Moab

D1700 is a short, straight-through spur road off Long Canyon that leads past a gas well and back to Long Canyon. The road is an easy, hardpacked two-track offering great views of the La Sal Mountains. Camping is not allowed for the first half mile along the western end, but no pre-established campsites exist along the remainder of the road. This trail is suitable for any vehicle with decent ground clearance.

Acting as a jumper from Dome Plateau Section 2 to Highlands Road, this entertaining two-mile trail allows users to push the limits of their stock vehicle on a few small rock obstacles. Beginners will enjoy the challenges, while seasoned wheelers will appreciate the break from a normal boring dirt road. Small sections of this trail also allow for a bit more speed, making this a relatively quick trail. No camping is found directly along this trail.

You'll understand the name by traveling up two red dunes to the cliffs overlooking the Backside of Sevenmile Rim. The western trailhead is on Bartlett Wash Road at Waypoint 16. The sand is soft and off-camber in several spots. 4x4 and lower tire pressure are required. The route makes an excellent addition to connecting Bartlett Flat and more. The route has no rock obstacles. If you bypass the out and back spurs the 4.7-mile track can take as little as 15-20 minutes to complete. No camping was found along the route. The dead-end overlooks are turn-around points.

Nestled within the foothills of the Manti-La Sal Mountains, 4718 is a moderate and scenic climb into the pinyon-juniper forest. Used to connect with Slaughter Flats 78, the trail is ideal for stock 4x4s and drivers looking for an adventurous day on the trail. There are no obstacles to mention, but there are long rocky hills with small ledges. The mountain views along the route's northern section are spectacular, but no primitive campsites were found along the trail.

Finding legal camping along Mineral Bottom Road can be confusing. The area has strict camping regulations and designated campsites to help preserve the delicate landscape. Halfway along this 1.2-mile out-and-back trail, there are five designated campsites. Each site is marked with a brown carsonite post. The sites are relatively small, with room for 1-2 vehicles with tents. The ground can be rocky and not very level. The trail to the sites is soft sand with deep ruts before turning to sandstone rocks near the campsites. The trail continues past the designated campsites and dead-ends at a non-descript point in the desert. You can walk a short distance from the campsites for views down into Mineral Canyon. The campsites cannot be reserved and are first come, first served. There are no services or water in these remote camp areas, and you must bring out all human waste. The trail has small rocky ledges and soft washouts that may require 4x4.

D1585 is a short, camping spur road off the popular Poison Spider trail near the Pre-Launch Pad obstacle. This easy sandy road travels a quarter mile west of the main trail to a cliff edge high above the Colorado River. The camp spot at the end is a large, relatively flat slab of slickrock that can accommodate several vehicles.

This road is suitable for any high clearance vehicle.

The proper 4x4 portion of the Rustler trail network rewards the ambitious traveler with amazing views very few have ever seen. The trail is tight and twisty through the trees along the rim. At numerous points, you can take a short walk to cliff-edge views of the Canyonlands, 2000 feet below. The trail has rocky sections requiring high clearance, 4x4, and durable offroad-type tires. It's bumpy, and your vehicle will get pinstripes. It takes about 30 minutes to complete the loop to the epic camping at the end of the Rustler Spur trail.

Tucked away in a lesser-used part of the Dome Plateau, Richardson Overlook is a short, out-and-back, but rewarding spur trail to an amazing overlook of the Colorado River, Onion Point, and the Richardson Amphitheater. This is a moderate trail with only a few minor challenges. Beginners and stock vehicles will really enjoy these challenges while everyone can appreciate the solitude that this trail provides. One small campsite at the overlook can accommodate 2-3 vehicles, but there are minimal flat spots for tents.

This spur off Spring Canyon Point has a little difficulty in an otherwise pretty tame area. The pictured rock climb is shortly after the trail leaves Spring Canyon Point and is a rough descent that you must climb on the way back out. At the end of the trail, you can park and continue on foot towards the river and the Keg Spring Bottom Viewpoint.

