Fort Bottom Trail

Page Type Page Type: Route
Location Lat/Lon: 38.44423°N / 110.01755°W
Additional Information Route Type: Hiking
Seasons Season: Spring, Fall
Additional Information Time Required: Less than two hours
Additional Information Difficulty: Hike
Sign the Climber's Log

Overview

Fort Bottom refers to the remains of a stone tower built by Native Americans on top of a butte near Green River. The trailhead for Fort Bottom is on White Rim Jeep Road. From the road, the trail takes you down to a peninsula created by a U-shaped bend in Green River. At the end of the trail, you will find the remains of a log cabin close to Green River. I was not able to reach the banks of the river because the area was covered by a seemingly impenetrable growth of willow bushes. From the trail, however, I had great views of Green River.

To reach the stone tower, you must climb the butte near the end of the trail. I did not do this but my guidebook says that reaching the top of the butte requires climbing two little cliffs.

Fort Bottom Trail MapMap

Getting There

To reach the trailhead you will need a high clearance four wheel drive vehicle. Jeep Rental is available in nearby Moab, UT.

From Moab, drive 10 miles north on Route 191 and turn left onto Route 313. After 12 miles on Route 313, turn right (west) onto Mineral Bottom Road (not to be confused with Mineral Bottom Road that goes to Horsethief Campground).

Drive the Mineral Bottom dirt road 11.5 miles on the surface of the mesa. This portion of the road is well graded and can probably be driven by any vehicle when dry. You will then reach an edge where the road makes a number of steep twists and turns going down 800 feet in less than 1.5 miles. If the road is wet or ice is present, do not go down this road.

Mineral Bottom RoadMineral Bottom Road


At 13 miles from Route 313, you will reach a fork, turn left onto White Rim Road. This road has a rougher surface and in many places is only wide enough for one vehicle. Continue past the Taylor Canyon Road until after 21.8 miles from Route 313, you see the sign for Fort Bottom Trail.

White Rim Road traversing a steep slope more than 400 ft above Green RiverThis section of White Rim Road traverses the slope shown in the picture below more than 400 ft above Green River

White Rim Road traverses these slopes more than 400 ft above the riverThe road in the picture above traverses this slope more than 400 ft above Green River





Route Description

Trailhead Elevation: 4380 ft
Elevation at the end of the Trail: 3960 ft
Roundtrip Distance: 3.6 miles

Views at trailhead.

Trailhead

Trailhead


Head northwest and follow the trail downhill. You will have fantastic views of Green River at the bottom of the canyon.

Green River

Green River

Green River

Green River

On Fort Bottom Trail

Green River


You will then have to cross a narrow area.

Narrow hiking areaNarrow area


The stone tower on top of the butte will come to view. The cliffs on this side of the butte (east side) seem to be a technical climb. The beaten path to the top of the butte is on the west face of the butte.

Stone Tower on top of ButteStone tower on top of butte


Looking down, you can see the remains of the log cabin.

Log Cabin from the trailRemains of cabin by the river


Follow the trail all the way down to the cabin.

Remains of Log CabinRemains of log cabin at the end of the trail


You can now see the west side of the stone tower butte which seems easier to climb than its east side.

West face of stone tower butteWest face of butte with stone tower on top


From near the cabin.

From the end of Fort Bottom TrailView near the trail's end


Dense growth of bushes made it impossible for me to reach the banks of Green River.

Banks of Green RiverDense growth by the river

Essential Gear

Hiking equioment.


Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.