National Parks will Cite AWD Cars for Driving on 4WD-Only Trails

wayoflife

wayoflife

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I realize this is old news but it's new to me and thought I'd share it here, just in case it's new to you as well. Just came across an article regarding AWD cars driving on "4WD ONLY Trails" and how the National Park Service will cite drivers of them now.

Apparently, how this became a story is that a Subaru Crosstrek owner received a warning letter from the NPS "after driving on Canyonlands National Park's Colorado River Overlook Road" and as you may or may not know, it is marked for 4WD vehicles only. Of course, the problem is that unlike a true 4WD vehicle that has at bare minimum, a transfer case with Low Range, an AWD car does not and that can and has lead to people getting stuck and requiring rescue from the NPS. As I understand, violators can be fined up to $5,000 and can even face jail time.

You can read about it here:
www.jalopnik.com

National Park Service Will Cite Drivers Of AWD Cars For Driving On 4WD-Only Trails - Jalopnik

As one Subaru Crosstrek owner recently learned the hard way, it bears repeating that all-wheel drive is not the same as four-wheel drive. A Subie owner posted a warning letter they received a month after driving on Colorado River Overlook Road in Canyonlands National Park to the r/NationalPark...
www.jalopnik.com www.jalopnik.com

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We get people moving to Utah to go skiing, hang gliding, canyoneering and other outdoor sports, thinking an AWD will get them anywhere they want to go. They’re surprised to find out just how inadequate AWD is when they wander off county roads maintained for the tourist trade and get well and truly stuck. I guess they believe the commercials that make AWD SUVs look mighty
 
Yeah I’m all for this. Last trip to Moab we had to help a young couple in a RAV4 who had gotten bound up on the first set of switch backs on poison spider and it was ugly. We were happy to help but were more than adamant they turn back and not continue on.

Aside from it being dangerous for the people in said AWD vehicle, they often stack rocks or flat out break their own trail t get around sections they can’t get through and that, is how trails get closed. Not to mention the resources it can sometimes tie up.
 
wayoflife said:
I realize this is old news but it's new to me and thought I'd share it here, just in case it's new to you as well. Just came across an article regarding AWD cars driving on "4WD ONLY Trails" and how the National Park Service will cite drivers of them now.

Apparently, how this became a story is that a Subaru Crosstrek owner received a warning letter from the NPS "after driving on Canyonlands National Park's Colorado River Overlook Road" and as you may or may not know, it is marked for 4WD vehicles only. Of course, the problem is that unlike a true 4WD vehicle that has at bare minimum, a transfer case with Low Range, an AWD car does not and that can and has lead to people getting stuck and requiring rescue from the NPS. As I understand, violators can be fined up to $5,000 and can even face jail time.

You can read about it here:
www.jalopnik.com

National Park Service Will Cite Drivers Of AWD Cars For Driving On 4WD-Only Trails - Jalopnik

As one Subaru Crosstrek owner recently learned the hard way, it bears repeating that all-wheel drive is not the same as four-wheel drive. A Subie owner posted a warning letter they received a month after driving on Colorado River Overlook Road in Canyonlands National Park to the r/NationalPark...
www.jalopnik.com www.jalopnik.com

🤪
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when I passed through Moab on Friday there were a small group of protesters outside the visitor center protesting the National Park Service, I wonder if this was the cause because their signs made no sense.
as I think back, there wasn't a single Jeep parked anywhere near them.
 
wayoflife said:
Yes, it is. There are lots of places out west where people can get into a lot of trouble and in some cases, die like this.
Click to expand...

It's not too overdramatic to say that until you get out West and experience what it's all about it's way too easy to underestimate the truly life-threatening dangers involved. Very easy to FAFO if you're not prepared. My awakening was driving through a blizzard on I-80 in Wyoming. :oops:
 
We found a Mercedes with a dad and 2 girls coming off a trail. He was stuck in basically sand and was using a hiking pole to try and get unstuck. His reasoning was he was on this trail 10 years ago and could drive on it.
He refused help at first, then gave in after we told he’s going to spend the night there if we didn’t help.
No common since.
 
Ddays said:
It's not too overdramatic to say that until you get out West and experience what it's all about it's way too easy to underestimate the truly life-threatening dangers involved. Very easy to FAFO if you're not prepared. My awakening was driving through a blizzard on I-80 in Wyoming. :oops:
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Driving across Wyoming in a snow blizzard with those massive snow drifts is a hell of an adventure.
 
And yet, AWD vehicles have done hells revenge and the gate.

This fine is totally BS and should only be issued upon a needed request, plus rescue costs. A lifted AWD can and does trails without issue. It's more driver skill on the NPS roads than vehicle.

Isn't White Rim road and Schaefers Road marked 4wd, but Shaefer can be done by most 2wd sedans, and the eastern half, at least to the Thema and Louis point on White Rim?
 
epriev said:
And yet, AWD vehicles have done hells revenge and the gate.

This fine is totally BS and should only be issued upon a needed request, plus rescue costs. A lifted AWD can and does trails without issue. It's more driver skill on the NPS roads than vehicle.

Isn't White Rim road and Schaefers Road marked 4wd, but Shaefer can be done by most 2wd sedans, and the eastern half, at least to the Thema and Louis point on White Rim?
Click to expand...

Just because you can do something doesn't mean you should. In today's world you have to watch out for the majority and not the exceptions. There are so many IG and TikTok dipshits out there thinking they can do anything and go anywhere because some jackass influencer posted a video where they did it that I applaud the NPS for doing this. Someone has to save the idiots from themselves. 🤷‍♂️
 
epriev said:
And yet, AWD vehicles have done hells revenge and the gate.

This fine is totally BS and should only be issued upon a needed request, plus rescue costs. A lifted AWD can and does trails without issue. It's more driver skill on the NPS roads than vehicle.

Isn't White Rim road and Schaefers Road marked 4wd, but Shaefer can be done by most 2wd sedans, and the eastern half, at least to the Thema and Louis point on White Rim?
Click to expand...
🤦‍♂️
 
epriev said:
And yet, AWD vehicles have done hells revenge and the gate.

This fine is totally BS and should only be issued upon a needed request, plus rescue costs. A lifted AWD can and does trails without issue. It's more driver skill on the NPS roads than vehicle.

Isn't White Rim road and Schaefers Road marked 4wd, but Shaefer can be done by most 2wd sedans, and the eastern half, at least to the Thema and Louis point on White Rim?
Click to expand...
If NPS is going to restrict (or prohibit) a trail to particular type of vehicle, they must define what type of vehicle may or may not utilize the trail in order to enforce it. How would you propose defining the vehicles in an easily understood language at the trailhead so when someone pulls up in an AWD vehicle they understand that some AWD vehicles are acceptable but others are not - and whether *their* AWD vehicle falls within that definition?

I'm sure most can agree that the restriction based on "You can drive your AWD vehicle on this trail, but only if you have the driving skills necessary to do so" would work just peachy.
 
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