This trail is the only vehicle route onto Amassa Back, a rather high isolated area bounded by Kane Springs Canyon, Hurrah Pass, Jackson Hole, and a big lop of the Colorado River. The trail was up-rated to 4+ recently because several of the rocky lodges have become very difficult, even with top equipment. If Kane Creek is full, the crossing can become impassable. The views, however, are unusual and spectacular all the way up the side of Kane Springs Canyon. Farther along, the trail is high above the canyon of the Colorado River. There are some petroglyphs and other evidence of early visitation.
Note: There is a possibility that the trail rating will be lower in 2006. The road was built to serve power lines and an above-ground natural gas lie that short-cut across Amasa Back to potash mine. We have been told that access for maintenance work on the gas line may alter the road, although they will try to keep it near it present condition.

Trail Scenery:
As you climb along the base of the sheer cliff walls of Kane Springs Canyon, the Behind-the-Rocks fins and La Sal Mountains come into view. The cliff edge looks into Jackson Hole, an abandoned river course with a central butte. A spur leads to a spectacular Colorado River view toward Moab. The farthest viewpoint, atop a sheer cliff, has along vista down the river and is a great cliff-edge picture point.

Trail Road Surface:
Most of the road surface is rock. It crosses various sandstone layers that create difficult stair-step ledges. There is some sand, some dirt amid the rock layers, and some fairly level slickrock.

Trail Obstacles:
The trail gets your attention immediately as it descends a cascade of rock ledges from the Kane Creek Road to the creek bottom and climbs out again over nasty rock ledges. The creek crossing can range from dry sand through quicksand to deep water, depending on recent weather. The steep irregular ledges require good clearance and maneuverability. A switchback farther along includes a bouldery climb that calls for the best of man and machine. On the cliff-edge section, one rocky ledge is especially vexing: the only room for error is a 300-foot vertical drop. There are no bypasses for these obstacles.

Trail GPS Coordinates :
WP # Latitude Longitude Mileage Turn
1 N 38° 31' 26.9" W 109° 36' 04.9" 0 R
2 N 38° 31' 09.9" W 109° 37' 06.1" 2.2 L
3 N 38° 31' 24.7" W 109° 37' 13.4" 2.6 S
4 N 38° 31' 46.3" W 109° 38' 08.9" 3.6 R
5 N 38° 31' 37.6" W 109° 38' 31.0" 4.3 T
6 N 38° 31' 35.9" W 109° 36' 45.6" -- T

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