Adobe Mesa

Adobe Mesa is a lesser-known but highly scenic trail in the highlands above Moab. It is located on the mesa that separates Castle Valley from Professor Valley and is particularly known for the majestic overlook of Castleton Tower from the western end of the mesa. The trail starts from the La Sal Loop Road in the Manti-La Sal National Forest and crosses onto BLM land once out on the mesa. It initially winds through a valley with a section of off-camber shelf road before coming out onto the flat mesa. Near the end of the mesa, it splits into two branches that each go to a different overlook on the rim. The western branch leads to an overlook of Castleton Tower and is the more difficult of the two branches. The northern branch is the easiest of the two and leads to another overlook of Professor Valley on the rim, where you will also find an excellent campsite. While this overlook isn't quite as spectacular as the western overlook, it is still worth checking out. The entire mesa is open to dispersed camping, and several campsites can be found both near the beginning and ends of the trail.

Adobe Mesa's overall difficulty is moderate. The road surface changes from rutted dirt near the beginning to a mixture of sand and slickrock ledges further out. The western branch is the most difficult, with a series of rock ledges that will challenge stock vehicles.