Rendezvous

UTAH here we come!

Location:  The Rendy site is located in the Four Corners region of Southeast Utah in the Abajo Mountains at the Wagon Wheel Trailhead dispersed camping area.

Coordinates:  37°46'47.2"N 109°26'45.4"W

The nearest decent size towns are Cortez, CO and Moab, UT each located about an hour and a half away. The small towns of Monticello and Blanding (each about 30 minutes away) have small grocery stores, hotels, a handful of restaurants, and gas stations. Most restaurants and stores in both these towns are closed on Sunday, (including all grocery stores) but gas stations remain open.

Twelve different National and State Parks lie within a two and a half hour radius of this site.

Airports:  The nearest airports are Moab, Durango, and Grand Junction.

Driving Directions:

From the North-

Drive South on Highway 191. 8.4 miles after passing the town of Monticello, turn right on CR 110, Dude Ranch Road. A large highway pull off indicates this turn, and you will see a sign for the LDS Church's Blue Mountain Guest Ranch / Camp once you have turned. No highway / road signs mark this turn. After 2.2 miles, turn left on Forest Road 0084 just before you enter the Blue Mountain Camp property. A sign for the Wagon Wheel Trail indicates this turn. Continue on this well graded dirt road for 2.8 miles until you reach the intersection with Forest Road 0085. This intersection is marked by a trailhead sign for the Wagon Wheel Trail and a pit toilet. The Rendy site is the large, dispersed camping area on the left.

From the South-

Drive North on Highway 191. 11.5 miles after passing the town of Blanding, turn left on CR 110, Dude Ranch Road. There is a left turning lane in the highway to indicate this turn, and you will see a sign for the LDS Church's Blue Mountain Guest Ranch / Camp once you have turned. No highway / road signs mark this turn. After 2.2 miles, turn left on Forest Road 0084 just before you enter the Blue Mountain Camp property. A sign for the Wagon Wheel Trail indicates this turn. Continue on this well graded dirt road for 2.8 miles until you reach the intersection with Forest Road 0085. This intersection is marked by a trailhead sign for the Wagon Wheel trail and a pit toilet. The Rendy site is the large, dispersed camping area on the left.

Alternatively, you can reach the site by turning west off HWY 191 at the signs for Devils Canyon Campground and following FR 0085 to the Wagon Wheel trailhead, but this route will increase your travel time on dirt roads. If you take this route, expect about 5 miles and 15 minutes to reach the camping area from the highway.

Weather:  Elevation is 8141 ft.  Temperatures are anticipated to be 70’s or low 80’s during the day and 50’s - 60’s at night.

Cell Service:  Not great but a few bars of AT&T and Verizon at the site.  T Mobile has no reception within an hour drive of the site, including in towns.

Camping:  This is a primitive camping area is shaded by ponderosa pines.  We will provide portable outhouses.  Remember what we pack in, we pack out, including waste.  Leave No Trace.  Certified weed free hay is required.

Alternative Lodging:  The nearest lodging to the site is Canyonlands Lodging, which has a few cabins for rent about 15 minutes away.  https://canyonlandslodging.com/

Water:  BRING WATER FOR YOU AND YOUR GOATS.  There is no potable water at the Rendy site. There is a pond about 1 mile from camp.

Meals:  Potluck style meals Friday and Saturday night, breakfast potluck Saturday and Sunday mornings.  Cook up your best campfire dish to share.

Program:  There will be a number of classes and discussion topics for both adults and youth all weekend!  Two trails leave from the campsite up into the mountains for both organized and open hikes.

BUT WAIT - there’s more!  Saturday morning we will host our first Youth Trail Trial.  Kids (the human ones) will have an opportunity to test their skills as packgoat handlers with their very own goats.  Don’t have goat?  We will supply one!

Please share this information with your local 4H and FFA groups.  We welcome all kids (the human ones) and their families to join !

The Youth Trail Trial will be for three different age groups with three different goat age categories.

• • All youth can enter 3 different classes using age appropriate goats.
  • Awards will be given in each class, with an overall high point belt buckle for each age group
  • The course will consist of obstacles commonly found on the trail
  • FREE entry for all youth

YOUTH AWARDS!  NAPgA offers a $150 travel stipend to help youth attend the Rendy and an annual $500 educational scholarship and.  More information can be found here. Questions?  youthawards@napga.org

Rules of the Rendy

All out of state goats must have health certificates. State law requires that all goats brought in from other states must have a recent, veterinarian-issued health certificate and be individually identified by either a scrapie tag or tattoos and/or microchip with registration papers.

NAPgA Best Management Practices are required. Please follow them.

Goats need to be tethered, corralled or leashed at all times.

Use only certified weed-free hay. This is a Forest Service/BLM rule for all pack stock.  Please obey it.

Protect the trees. Goats love to strip trees, so please tether or pen your goats where they can’t destroy them.

Ask permission before you pet. Some people do not want you touching their goats, and some goats don’t like strangers.  We also don’t want to spread germs.  Baby goats are especially susceptible to getting sick from bacteria that older goats are resistant to, do not touch them without the owner’s permission.  Please use hand sanitizer before and after handling kids.  Let’s keep our goats healthy!

Control your dogs. Do NOT let your dog wander or allow it to approach other people’s goats.  Keep dogs on a maximum 6-foot leash when near goats or people.  Always pick up after your dog.

Use the porta-potties. NAPgA has rented porta-potties for our use.  Do NOT use the vault toilet.  Leave it for the folks who aren’t part of our Rendy.

Supervise your children.  We love to see kids run and play but please do not allow them to disrupt talks or disturb other campers.

This is bear and cougar country.  Store your trash and food every evening so it does not attract them.  Keep your eyes and ears open, carry bear spray and watch your children, especially dusk to dawn.  Use bells on your goats at night so you can hear them startle.

“Leave No Trace.” Please pick up everything around your camp before leaving, including old hay and bedding.  Disperse goat droppings so they don’t impact future recreationists.  Once you’ve moved your tent or trailer check your camp again.  Pack it up, pack it out.

Quiet time is 10:00 pm to 7:00 am.