This is probably one of my favorite day trips in the Moab area, starting off going up the fun Onion Creek but then continuing where most turn around and heading up Thompson Canyon into the La Sal mountains and Pine Trees and Aspens.

Once a scale of 1 to 10 95% of this dirt road is a 1 or 2. Easy enough for passenger cars. In a couple places in Thompson Canyon it reaches a 3, where 4WD is recommended. But just about any 4WD or AWD vehicle can make it, although it might feel a little adventurous in car based 4WD vehicle.

The entire length is on BLM and National Forest land so dispersed camping can be done once you're past Fisher Valley but if you leave Moab by 9am, you can be back by sundown even if you stop often to enjoy the view. The campground up in Thompson Canyon is remote enough that I wouldn't recommend it as an alternative "overflow" to Arches or Moab unless you plan on exploring the area up there. It's about an hour from any pavement.

Here's the KML file for the trip:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1th3g...