Trail Overview
This scenic trail consists mostly of fine red dirt that can become extremely difficult when wet. The single-width route begins with up to 8-inch ruts and washouts that can put you 8–10 degrees off-camber. The trail is filled with dispersed campsites ranging from two to 10 vehicles, with at least five campsites within the first 0.4 miles, each offering level ground and a fire ring.
4WD or AWD and approximately 14 inches of clearance are highly recommended for the rougher sections.
Difficulty
This trail has 8-inch ruts, washouts, and 8–10 degrees off-camber sections, along with its narrow single-width route. The obstacles are manageable, but the terrain requires careful driving and adequate ground clearance, especially when conditions are wet.
History
Gibbler Mountain exposes a remarkable sequence of Jurassic rock layers, including the Kayenta, Entrada, Summerville, and basal Morrison formations, preserving evidence of changing environments roughly 145–200 million years ago. The area is also known for dinosaur and pterosaur tracksites, including theropod footprints documented since the 1970s and additional tracks discovered around Gibbler Mountain in the 1990s and 2011.