Fable Valley
Fable Valley is a tributary to a canyon which drains into the Colorado River north of Dark Canyon. It is part of the BLM's Dark Canyon Primitive Area. The valley is approximately eight miles long and can be reached by one of two trailheads. The southern trailhead from Dark Canyon Plateau is more easily accessible; the northern trailhead from Beef Basin is very hard to reach. Fable Valley does not get extensive back country use. It has been historically used by cattle; currently livestock do not graze here on a regular basis. Fable Valley is higher and cooler than most other areas of the Monticello Field Office, but is still a desert environment.
Phone
Geographic Coordinates
37.847473, -110.191101
Directions
From the southwest, the Sundance Trailhead is accessed from a road that leaves State Highway 95 east of Hite. This is a graded road which may require up to six inches of clearance depending on road conditions. High clearance is recommended but which may be accessible by regular passenger cars in dry weather. The Woodenshoe Road accesses the southeastern part of the area. It offers trailhead access into Dark Canyon on Forest Service land. Farther to the west on BLM land are spectacular views into the canyon. This is a graded road which may require up to six inches of clearance depending on road conditions. High clearance is recommended but the road may be accessible by regular passenger cars in dry weather.This road is accessed from a road that leaves State Highway 95 just east of Natural Bridges National Monument. The North Long Point Road accesses the Dark Canyon Plateau in the middle part of the area, and offers trailheads into Fable Valley on BLM land and into Dark Canyon on Forest Service land. This is a graded road which may require up to six inches of clearance depending on road conditions. High clearance is recommended but the road may be accessible by regular passenger cars in dry weather. This road is accessed from the South Cottonwood Road which leaves State Highway 95 west of Blanding or from the North Cottonwood Road which leaves the Needles Road west of Newspaper Rock. The Beef Basin Road offers access to the northern part of the area, including a trailhead into Fable Valley. The Beef Basin Road should be attempted by high clearance vehicles only, and four wheel drive is recommended. This road is accessed from the North Cottonwood Road which leaves the Needles Road west of Newspaper Rock.