Shafer Road

Written by Grizzly Adam // April 29, 2010 // Moab // 4 Comments

Frank and John Shafer needed a way to get cattle from the mesa tops, onto the shelf of open sage and brush—and the Colorado River—some 2,000 vertical feet below them. So they did what any ambitious cattle rancher in 1914 would have done: They built a trail. In the 1950s bulldozers widened the trail to facilitate the uranium boom. I can only imagine how many cattle fell to an untimely death in those early days of herding them off the top. Shafer Road is one of the most impressive engineering accomplishments in the United States. At least, it is from an improbability perspective. And while several jeeps and trucks creak and moan their way up and down the road each summer, I think it is most appreciated on a bike.

shafer canyonlands

shafer switchbacks

white rim trail

white rim shafer

Grizzly Adam is the author of Mythical and Tangible: Tales of Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Singletrack. He is also a frequent contributor to Cycling Utah and XXC Magazine. He spends his free time chasing the advice of Ben Franklin, that is, trying to "write something worth reading, or do something worth writing about."

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4 Comments on "Shafer Road"

Keith April 29, 2010 at 9:28 am ·

Or despised if you are coming from the wrong direction…Ughh. Next year (month) we go back to the Clockwise, yes?
Brandon April 29, 2010 at 11:09 am ·

Impressive photographs. It reminds me of my suffering. I agree with Keith, when are we going back? The current snow/rain needs to stop.
Jonnie J April 30, 2010 at 10:55 am ·

I missed out on the festivities this year. Let me know if you go down again this spring. This is one of my favorite rides.
Greg April 30, 2010 at 10:40 pm ·

I agree, impressive photos! Looks like one heck of a climb!