GRAND MESA JEEP CLUB
Grand Junction, Colorado Est. 1962
Legend Loop
The Legend Loop, is a brain child of the Grand Mesa Jeep Club, and it started when our neighbors to the south came up with an overlanding style route from Montrose, Colorado to Moab, Utah. We thought it would be great to finish the task, and make a triangle of sorts connecting Moab to Grand Junction, and Grand Junction, back to Montrose.
The task at hand was taken on by Grand Mesa Jeep Club LEGEND, Jerry Smith. Jerry was an explorer born 200 years too late. He and his Jeep covered every route in several states. Jerry Smith GPSed the original route and ran the whole thing a couple of times. He fine tuned the route, until he was happy with it. But Jerry fell ill before finishing the project. So the whole thing slowed down a bit for a time. Unfortunately Jerry Smith passed away before we could share his route with the world.
Our requirements were pretty simple. As little asphalt as possible, Jeepy, but not impossible with a larger vehicle, maybe with a small offroad trailer. And most of all, interesting. We always said,” if you want the shortest, fastest route, use the interstate”. This route includes as many overlooks, ghost towns, rock art, and historical interest locations as we could find, as well as a National Park, and a National Monument. The Jeep Club worked with Land Managers, County Commissioners, and cities along the route through the process. We took input from several organizations.
The route was fine tuned by a good friend of Jerrys and was run again and mapped by Mike Wilcox from the Grand Mesa Jeep Club. One of the stipulations of the Moab Field Office (BLM) had was that the route not be signed in their field office. So we kept that approach throughout most of the entire route. Eventually you will find a couple of kiosks marking some key locations. You will be able to find it from the mapping companies, and in the GPX.
It is a long route, and can be more than 600 miles long, 7-10 days of travel. There are several optional routes that make the trip even longer. We did this for a few reasons. First, some sections were more suitable for a Jeep type vehicle, but we know there are bigger overlanding rigs out there. It seemed a shame, coming from a Jeep Club, not to get into 4 low as much as possible in some areas. There are excellent notes on where those spots are, and how to bypass them if you want too. The second reason we made bypasses, is so you could take in more than just what the main trail has to offer. A side trip through the Colorado National Monument is an unforgettable experience, but if time doesn’t allow it, do it at another time.
There are some go arounds for seasonal closures and drier routes in the spring. Normal trail etiquette applies, if it is muddy skip it for a day or two and let it dry out. There are some seasonal closures, including the RimRocker Trail, and some other seasonal closures between grand Junction and Delta, Colorado. Those closures are December 1st through May 1st. Pack out your trash, follow the rules set by the land managers, don’t drive off trail. We set this up as a clockwise route, so the turns on the map match that direction. There are a lot of good things about this trip. You can start at any point where you hit the trail, and it can be done in sections. Also, there are places to bailout if you need too. Tire or equipment problems, or getting low on gas or food, or water, may get you off the route for a few miles, but it is easy to get back on to. The Grand Mesa Jeep Club, and all of the cities, and land managers invite you to conquer the Legend Trail, (at your own risk, come prepared). Lets honor the Legend, and explorer, and my good friend, Jerry Smith, and get out there and explore!
