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Potash Road: Highway 279, Moab, Utah
Photo: katsrcool · CC BY 2.0 · cropped

Drives Utah Moab and Utah's Canyon Country

Potash Road: Highway 279

UT 279 · US-191 → End of the pavement

Leisurely15.1 mi30 min1,600 ft climbHigh point ≈ 4,100 ftOne way
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The drive

Highway 279 leaves US 191 and follows the Colorado River west beneath sheer Wingate cliffs. Along the way are the climbers' routes at Wall Street, petroglyph panels, dinosaur tracks and the Corona Arch trailhead. The pavement ends at the potash plant, and you turn around and drive back. It is 15.1 miles and about 30 minutes.

The curves are gentle. The drive is short, but the river canyon makes it worth stopping.

Past the plant the road becomes the dirt Shafer Trail, which is not part of this drive.

Along the way

  1. US-191
  2. Corona Arch trailhead
  3. End of the pavement (potash plant)
Elevation
1,600 ft of climbing · high point ≈ 4,100 ft
US-191End of the pavement
Curves
Mostly gentle curves
US-191End of the pavement
GentleHairpins

Good to know

  • The pavement ends at the potash plant, and the dirt road beyond is not part of this drive.

Open all year, weather permitting. Roads close for snow, fire, storms and repairs: before you set off, check UDOT Traffic.

Questions about this drive

How long does Potash Road take?

Highway 279 from US 191 to the end of the pavement is 15.1 miles and takes about 30 minutes each way.

Where does Potash Road end?

The pavement ends at the potash plant, where the road becomes the dirt Shafer Trail.

Is Potash Road twisty?

No. It has mostly gentle curves along the Colorado River.

What you get in the app

Turn by turn, on this roadSpoken directions along the exact route. Carve never reroutes you onto a faster one.
Preview it in 3DFly the whole drive over satellite and terrain before you go.
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Distance, time, elevation, curves and intensity are from Carve's route. Checked 2026-10-28.

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Map of Potash Road: Highway 279, from US-191 to End of the pavement