Scary Drive Up Utah's Moki Dugway

The Moki Dugway is a section of Utah Highway 261 that was cut into the side of a mesa by the Texas Zinc mining company in 1958 as a way to carry ore to a mill in Mexican Hat, Utah. The narrow dirt shelf road climbs 1,200' in 3 miles.
The bottom of the Moki Dugway starts at the intersection western end of the Valley of the Gods Road and UT-261.
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[@headdown1]

I have driven this road three times. The last time was last spring with a Ram 3500 towing a 16 ft cargo trailer/RV conversion. The total length was about 38 feet. A single vehicle that long would not make some of the switchbacks as far as I can see. I had to get one front wheel against the berm at the drop off in order to make some of the switchbacks. I only saw two other vehicles. I do this drive at a walking speed. It is an incredible place to be, and I want to be able to sightsee. At a walking speed your attention doesn't have to be as focused on the road as when you are driving as at a faster speed as in this video.

[@molengat1]

Just drove up this thing a few days ago with my family in an Acura MDX. I googled it before our road trip and it looked like a nice short cut to Bullfrog Marina, Lake Powell. Had no idea it was an old dirt mining road from the 50's. Such a city slicker! Scared the pants off of the kids too! But what an adventure! And incredible views! Opposite traffic was very courteous also. Don't be scared! It's a lot of fun!

[@doneown503]

Thx for putting a scare in those devils, best of luck, ur travels!!🥰

[@potatothorn]

thanks for the encouragement

[@richardharmon647]

Almost went that way when exiting Valley of the Gods. Saw the sign and turned around and went other way. Glad I did, I am deathly afraid of heights.

[@MrJOHNEBOB]

Did this in Klaus, my '71 VW Crewcab👍 Great smoke a bowl and campspot at 4:30 🤟

[@CrAck-MoNey]

I took this road at 3 in the morning in 2020. I'm glad it was when most people were in lockdown. I only saw 2 other vehicles thankfully. One of them was pulling a 16 foot horse trailer going down. I couldn't understand why they would traverse this road with a trailer? I guess it's better than the extra hour it takes to go around it. I was just happy I had a small Chevy Malibu. It was certainly an experience. I'm happy someone finally got a great video of it on KZbin. 👍🤯

[@RandomRob3000]

Drove it at night in a snowstorm about 15 years ago (Going Up), thought it would be a 'shortcut' to Hanksville, LOL. Took me for freaking ever! Think I started up just at twilight ~4:30PM and the snow was just starting to stick down in the valley. Didn't get to Hanksville until nearly 11PM. By the time I got to pavement, HWY 95, the snow was nearly 6-8" deep on the road. It was nightmare. Only met one car coming down, last car I saw the whole rest of the drive. The things we do to get home for Christmas, OY!

[@ruinsane100]

Sounds absolutely terrifying.

[@graciegardener]

😮 what an adventure…after the fact

[@doneown503]

THATS an adventure!

[@steviesevieria1868]

Loved the time-lapse at the end.

[@travelingman21000]

There's nothing scary about this road, I've been on this road several time times with my truck camper. Still a great drive with a awesome view!

[@lilycherkaoui5423]

My blood pressure went up and this scared me so badly.

[@zigmogcreator]

Great job on the video as i needed that before going up there.

[@gerardroth]

Just rode it this morning!

[@coastbill]

Hate to break down up there. What a different world than here in the cold and rainy UK. Nice video.

[@escapedtheratrace3408]

America is a big and beautiful place! Utah is the closest humans will ever be to a Mars like environment.

[@odyssey1453]

I'v been there last year. I was so scared. that I couldn't look down. I only drove forward.

[@emmy416]

me to i was scared , most of the time I kept my eyes closed but I wasn't driving lol

[@mikerobbins5049]

Nice. Reminds me of Schaffer switchbacks up near Moab. Will have to check it out when and if we get back out west to the great state of Utah. So much to explore......

[@bassage13]

This is much worse than Schaeffer. And it's part of a major highway. The video doesn't do it justice. This road is insane.

[@graciegardener]

Yes, I love the Schaefer road too

[@mikelovestoride2367]

Several roads in this area are Great drives!

[@spencervidal3168]

Hell, I did this road in the middle of the winter with two feet of snow at night..

[@ruinsane100]

Oh HELL no! I don't know whether to shake your hand or call you stupid! :)

[@danhamilton6921]

Nice video! I went down the Moki on my H D Heritage and later drove up in my Jeep Wrangler. Was able to enjoy the view more in the Wrangler!

[@graciegardener]

I did it 35 years ago when there were no other cars. What a rush to do it with me and my dog and then with my 6 year old daughter. Beautiful view of valley of the gods

[@doneown503]

1:35 - First, hairpin, 3:43 - E-Z, hairpin, 4:22 - I've got the hang of this by now, hairpin 6:03 - GOOD LORD!, u save the worst I'm almost done??, hairpin 8:28 - Good Bye , too u, thx 4 letting me LIVE! , now, the tough part , finding lodgings for the Princess & Little Pains! ,

[@sulevisydanmaa9981]

NTH SCARY if normal breaks, drove it both wayz in 88, Regal 3,8.

