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While recently in southeastern Utah, I drove a route not personally visited before. Well, at least the uphill portion. After a coin toss with my wife to choose between two different trails, tails won out and she got to pick. We departed up off of US highway 191 and ascended the climb up to Gemini Bridges and view them from above. The trail begins at US 191 and ends at UT Hwy 313. Hwy 313 takes you to Dead Horse Point State Park and the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands National Park.
The route can be taken both ways; however, the route UP to the Bridges is definitely more interesting than the way DOWN from RT 313. You can manage the down route on roller skates. In fact, as we were departing Gemini Bridges, a Mini Cooper was arriving coming from the DOWN hill way. That would not be possible going UP.
From US 191, you leave the highway and parallel it for a ways. Then you begin climbing up to the rim. The ascent, while moderate compared to other Moab area challenges, is not too bad. A few sections may require 4W lo.
Doing the uphill route to Gemini Bridges takes you by a rock formation named "The Goonie Bird." Local tradition has it that if you run over the Goonie Bird's toes, it will bring you good luck. If being out in nature and enjoying its many beauties is considered good luck, I'll take it.
From a distance, Gemini Bridges appear as one thick bridge. But upon closer inspection, you can discern two separate side by side spans. Each are about 250 feet off of the deck. There is an approximate 8 foot gap separating them. In the past, some overly inebriated knuckle heads have tried to jump from one bridge to another. Back in 2010, an 18 year old discovered the deadly consequences of making the attempt. The human body encounters unhealthy consequences in an uncontrolled gravity descent of 250 feet. So sad. Additionally, as of recent, Jeeps have been driven across the spans. Getting a vehicle within a 100 feet is not an option as there is a fenced parking area now.
We departed by heading out the near hard top like road over to ST Hwy 313. We then descended back down to Moab by way of Long Canyon and Pucker Pass.
(About half way up the US 191 way to Gemini Bridges is a turn off to Bull Canyon. We did not take this road, but you can get close up to the bottom of Gemini Bridges for another perspective).
Some pics. (not necessarily in order: climbing up the trail above US 191 with views into Arches National Park; view of The Goonie Bird; views of Gemini Bridge; descend down Long Canyon and Pucker Pass.
The route can be taken both ways; however, the route UP to the Bridges is definitely more interesting than the way DOWN from RT 313. You can manage the down route on roller skates. In fact, as we were departing Gemini Bridges, a Mini Cooper was arriving coming from the DOWN hill way. That would not be possible going UP.
From US 191, you leave the highway and parallel it for a ways. Then you begin climbing up to the rim. The ascent, while moderate compared to other Moab area challenges, is not too bad. A few sections may require 4W lo.
Doing the uphill route to Gemini Bridges takes you by a rock formation named "The Goonie Bird." Local tradition has it that if you run over the Goonie Bird's toes, it will bring you good luck. If being out in nature and enjoying its many beauties is considered good luck, I'll take it.
From a distance, Gemini Bridges appear as one thick bridge. But upon closer inspection, you can discern two separate side by side spans. Each are about 250 feet off of the deck. There is an approximate 8 foot gap separating them. In the past, some overly inebriated knuckle heads have tried to jump from one bridge to another. Back in 2010, an 18 year old discovered the deadly consequences of making the attempt. The human body encounters unhealthy consequences in an uncontrolled gravity descent of 250 feet. So sad. Additionally, as of recent, Jeeps have been driven across the spans. Getting a vehicle within a 100 feet is not an option as there is a fenced parking area now.
We departed by heading out the near hard top like road over to ST Hwy 313. We then descended back down to Moab by way of Long Canyon and Pucker Pass.
(About half way up the US 191 way to Gemini Bridges is a turn off to Bull Canyon. We did not take this road, but you can get close up to the bottom of Gemini Bridges for another perspective).
Some pics. (not necessarily in order: climbing up the trail above US 191 with views into Arches National Park; view of The Goonie Bird; views of Gemini Bridge; descend down Long Canyon and Pucker Pass.
