Four Arches & Bull Canyons + Gemini Bridges

By Jerry Smith

November 2, 2013

Day 1 of 2

At the announced time of 08:00, the Fruita McDonalds parking lot emptied as the Grand Mesa Jeep Club headed west on I-70. The right lane of I-70 looked like a long line of hungry Jeep ants marching to a picnic.

A bit over an hour later we all turned onto Hwy 313 headed for the Little Canyon turn-off. There we aired down and began a great day exploring eastern Utah’s splendor.

A few miles down the trail brought us to one of those obstacles where many 4-wheelers miss a lot of adventure… a fork in the road. This one was marked with signs adding to the dilemma. We were inclined to take the Four Arches Canyon direction as planned, though.

Grand Mesa Jeep Club members in Four Arches Cyn.

A few of us had already explored this short but interesting trail. The others were about to find this moderate-rated trail to be slight in difficulty, but have some of the Moab area qualities like beauty and charm that draw so many of the 4-wheeling community here every year.

Passing the ranch near where the canyon mouth begins narrowing, we couldn’t help but wonder how many of the 4-arches we would encounter. In previous trips, some had not found all four. A couple of them are not the typical arches one sees in this land so rich with the strange, natural structures.

One of the arches in Four Arches Canyon

Cody, our leader, was able to point out our quarry as we traveled the snaky trail that follows a dry stream bed under a power line headed up and over the high cliff at the end of the box canyon.

Arches, no matter their shape, size, or location are always great for a “Kodak Moment”, and these were no different. Only yards off of the trail, they presented their best sides for our cameras.

Another of the arches in Four Arches Canyon

Cody obviously had a schedule to keep as we barely had time to snap pictures from our vehicle seats as we briskly drove by. His mental scheduling proved to be right-on as the day progressed.

Another of the arches in Four Arches Canyon

Returning to the “fork in the road”, we continued on to the short trail to Gemini Bridges.

There we walked down the “300-yard” rock-lined path from the parking lot to the top of Gemini Bridges.

As you approach the “bridges”, your eyes generally first encounter the gaping opening of the wide, red, 160-foot deep canyon beyond the actual reason for your interest in coming here.

Your first view of massive Gemini Bridges

The next thing will be the large hole or pit in the sandstone with the “bridges” lurking between the pit and the canyon beyond. You’ll likely be walking up to the edge of the pit to see the massive hole below the bridges.

Don’t look down too much. You’re standing on a deeply undercut ledge where only air and the rock you’re standing on are between you and the bottom of the pit below. Go around to the bridges and look back to confirm this and feel your stomach tighten. (it’s good exercise)

You were likely standing on that undercut ledge moments ago.

As you approach the “bridges”, you will see why they are called “bridges”. There is a 6-foot wide slot opening between the bridges offering a new view through the opening below.

The view between the "Bridges"

If you go off the south end of the bridges (to the right) and walk around to the point above, you get a great view of the canyon beyond and up to the bridges. Look for a plaque embedded in the rock.

The "arm" off Bull Canyon

This is a short side canyon off of the main Bull Canyon below where you may walk about 3/8 of a mile from the Bull Canyon road to the base of Gemini Bridges. It’s a walk that is well worth the effort.

As you stand in the middle of the outside bridge, look down and imagine how 19-year old Beau James Daley must have felt as his Jeep drove over that edge on Oct. 9, 1999. That is why you’ll find the plaque dedicated to his life attached to the rock mentioned above.

Others have lost their lives as a result of falling here. Jumping the gap between the bridges seems too alluring for some people. Some have even made it. Others, well… they’re not jumping anymore. Please, watch your children and friends closely.

Even the younger GMJC Jeepers enjoyed Gemini Bridges

After our tour of the top of Gemini Bridges, we all met in the parking lot and had a lunch break. What is it that food always tastes better under open skies with an excellent view and great friends?

Food, Friends, Fine Views. Get that in New York City!

After lunch, we continued down toward the Bull Canyon turn-off. Taking it soon presents another “fork” dilemma. We stayed left.

This road takes you to another fork. Going left takes you to a spectacular overlook of Day Canyon and a steep blow sand hill that presented some sporting fun and good photographs as sand was flying everywhere.

As hard as we cheered, this is as far as Roger got on the hill climb.

After the fun in the sand, we returned to the fork and followed it down into the Dry Fork of Bull Canyon. This spur road took us down a dry wash for the most part.

Mary and her LS3 powered JKU made it look easy.

Some of the wash had some fun obstacles. The majority of our group circumnavigated most of the more difficult obstacles while the more adventurous of us took on the challenges. We all followed Cody until the road begins to turn rather nasty and we returned to the main Bull Canyon trail.

Plenty of sand was displaced

This road presents the opportunity to park and hike to the bottom of Gemini Bridges.

Codie moved a pile of sand but made it on her first try.

Initially, we passed by the trailhead and continued on to where the road becomes rather difficult. Being toward the rear of the line afforded me the knowledge that the main group was at or near the end of where they were about to turn around. CB radios are great.

Finding myself at another fork in the road and seeing a road across the canyon, I ventured off on my own. This road was mostly primitive and largely unused. Many fallen rocks littered the road, but that is no hill for a climber. Finally, we crossed the wash bottom and ascended to a strange mine adit.

This could be "Very Delicate Arch", but we don't know.

This mine was about 10-feet wide, but only 24 to 30” high. It did go deep into the hillside but was not “inviting” looking at all.

A mine for very short people.

Turning around, I looked up the other side of the canyon to see I was being scrutinized by several of the group high up on the rocky hillside. I wasn’t sure if my side-trip was being envied or damned, so we (Happy Trails & I) began looking for a way back.

The upper road proved to be a bust right away. Past a small rock fall, a short walk showed where the road had sloughed off completely. From there I spied another road below that looked promising.

Backing down to the lower road must have looked a little bad because the CB squawked that I was being observed.

Occasionally the La Sals showed their snowy tops.

That lower road began innocently but soon became more and more narrow as a deep wash on the upper side cut the road surface.

Just a few yards before dropping into the dry wash bottom, the road was only about 3-feet wide and had a severe crown. This was almost a deal breaker and we seriously considered backing out the nearly quarter-mile behind us.

No guts, no glory! We ventured on and “tip-toed” down the “road” into the wash and were soon on the road back to the fork where I met the others coming back.

At the trailhead to Gemini Bridges, we all hiked back into the already shadowed canyon. Most of this hike is in a loose sandy dry wash and your legs get a good workout. It’s about 3/8s of a mile to the end, but well worth it if you are able.

After several picture taking ops, we about-faced and marched out to the waiting vehicles.

Not long after, we dropped down to where the end of the Golden Spike and other trails join the road near Gooney Bird Rock. There we picked up some traffic from Golden Spike (we assumed) who joined up with no invitation.

As the shadows grew, we exited Bull Canyon

Our descent down to the trailhead south of the Hwy 191/ 313 junction was a bit dusty but concluded a wonderful day on the trails of Moab.

Most of the group had elected to spend the night in Moab hotels and have dinner together. I was suffering the ravages of an oncoming cold and elected to head back to Grand Junction to see if tomorrow's trip that would be crossing the Delores River was going to be something I could suffer through.

One last thought—when you come to a fork in the road… take it!

Happy Trails.