[@jqjacobs]

Back in the 80s I would had this road all to myself every time, no traffic at all.

[@jayantaray5551]

It's awesome my bro 👍👍

[@greetthemind]

I was gonna go up that yesterday to get to Torrey. But I have a Honda Accord and didn’t know if I could make it. After watching this I’m pretty sure I could’ve took it slow and got here no problem.

[@fibrooutdoorsman2951]

Yeah, you could have done it, but going around the other way is scenic also. You can't go wrong in canyon country!

[@graciegardener]

No prob for you. It’s basically a good road, least wise it was when I drove it

[@escapedtheratrace3408]

Very nice! It’s on my list now.

[@conozcamoslaverdad.bismark411]

Remembering this way. I cry seeing when i runed ten years ego.!

[@myexplorenow]

Is this the same road that comes down from Muley Point to Valley of the Gods? If so, it was a fun drive, but I wouldn't make it the destination. The coolest part was being able to camp at muley point and overlook this huge basin back to Mexican Hat and Monument Valley!

[@graciegardener]

Yes it is, I am positive you’re right

[@Noel-ox3vo]

Okay fine, I'll say it.. i parked my nissian sentra right there at 4:17, right on the spillage lane....no problems and stayed right in the car....fantastic sunrise

[@Harley.1251]

Are those workers off to the lower right in the timelapse? If so what are they doing?

[@roba4768]

Drove it up with a 30 foot camper ignoring all warnings. My wife wondered at some point why I stopped saying anything until she noticed how scary this drive was with this too big a vehicle. Lesson learned, when warned you’d better listen :). Luckily it was very early in the morning without any other traffic. But what a drive it was, just fantastic and we remember it very well after 10 or so years. Go see for yourself if you can, but do not take anything larger than a car.

[@MrJOHNEBOB]

Yeah you were not smart doing that. Should have watched "The Big Trailer" with Luci & Ricky first

[@atokarchik]

Ridden it on my motorcycle several times. Awesome.

[@StromBugSlayer]

Thinking about trying it on a GoldWing with a passenger. If I take it slow, what do you think?

[@atokarchik]

@@StromBugSlayer it should be okay. I rode it on my VStrom. Have you ridden much gravel on your Wing? It is a gravel road, so you need to be comfortable with that.

[@StromBugSlayer]

@@atokarchik I have a vstrom myself. This will be a rental. I've ridden plenty of (maintained) dirt roads. Not so much gravel. It will be a few days inti our ride though.

[@Mineralroli]

I want to use 1 still image (mountains) from the video and ask for permission, thank you

[@campocat]

It wasn't that wide when I went up it in the mid 1990's, two vehicles could not pass only in the turns.

[@jerry3077]

So correct. Went up in the late 90's and had the gift of a truck towing a huge camper trying to pass me on one of the drop-off areas.

[@campocat]

@@jerry3077 My wife was screaming in the back seat

[@tashag416]

Wow!

[@karlkeating2803]

This video's title might be considered clickbait. The road isn't "scary" at all, except perhaps to those with abnormal fear of heights. The road reminds me of Horseshoe Meadows Road, which goes from Lone Pine (gateway to Mt. Whitney) to the Cottonwood Pass and Cottonwood Lakes trailheads in California's Eastern Sierra, gaining about 6,000 feet. The chief differences are that Horseshoe Meadows Road is paved, has sharper switchbacks, and has steeper drop-offs--yet still isn't "scary."

[@CatsMeowington]

...that was cut into the side of a mesa... Does anybody know the name of the mesa? Is it Cedar Mesa? I liked your video so liked and sub'd it and bell'd it. I watched one in this area a few days ago down in valley of the gods. It was 1 hour and 18 minutes and enjoyed the slow pace from the north to the south. I watched one going down moki dugway. Liked that as well. Comment #3

[@eslott1]

Not scary! It’s a well maintained dirt road wide enough for two cars. The trip has gorgeous views. Go slowly and enjoy.

[@Truckerbob1]

Ok how the truck get stuck on a truck route

[@menguardingtheirownwallets6791]

That road definitely needs to be widened by 50% (blasting into the rock face), and there needs to be a gas station/repair shop at the bottom as there is no place to get gas for such a long time. A connected diner-restaurant would be a huge tourist hot spot, and that would pay for the repair shop expenses.

[@graciegardener]

🤣🤣🤣

[@jerry3077]

You can gass up in Mexican Hat. Restaurants in same town.

[@MrTommy001]

Right . . . and maybe a Starbucks or two? Appleby's? Taco Bell or Wendy's as well? And how about a Holiday Inn for those who don't want to spend the night in the back seat of their car? 🤣

[@rychaad5137]

If you guys think this is scary then you'd have nightmares driving it Jamaica

[@MrTommy001]

Does it snow in Jamaica? :)

[@davidlambert3892]

Not very scary. It’s a good road. Been up and down it a couple times.

[@reconeix]

It doesn't look scary at all.

[@jmmartin7598]

Nope. Never in a million years.