Beef Basin to Elephant Hill
via Bobby's Hole
This sign marks the end of the Beef Basin Trail. Unlicensed ATV, Side by Sides and Dirt Bikes must stop at this point. Only Dual Sport Motorcycles and Jeeps can continue into Canyonlands National Park.
Since ATVs and Jeeps are not allowed into Canyonlands, I would recommend that you do not continue past Bobby's Hole hill while exploring the Beef Basin area. You will know the hill when you see it, it is not too tough to get down but would be very difficult to go back up. It is already very long day to make the Beef Basin round trip, make sure you have enough fuel, water and food before attempting Bobby's Hole.
In my opinion, of the thousands of miles of backcountry roads and trails I have been on, Elephant Hill Road is simply the most scenic of all trails. It is like a fairly land of interestingly shaped rocks.
Instead of towering trees we drove our KTM bikes through towering stones. I have since returned with my daughter and we spent the day picking out shapes in the Needles of Canyonlands National Park.
Moab Utah Guide Books, Includes Maps and Direction for this Trail
Much of the trail leading up to the Joint Hiking trail is easy but sandy. Use caution, a crash here could spell disaster and help would be hours away. If I only stopped to see one thing on this trip, it would be the Joint Trail. It is like a tunnel-like trail through the desert.
The trails to Elephant Hill alternate between sand and slick rock. There is one interesting place called the Silver Stairs.
If you like red rocks, this part of southern Utah is the best. There are interesting rock shapes at every turn. Tall and skinny, short and fat, and also mushroom shaped.
If you keep a watchful eye you will be able to spot Anasazi art work on the walls of some of the canyons. One of my favorite activities in the Moab area is finding Pictographs and Petroglyphs left by Indians hundreds or even thousands of years ago.
Anasazi Pictographs are irreplaceable please do not touch them, this one had several bullet holes in it. Why would someone deface something like this?! Even before the area was a national park, these were clearly cultural treasures.
As you can see from my Delorme GPS to complete the Beef Basin Loop through Canyonlands National Park took us 98.36 miles. Make sure your bike has enough range to complete the loop. We took an extra gallon of gas with us and had to use it.
If you are making the Beef Basin Loop you will have to exit through the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park. Note that you must be street legal to ride this portion of the trail.