Muddy Slane Cut

Trail Overview

This is a fun little rollercoaster crawl cutting from Mud Canyon to Slane Canyon. The fun starts slow on an oil road just off Mud Canyon Road before making a sharp turn into a deeply eroded sandy wash/pipe clearing with some fairly off-camber moments of up to 24 inches in a full-sized 4x4 vehicle. (Narrower vehicles may be able to miss the eroded side of the wash.) At the end of the wash, you will find a steep, narrow incline through the sagebrush that will leave its mark on your vehicle's clear coat. At the top of the first ascent, take in a gorgeous view of the canyons and the Rockies in the distance as the trail crosses Slane Canyon and makes a steep dirt descent down to a milder angle before making one last steep ascent and descent. This portion of the trail includes some bare rock, loose rocks, sand, and dirt. From the bottom of the last descent, cross another wash to end back on the Slane Canyon.

Photos of Muddy Slane Cut

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Difficulty

Most of this is a 3 to 4, but at the end of the wash just before starting the climbs the side of the trail that washes out gets particularly deep and drops approx. 24" before cutting across the trail at a hard angle. Depending on your experience, vehicle width, and route selection, this could be challenging or simple. (See included picture) The height of the washout may vary depending on how recently storms have blown through. The trail's technical rating and difficulty may become much higher and/or it may become impassable in adverse weather.

Technical Rating