoke the last 2-3 days but the fire could get going good with this hot dry weather.
> 
> The burn right now is above Greenwich
> ...


 Yup,

Wrong unit. Thanks for the catch!


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

Aviod the crowds on Cove mnt during the early LE elk WtoU?

Theres only 15 permits for the whole unit!
I saw a bull on Cove last week that is going to be MORE than average by far.
Might end up being something special.


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## mrkrik (Jan 26, 2016)

Thanks for all the replies everyone. My trailer is a 30' toy hauler that I bring a Yamaha Viking UTV in so it works best if we can camp right where we can use the Viking. It sounds like Greenwich is the best access road for me if I go up the mountain. We'll probably be out there from 7/1 thru 7/9. Any suggestions on which reservoirs to fish besides Box Creek during that time? Thanks again.

Goofy: would appreciate your offer on updates on the burn. Camping in smoke isn't a whole lot of fun.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Looks like Manning opens for fishing on the 8th of July or you can try Barney. I haven't fished any of the others.
UTV will be great for getting around most areas. There are a few 50" trails that may not be available if you are too wide.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Here is the information for the controlled burn. It looks like they are done with the spring ignition. But they will burn again early summer and again in the fall when conditions are right. you can keep checking back for updates.
https://www.utahfireinfo.gov/


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## wyoming2utah (Sep 12, 2007)

goofy elk said:


> Aviod the crowds on Cove mnt during the early LE elk WtoU?
> 
> Theres only 15 permits for the whole unit!
> I saw a bull on Cove last week that is going to be MORE than average by far.
> Might end up being something special.


0nly 15 LE elk permits, but how many archery hunters will have been up there chasing deer? Spikes? What about the muzzy hunters? Recreationists in general? My experience says that people flock up ther during the summer and into the hunts. Personally, I avoid cove this time of the year because the use seems higher. And, I hit other areas that still hold elk but don't get as much traffic. But, that's just me...Cove will certainly hold good elk. I just feel like the use is much higher up there than other areas.


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## mrkrik (Jan 26, 2016)

Thanks for the info middlefork. I'll keep checking that link out.

This will be a great family experience. It will be the first time my daughter really experiences elk hunting in the rut. It will be a fun time with my wife and daughter. We've started on the elliptical and treadmill and I'm picking up a new rifle for her in a few days and we'll start shooting a lot this summer to get her comfortable with it. Should be a fun summer/fall. Totally unexpected tag, as I was actually planning on a Manti archery hunt knowing that I would pull it. It looks like I will probably turn that in once I receive it as I just wouldn't be able to take the time off for both hunts that the tags deserve. I'll just push the Manti off till next year. It's a good problem to have!


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## Steve G (Nov 29, 2016)

I and my hunting partner hunted it last year for cow elk. I've heard this hunt/unit being referred to as a gentleman's hunt because of all the road access. My guess is you can tag out on opening day. We had trouble finding cows but no trouble locating bulls.

We were not pulling a trailer but all the roads in my opinion were extremely well maintained. We traveled the road out of Koosharem a couple times and that seems like it should be doable.


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## Critter (Mar 20, 2010)

When you talk about the road out of Koosharem are you talking about the actual road out of Koosharem or the one to the south out of Greenwitch? 

From what I remember I wouldn't pull a long trailer up the one that comes directly out of Koosharem. But the one out of Greenwitch is almost a two lane road due to the summer cabins up on top.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

Critter said:


> When you talk about the road out of Koosharem are you talking about the actual road out of Koosharem or the one to the south out of Greenwitch?
> 
> From what I remember I wouldn't pull a long trailer up the one that comes directly out of Koosharem. But the one out of Greenwitch is almost a two lane road due to the summer cabins up on top.


I agree, the one out of Greenwhich is much better than the one directly out of Koosharem.


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## Steve G (Nov 29, 2016)

Critter said:


> When you talk about the road out of Koosharem are you talking about the actual road out of Koosharem or the one to the south out of Greenwitch?
> 
> From what I remember I wouldn't pull a long trailer up the one that comes directly out of Koosharem. But the one out of Greenwitch is almost a two lane road due to the summer cabins up on top.


