ADT Utah Segment 2 Water Caches

DANGER: this segment from Moab to Canyonlands is very remote and can be very hot with little shelter from the sun, you are unlikely to meet any people between Hurrah Pass and Canyonlands, especially in the hotter months. It is almost certainly the most dangerous stretch of the entire ADT, carry as much water as you possibly can. The only alternative is to walk Hwy 191 south from Moab to Hwy 211 in to Canyonlands, 68 miles of road walking.

Water caches starting with the easternmost and headed west. Please try to leave the caches as (in)visible as when you found them and sweep away your footsteps where they are obvious. You must take a bottle whether you need it or not because they have to be removed by year’s end and I can’t do that. Crush the empty bottles and use the ribbon to tie them to your pack, many ATV riders, Jeepers, and RVers will take your trash if you ask.

There is no guarantee that the water will still be there when you arrive. You must have a backup or escape plan, it’s highly recommended that you have an emergency locator and plan (SPOT, Garmin InReach etc.) Cell phone coverage is sparse. Care has been taken to conceal the bottles but they do have to be locatable so they may be found by other people, or animals. In desert areas always carry as much water as you can even if it is uncomfortable and inconvenient. Drink early and often, you should never feel thirsty. Accept water from anybody who offers.

Natural Spring – 38.51805, -109.59488

This is a very reliable and easy to see spring in the cliff face right by the road, you should leave here full of water internally and externally! It is 10 miles mostly uphill to the next cache and a very long way to the one after that.

Basecamp Lodge cache – 38.47076, -109.65041

If this water is missing go to Basecamp Lodge and wait for the owner, he lives there but hikes a lot and goes to Moab occasionally.

The cache is just south (trail west) of the Basecamp Lodge road through a road gap in some purplish rocks, you will see the road lined by wooden beams.

The cache is in a crevice on the left side.

WARNING: It is 27 extremely remote miles to the next cache and 46 miles to the next hint of civilization at Needles Outpost, there are normally very few or no people in that 46 miles.

Dark Red Rock cache – 38.34825, -109.65466

The water behind the second dark red rock away from the road in a crevice, this formation is easier to see when you have passed it (westbound).

The rocks are a noticeably different colour than the others around.
Bernie passed here in July and took one bottle, he reported that one of the others had leaked but couldn’t tell why, that leaves 3 which is what we need. I hope to get an update from Ruk Runner when he reaches this point in late August. This is a hard place for me to reach in my truck so I am unlikely to be there again this year, or maybe ever unless somebody rents me a Jeep.

Lone Post Provisional extra cache – 38.30889, -109.71424

This cache has not been placed yet, due to the doubt about the previous cache I plan on placing another one here in mid August, this is where the road turns bad headed north. It is 5 miles south of the Dark Red Rock cache. The lone post was once a signpost for the road that heads west at this point.

Needles Outpost – commercial store and campground – 38.17609, -109.74185

The owners of the Needles Outpost are very friendly to hikers, however, please buy something from them if you ask for water, they have to buy all their water from Canyonlands National Park. The Outpost is a great place to spend the night. The Needles Visitor Center is only 1 mile further west so you can fill up in bulk there for free.

Sign cache – 38.03028, -109.93150

Cache is buried 20-30 feet back from the sign in front of the bushes and with sticks crossed over it. The sign faces south (i.e. away from westbound hikers). Biff may not be present…

Beef Basin Junction cache – 37.90385, -109.78984

The cache is just south of the junction (R20310) in an obvious grey patch of soil east of the road. There is a large culvert under the road just south of the cache though it is only visible from the edges of the road.

Forest Sign Cache – 37.67629, -109.80101

This cache is back in the bushes in a red nylon bag directly behind a post with a small metal sign about the forest management. You’ll probably have to rummage around a bit to find it. Eastbound hiker: it’s a few hundred feet after the sharp turn at R20380. Westbound, if you get to the sharp turn you’ve gone too far.

This is the only man made thing in the area so easy to see.

Woodenshoe Road cache – 37.75789, -110.01349

The cache is downhill from the cattleguard behind some logs.

Cache is downhill on the right side of the cattleguard in this picture.

Flat Road Cattleguard cache – 37.81043, -110.18538

It’s just another cattleguard on a flat section of road, the cache is at the 6th metal fence post uphill under a dirt mound with branches over it.

The dirt was too hard to dig any deeper.

Hite Outpost

Your next water will be at the Hite Outpost, last I heard the store was closed but water was still available either outside the store or at the campground.

Segments 5&6 1 Segments 5&6