Seven Mile Rim Trail
The trail wouldn't earn a 3½ rating except for the portion around the south side of Merrimac Butte and a sandy hill near the end, both of which can be bypassed, if the long-way-around is necessary.
The Seven Mile Rim trail leaves Highway 191 just north of Highway 313, about 11 miles north of town. It passes the old Cotter uranium mine and switches back to reach the cliff rim above the mine and Highway 191. The intense mining activity left a maze of core-drilling roads on the mesa top, and the trail seeks the most interesting of these. It soon follows very near the rim toward the south and then turns east above Sevenmile Canyon, which carries Highway 313. Along the way, Uranium Arch will be visited. The trail joins other roads in the vicinity of Merrimac Butte, Monitor Butte, Determination Towers, and Big Mesa. The trail wouldn't earn a 3.5 rating except for the portion around the south side of Merrimac Butte and a sandy hill near the end, both of which can be bypassed, if the long-way-around is necessary. Approximate mileage: 50 total, 21 off highway.
Scenery
The trail route is near the Moab Fault, a geological fracture that left the trademark rocks of Canyonlands standing higher than the surrounding colorful Morrison formation, which was deposited later. Entrada Sandstone cliffs are constantly in view. The rim views include Sevenmile Canyon, the Arches National Park area, and the Book Cliffs to the north.
Road Surface
There is considerable two-track dirt road, a sandy hill, wash bottom, and some slickrock.
Highlights
The cliff rim portions are mainly scenic and would rate 2.5 to 3. Uranium Arch can be walked across. The south side of Merrimac Butte has exciting slickrock sidehill driving and is near Wipe-Out Hill, which can be visited if there is time. The last part of the trail, if used, runs the reverse direction of the Wipe-Out Hill trail in the Tusher Canyon system, and finds easy hills of the Wipe-Out trail to be hard and vice-versa.
Seven Mile Rim Trailhead
(38.70017, -109.71001)