I mean the one out of Koosharem. It looked great to me, but I never traveled the road out of Greenwich, so I don't have that comparison. I would trust the opinion of anybody who has traveled both, over my own. I hadn't seen any comment regarding the Koosharem road so I figured it to be another alternative, as it and all the roads that we traveled on the Monroe looked very well maintained.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

I don't think it is as much about being maintained as it is about width and corners. Most of them have more than a few areas where you can't get off enough to let someone by going the other way. And Dry canyon has some really tight switchbacks.
It can be a pain just in a truck.
The road out of Greenwich is a wide two lane gravel road all the way to the top.


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## goofy elk (Dec 16, 2007)

The fire was going good Thursday, 
Wind blew it back onto a burned area.
Almost completely out today. 
No smoke.


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## mrkrik (Jan 26, 2016)

Thanks for the update!


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## mrkrik (Jan 26, 2016)

With the Panguitch fire and possibility of smoke in the area, I'm pushing back our week long vacation/scouting trip a couple of weeks. Anyone have any input on the smoke affect in the area? Lots, little? How's the fishing?


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

I don't have any first hand knowledge but the fire weather forecast doesn't look all that bad for smoke on Monroe.
http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/total_forecast/getprod.php?wfo=slc&pil=FWF&sid=slc

FWIW we hunted it in 2009 or 2010 with a big fire going on the Tushers and it mostly made for impressive sunsets.


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## #1DEER 1-I (Sep 10, 2007)

mrkrik said:


> With the Panguitch fire and possibility of smoke in the area, I'm pushing back our week long vacation/scouting trip a couple of weeks. Anyone have any input on the smoke affect in the area? Lots, little? How's the fishing?


There is some smoke but it hasn't been bad, I think pushing back your week will be fine but it wasn't bad either way. I went up yesterday and saw a pretty nice bull. There a little smoke, and you wouldn't want to do any long range spotting in some areas. I've been on the north end I don't know what the middle and south ends are looking like.


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## mrkrik (Jan 26, 2016)

Thanks for the info guys.

With the smoke, I am mainly concerned for my wife. She has asthma issues that are set off by smoke very easily. Anytime we are out camping for a decent amount of time, she gets on treatments ahead of time and brings the nebulizer with her just in case. Smoke is really bad for her. It's not worth messing with. We'll just try and wait it out and then head up there.


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Just back from a long weekend on the mountain.
Blue skies with scattered showers. No smoke at all.
Better get on it before some other idiot starts another one.


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## mrkrik (Jan 26, 2016)

Thanks for the update! We are heading out there early Saturday morning for 10 days. It's going to be a long week at work. I'll cross my fingers on no more fires.


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## mrkrik (Jan 26, 2016)

We're finally headed out early Saturday morning. Sure will be nice to get away from work and spend some time relaxing. If anyone is up on the mountain for the next 10 days, if you see a tan RAM 2500 with CA plates and a white/black toy hauler, stop in and say "Hi" if you like to talk!


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## middlefork (Nov 2, 2008)

Have fun! I heard they were slaying the fish at Manning Meadows last week but didn't have time to try.


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## mrkrik (Jan 26, 2016)

middlefork said:


> Have fun! I heard they were slaying the fish at Manning Meadows last week but didn't have time to try.


Thanks for the info We'll have try it while we're there. Sitting in the Wal-Mart parking lot in Richfield. Almost there!


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## mrkrik (Jan 26, 2016)

Back from a week on Monroe Mountain. Thanks to everyone for the input on the road out of Greenwich. It's a very good road with only a couple narrow spots. No problem at all. We put on about 250 miles on the UTV driving the mountain, learning the roads, and learning the area. We saw a lot of elk and deer and caught some nice fish in Big and Deep Lakes (they made some nice breakfasts). Didn't really concentrate on locating elk so much as just learning the areas that would be huntable for my wife as we figured their patterns will change by the time she hunts. It's a beautiful mountain and she's really looking forward to 9/16 after being up there.


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