Valley of the gods in a Prius?
Apr 21st, 2011, 05:32 AM
#3
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Would it be risky to drive the Valley of the gods in a Prius?
Been a few years, and I always had a mid-clearance 4-WD, but in general the road is not too bad if you start off 261, near where the dugway starts. The worst spot was crossing a stream (or dry creek bed, depending on the season) near where the road T's into highway 163. If you can make it across this creek bed/stream and still have your oil pan and rear bumper attached you are good to go.
I think I'd just start from the 261 side and go as far as I felt comfy (there's a chance heavy rains would have left the road deeply rutted, in which case, forget it until it has been graded) and then backtrack out. This should let you see everything of interest (twice -- coming and going). I wouldn't try the stream bed in a low clearance vehicle unless I saw someone else do it first.
We're also visiting Monument Valley, Goosenecks State Park and Arches.
At MV the 17 mile loop can also be dangerous for low-clearance vehicles, depending on when the road was last graded. The first few switchbacks are the worst, if you can make it thru those you're OK; if the ruts are deep then resign yourself to a guided tour.
Been a few years, and I always had a mid-clearance 4-WD, but in general the road is not too bad if you start off 261, near where the dugway starts. The worst spot was crossing a stream (or dry creek bed, depending on the season) near where the road T's into highway 163. If you can make it across this creek bed/stream and still have your oil pan and rear bumper attached you are good to go.
I think I'd just start from the 261 side and go as far as I felt comfy (there's a chance heavy rains would have left the road deeply rutted, in which case, forget it until it has been graded) and then backtrack out. This should let you see everything of interest (twice -- coming and going). I wouldn't try the stream bed in a low clearance vehicle unless I saw someone else do it first.
We're also visiting Monument Valley, Goosenecks State Park and Arches.
At MV the 17 mile loop can also be dangerous for low-clearance vehicles, depending on when the road was last graded. The first few switchbacks are the worst, if you can make it thru those you're OK; if the ruts are deep then resign yourself to a guided tour.
Apr 21st, 2011, 08:03 AM
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If you want a couple of pictures of both roads in VoG and Moki dugway, I have a couple at www.flickr.com/photos/emalloy2009/sets in the 2010 set. As Bill H said if the roads have been graded recently and there hasn't been rain it should be ok. There was water in the dips when we went through VoG but the bottoms were paved and we had a 4wd so it was fine.
Friends of ours followed us down Moki dugway in a 2 wd Toyota and it was a bit scary for the driver as there were some greasy spots due to snow the day before, but the car did just fine.
The road through Monument Valley was much rougher than VoG when we were there and unless it had been recently graded, I wouldn't want to do it.
Friends of ours followed us down Moki dugway in a 2 wd Toyota and it was a bit scary for the driver as there were some greasy spots due to snow the day before, but the car did just fine.
The road through Monument Valley was much rougher than VoG when we were there and unless it had been recently graded, I wouldn't want to do it.
Apr 21st, 2011, 12:55 PM
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This specific photo from emalloy is what I remember the VoG road looking like in the early and mid-part, starting from 261 (thanks emalloy!) ... http://www.flickr.com/photos/emalloy...57624008200068 ... no problems at all ...
IIRC the last creek you cross (near 163) had a relatively steep angled drop to the creek, then wasn't bad crossing the creek itself, but the angled drop (if it's still like that) could cause problems in a low-clearance vehicle.
IIRC the last creek you cross (near 163) had a relatively steep angled drop to the creek, then wasn't bad crossing the creek itself, but the angled drop (if it's still like that) could cause problems in a low-clearance vehicle.
Apr 21st, 2011, 01:33 PM
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Wow, gorgeous photographs!
Thanks for the comments. I was looking at the Moki Dugway too. We're going to need to eliminate something based on time constraints, so we'll let the road conditions decide.
Thanks for the comments. I was looking at the Moki Dugway too. We're going to need to eliminate something based on time constraints, so we'll let the road conditions decide.
Apr 22nd, 2011, 06:22 AM
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We didn't have any problems in our rental. I even let my then 14 year old drive a couple of miles on the road. I know pretty stupid and it's not like me to even do something like that.
I liked Moki Dugway and Goosenecks better than V of G. We stayed in the B&B in Valley of the Gods and enjoyed it.
I liked Moki Dugway and Goosenecks better than V of G. We stayed in the B&B in Valley of the Gods and enjoyed it.
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