Moab

This short, 1.6-mile dead-end spur travels along the southwest end of Dome Plateau to a rim nearly 2,000 feet above Professor Valley. For over a half mile, you will ride the edge of the rim with astonishing panoramic views of the La Sal Mountains, Parriott Mesa, Castleton Tower, the Priest and Nuns rock formations, as well as the Colorado River. The drive is fairly easy in a high clearance 4WD vehicle, but users can expect to encounter 6-8" rocks and ledges along the way, tight brush that is likely to scratch your paint, and one loose hillclimb that might require low range. The trail ends at a small roundabout that can accommodate four to six vehicles and offers plenty of level, open ground for camping on top of patches of slickrock. This trail is suitable for any high clearance vehicle, but not recommended for large groups due to the small size of the ending turnaround.

Wedged between two iconic Moab trails and skirting the edge of the Behind The Rocks Wilderness Study Area, Hunter Canyon somehow maintains a low profile while serving as the perfect encore to its neighboring routes. It lures you in with a few optional challenges, but just as you get comfortable and drop your guard, the canyon flips the script, throwing down a tight gauntlet of steep climbs, large boulders, and stacked ledges. It’s shorter and easier than its legendary northern neighbor, but make no mistake: Hunter Canyon is a rock-crawling trail that knows how to throw down.

Many refer to this as Thelma and Louise Point due to the 1991 film "Thelma and Louise." Much of the film was shot above at Dead Horse Point and looking down into this location. The road is comprised of dirt with golfball to baseball-sized rocks, and any vehicle can handle it. Follow the track to ensure you stay on the actual road, as you will see many vehicles driving up the edges, which would be considered "off the trail." Camping is prohibited.

The Upper Porcupine Rim trail is an extremely scenic forest road that is also part of the Kokopelli Trail. It connects Sand Flats Road and the La Sal Loop Road, following the upper portion of Porcupine Rim with spectacular views of the La Sal Mountains and Castle Valley. It is best driven east to west, so the views along the rim are on the driver's side. It is also heavily used by bikes to access the Upper Porcupine Singletrack (UPS) trail, which is part of the Whole Enchilada bike trail.

The hardest part of the road is near the beginning, where it climbs steeply up to the rim from the intersection with Sand Flats Road. This section is heavily rutted dirt interspersed with short sections of slickrock, which would likely be impassable in wet conditions as it looks like it can get extremely muddy. Once on top of the mesa, the trail levels out and becomes smoother, passing through a wide-open flat meadow, which would be great for camping. About halfway into the trail, it reaches the rim of the mesa at an overlook with amazing views of Castle Valley to the west and Green Mountain and Mount Waas to the east. From here, the road follows along the rim for about a mile and a half before turning inland and intersecting the La Sal Loop Road next to the Jimmy Keen trailhead.

Though there are no obvious established campsites along this road, dispersed camping is allowed per the MVUM, and the meadow just before reaching the rim would make for a gorgeous location for camping. There are also multiple established campsites along Sand Flats Road near the beginning of this trail.

Hell Roaring Rim (HRR) is quietly becoming an iconic route to travel in Moab. Considered a "family route," it's ideal for stock 4x4s and beginner drivers wanting a bit of a challenge but "nothing crazy." This portion of the HRR route is a scenic and fun way to cut your teeth on the rocks and take in spectacular views of the entire region from high up on a mesa. You create the iconic HRR route and an all-day scenic adventure by including the Mineral Point and Mineral Point to Spring Canyon Bottom Road trails. You'll wind through a diverse and well-preserved desert landscape with hidden historic markers and endless views of the canyons and distant mountains.

Hell's Alternate #2 is a short, easy, sandy shortcut that can be traveled in either direction, west or east. This trail is the quickest way to reach Escalator, Staircase, and Tip-Over Challenge from the Sand Flats entrance if looking to avoid the hot tubs. Additionally, this route is often used as an early exit route for those that run the northern half of Hell's Revenge and want to return to the entrance parking lot.

This trail is suitable for any high clearance vehicle.

Known as an exciting mountain bike trail, 7-Up is a short but fun 4.9-mile 4WD track along a portion of the popular bicycle trail. The trail passes below colorful rock cliffs with a hidden natural arch and across sprawling meadows with beautiful backdrops of red buttes. Dropping onto the sandy two-track at the northern trailhead, known as Old Arths Road, you are advised of the no camping along this section of the trail, but you are allowed to camp at the southern end of the route. The trail is ideal for stock 4x4s with high ground clearance and durable offroad tires. Several rocky ledges 8 to 10 inches tall will high-center long and low vehicles.

Hideout Canyon Road connects the east end of Onion Creek Trail to Polar Mesa, winding through its namesake canyon along the famed Kokopelli Trail. The road is lined with mature Utah juniper, giving the canyon a classic high-desert feel as twisted trunks and dense green crowns stand out against the red sandstone walls and sandy desert floor, with Cowhead Hill towering in the background. Following part of the Kokopelli Trail corridor, the route offers scenic canyon travel, access to great camping, and a memorable connection between two classic backcountry areas.

