Sagers Canyon

Overview

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(also known as Central #28) is a bit hard to find in that, it’s difficult to distinguish from the other numerous side cuts and small washes that pot the area. Its one saving grace is that the main canyon is fairly dominant and 'set-out' from the others in the area.
It took me two trips to actually locate the canyon and get some sense of where it meandered. It starts out at an elevation of 4,800ft down on Sagers Flats and eventually rises to the mid 6,000ft level.
Do not take a full-sized truck into the lower part of the canyon where it starts to climb off the plains below. I made this mistake with a Chevy Silverado and made myself sick at how much a tow bill would cost to get it out although, I was able to winch it out enough to clear some mild drop-offs. So be warned.
It can be accessed from Sego Canyon via an 8-mile jeep road from Thompson Springs.

Sagers Canyon is named after an old railroad stop down on Sagers Flats much like Floy Station (Floy Wash) that was built and owned by the Denver & Rio Grande Railway.
This station was located about seven miles east of Thompson Springs but has since been swallowed by the desert and completely disappeared.
There is a local legend about a Japanese cook who was murdered over a cache of money that he allegedly buried somewhere in the vicinity.
Sagers Canyon is one of those supposed places.

There are truly no trails or signs along this canyon or even the jeep road. The road loops back around (for off-road enthusiasts) and connects back to Sego Canyon.
Sagers Canyon itself is entirely wash bottom, side-hilling and scrub bush-whacking. The terrain is a good mix of wide open plateau and modereately narrowed wash bottom. Although noting in this canyon approaches the technical.
The amount of solitude and quiet that one will find here is staggering. All noise from the interstate disappears as does all traces of civilation. If one is looking for a true wilderness experience, a night or two camping in this canyon will deliver.


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Getting There

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Sagers Canyon is accessed from a spur dirt road from the beginnings of Sego Canyon. It is marked by a Forest Service sign stating 8.0 miles. After 7.2 miles, the road will descend steeply into the lower canyon. There are no guardrails or rocks along this stretch. I wouldn’t want to navigate this short section in wet conditions or in bad weather. The road, although graded is loose and steep. There isn’t room for vehicles to pass along this section.
Once in the canyon, the road becomes tighter with a few 75°-90° turns. As stated above, don’t take a full-size truck. A small size truck (Tacoma) or Jeep would be at home here. Sagers Canyon isn’t marked. The ‘main’ jeep road will be dissected by a small canyon. This canyon is Sagers.
You can keep to the right and eventually take another side road which will lead you out and down onto Sagers Flats and ultimately back to I-70. Staying straight will dead-end. If you stop and take the canyon to the left, this tight and constrictive wash will climb steeply on a rotten, loose and spun-out road till it reaches a plateau where it once again becomes gentler. This road will continue for quite a ways and eventually dead-end.

My odometer came out to 14.9 miles. There is a wash down below of the road that is easily navigateable by foot. I have taken both options and both are ok. I never came across another vehicle or person on three trips to this canyon.
Having a map and GPS in this area is highly recommended.


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Red Tape/Misc.

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Map References:
BLM- Westwater, Moab
USGS- Sego Canyon, Calf Canyon, Sagers Flat

Current Road Info:
BLM Moab Field office
82 E. Dogwood, Suite M
Moab, UT. 84532
(435) 259-2100

Camping

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External Links

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Images

View Sagers Canyon Image Gallery - 10 Images