Richard's Mountain Spur is a 1.75-mile dead-end spur to an east-facing rim overlooking the Colorado River and the tip of Dome Plateau known as Richard's Mountain. From here, you can see Power Pole Rim and Pole Canyon Rim across the river. This trail is moderate, with a few small rocky patches perfect for beginners and stock vehicles. Camping is available along this spur.

D2761 is a rocky, sandy, remote, dead-end 4x4 trail across a scenic desert landscape. Unique balance rocks and hoodoos add to the vast panoramas that stretch for miles in all directions. Watch for pronghorn and big horn sheep that thrive in this pristine, remote environment. The trail cuts straight across the scrub brush, following a sandy two-track with long sections of bumpy sandstone, mild vertical ledges, and gradual descents. Airing down tire pressure will aid with traction in the loose sand and over the endless bumps. Low-range 4x4 may be needed numerous times, and high clearance and durable offroad tires are required. The rocky step ledges are 10-14" tall and must be driven in both directions. There are no campsites along this route or down in Bull Bottom. Abundant camping is available along Ten Mile Point.

Rustlers Spur is the main out-and-back trail connecting all four of the Rustler network of trails. The 2-mile sandy service road leads to an overlook of the Canyonlands and a couple of rocky campfire rings for tent campers. The trail is hard-pack sand that is passable in 2WD in dry conditions. The trail connects with the more challenging 4x4 trail Rustlers Loop, leading to the Needles Overlook.

D1167 is a short, dead-end spur road off Mineral Bottom that leads to a couple of campsites at the cliff edge overlooking Mineral Canyon. Any vehicle can easily travel the road. The trail surface is primarily sand with sections of flat slickrock. The first campsite is large and wide open, with plenty of level space on top of the slickrock accommodating several tents and vehicles. Against another canyon area, the second campsite is again large and open, but has more uneven ground, making it harder to support ground tents. Rooftop tents are a great option at the second campsite.

The Slaughter Flats region south of Moab is nestled in the foothills of the Manti-La Sal Mountains. The 4254 National Forest trail crosses sprawling meadows with stunning views of the snow peaked mountains. The camping is limited to a couple of sites, but what excellent campsites they are. Reaching this trail via Slaughter Flats 78 creates a scenic and historic tour of one of the lesser-known areas around Moab, Utah. The area trails are ideal for stock-type 4x4s with high clearance and a driver with a sense of adventure.

The first and main road to the Rustler area trails leads to a subdued, overlook camping area. The easy sand road travels 3.4 miles to the turn-around camping area but is less rewarding than the Rustlers Spur trail. A vehicle can set up a tent or two in two small areas, but it would be tight and intrusive when traffic passes through for a look. The maintained road to the overlook is easy with packed sand and can be busy during the day. Whether you're there for a quick look or a few days, you'll leave with many memories and photos. Look for Horsehead Rock off in the distance.

D1233 is a short, half-mile out-and-back 4x4 trail that leads to a turn-around for a hike to an overlook of Shafer Canyon. The trail requires 4x4 because of the trails leading there and an undercut rock ledge. The trail is narrow, with twisting turns through the tight trees. The trail abruptly ends at a grassy dune with no indicators of a hiking trail. To reach the Shafer Canyon overlook cliff edge, you must carefully hike through the crypto soil to reach views of Crow's Head Spire and the canyon. There are no campsites along this trail.

D2745 is slightly more difficult than its neighbors in this region. Bridging the gap between Duma Point Road, and D2707, this mixed-surface trail offers a few small rocky obstacles, where a slight lift aids in protecting your undercarriage. Running this trail from north to south offers a more significant challenge, as all obstacles will be uphill. There are no campsites along this trail.

Hunter Rim is a scenic, meandering, bumpy drive along the edge of Hunter Canyon, ending at a view of Hunter Arch across the canyon. If you've committed to driving out this far on Behind the Rocks, consider driving about an hour roundtrip to the arch and narrow canyon viewpoint. The trail is mild compared to anything already encountered to reach this remote area along Behind the Rocks Road but expect several 12-14" ledges and basketball-sized rocks that can easily snag a differential. A couple of spots along the trail are a bit narrow due to washouts, but at the time of publication, they were passable in full-width vehicles. The terrain is rugged for camping, but it is allowed if needed.