Salt Wash Road is a gateway to a mild but memorable painted desert and several popular 4x4 trails. A portion of the trail is part of the Easter Jeep Safari "Crystal Geyser" route and links several other 4WD trails between Moab and Green River, Utah. The road is easy and uneventful. The surrounding rock formations and multi-layered cliffs create beautiful panoramas. Deposits of bright white colors mixed into the red rocks create "cake layers" of colored sandstone. Lion's Head Rock at Waypoint 6 is a unique formation resembling a male lion with a mane of red rocks.

Otherworldly, barren, and desolate describe the foreboding landscape along Salt Wash Trail. The trail winds through and across rugged canyons with colorfully striped cinder cones dotting the horizon. This rugged but oddly beautiful Utah desert is frequented by geologists and archaeologists seeking rare earth minerals and ancient fossils. Salt Wash Trail has enough 4x4 challenges to keep things exciting and a wild mix of terrain, an excellent alternative to the easier trails in the area.

Located south of Moab, on the edge of the Manti-La Sal National Forest, Brown's Hole is an easy 5.3-mile trail cutting through a scenic canyon with private residence. The western portion of the trail is a graded gravel road with a couple of campsites. They are easily accessible and have room for a couple of vehicles with tents. The trail becomes rougher once you enter Browns Hole, a canyon with a flowing creek. There can be deep muddy ruts and potholes while passing the various rustic ranches. The eastern portion is a lovely forest road along a narrow ledge above the creek. The complete trail can be completed in a stock high clearance 4x4 vehicle.

Airport Hill is a small section of the 3D Jeep Safari Route starting near the Mill Canyon Trailhead. The trail is known for its steep, rocky hill climb near its eastern end. This hill climb snakes up to the top of a mesa. There's a two-foot rock ledge before the trail levels out with panoramic views of the Labyrinth Rims area and the Canyonlands Field Airport. The trail continues west, trekking along exposed piles of slickrock and soft sand before ending at an intersection with Sevenmile Rim within Tusher Canyon.

This trail is suitable for any high clearance 4x4.

There is no camping along this trail. Camping in this area is limited to designated dispersed spots only. Several designated sites are located along Cotton Mine Road.

Driving out to the point and walking up to the edge of Rainbow Rim is breathtaking. The adrenaline rush of slowly approaching the edge of the 400-foot vertical cliff is something you will never forget. Countless overlooks in the Moab area require quite a bit of effort to reach either on foot or in a Jeep. Rainbow Rim is an excellent way for the family or a group to experience the feeling of walking up to a breathtaking overlook without committing to an arduous all-day beat down. This memorable trail has no rock crawling or challenging obstacles. Instead, the mild mix of Moab-type terrain entertains even the seasoned wheeler.

If you want to add extra difficulty and excitement to an already iconic route, Owl Draw Spur is an excellent addition to the Dome Plateau Loop. It's a challenging and twisting ride through a rocky gorge with two big waterfalls. This short route starkly contrasts the other trails on the plateau. It's rugged and in a tight canyon without the sprawling prairie views and sandstone cliffs. Whether you're beginning or ending your plateau tour, leave time for this bonus track.

If you are looking for epic views and the most amazing campsite, then this trail is for you. Canyon Rim Overlook Trail is about 25 minutes south of Moab. It’s convenient to the world-class trails that Moab has to offer without the crowds. The trail starts on Hatch Point Road and can be easily missed if you’re not paying attention. Although not overly difficult, there are a few spots that require your attention. 4x4 and a higher clearance vehicle are recommended.

Traveling up into to foothills of the Manti-La Sal Mountains, Slaughter Flats is a moderate scenic tour past old mines and sprawling panoramas of the mountain peaks. From the northern trailhead, the trail travels along narrow rocky ledges with countless dead-end off-shoots to old mine sites. By following the track closely, you'll safely travel past Yellow Circle mines and the relics left behind. You can stop at the old foundation with a chimney and a safe door. The old fenced-off mine entrances and a rusty truck dump are further up the twisting ledges. The trail is ideal for stock 4x4s with high clearance and durable offroad tires. The trail has numerous loose rocky hill climbs that require low-range gearing. The brush is tight, so you will get pinstripes. No camping was found along this route.

Levi Well Road is a quick and easy way to access the expansive trails within this area. The trail mixes soft sand and large sandstone slabs poking through the sand. It can be pretty bumpy, but there are not any rock obstacles. Low clearance vehicles may become bogged down and high-centered in the deep sand ruts. Camper vans may want to use another access road. The soft sand may dictate four-wheel drive and lower tire pressures. Camping was fairly limited along this route but not the area in general.