Spring Break! Accidental Jeep Week in Moab

In my imagination, Moab was going to be full of climbers and rafters and mountain bikers and hikers – outdoor folks of all stripes. We’d fit right in – maybe even make a new friend.

Instead, we arrived during Jeep Week.

If I had done my research, I’d have seen that 4×4 enthusiasts descend on Moab for a week around Easter each year. But we were arriving in Moab mid-week, the last stop on a two-week trip, and I was tired of planning. For once, I decided, we’d play it by ear. No reservations. I printed off a list of campgrounds. One of them would have a site.

We drove from campground to campground, getting worried. Why were they all full? Sure, the desert was popular in spring, but that popular? And why were there so many jeeps? We stopped into a bike shop to set up a guided ride and heard the scoop. Jeepers took over the town for the week, filling up every hotel and campground for miles. They wished us luck.

Shut out in the valley, we drove up up up onto a long plateau towards the final campground on my list, a primitive site without running water. Evening was setting in, and we needed somewhere to sleep. No service, so we’d have to go back to town for wifi if we needed to look for more campgrounds. Anxiety set in. Why hadn’t I made reservations?

Half an hour out of town, as the sun dipped below the horizon, we pulled into Horsethief Campground. There was One. Campsite. Left.

The spot right next to the pit toilet that no one wants, but still. A place to sleep, and beautiful at that.

When have you lucked out when you really needed it on a trip? (Or when have you not?)

Share your story in the comments!