Disneyland for Wheelers!
Sand Mountain OHV Area, adjacent to Sand Hollow State Park, might be the happiest place on earth if you are an off-roader. This sprawling 20,000-acre landscape of red sandstone and rolling sand dunes has become a must-see destination for offroad enthusiasts nationwide. With the incredible backdrop of bright burgundy sand, blue waters of Sand Hollow Reservoir, and intriguing rock formations everywhere the eye can see, the scenery is just icing on the cake for an area covered with limitless opportunities to test your driver skills and your vehicle’s capabilities. This southern Utah plateau offers trails in every difficulty category, from easy dirt roads to the gnarliest buggy climbs you have ever seen.
Although you don’t need an extreme rock crawler to enjoy the Sand Hollow trails, it truly does cater to those willing to test limits and boundaries. The sandstone gives your tires an insane amount of grip, making impossible-looking climbs seem far too easy. Seeing black rubber along a shear, straight-up wall is the norm here. If you come from an area of the country where wheel speed is the key to success, that technique will be your demise on the rocks in Sand Hollow. Obstacles here can be crawled with minimal effort or by giving a ledge the occasional “bump.” If speed is your thing, the dunes are a perfect place to open up the throttle and toss some rooster tails.
If you run into an obstacle you simply aren’t comfortable with, don’t worry; The entire area is designated as an open OHV area, meaning you can choose any line or route you see fit. That is another big draw to the area. Nearly all of the trails across the mountain offer optional obstacles that can be bypassed, making this destination a great choice for groups of varying skill levels. Hardcore riders can take on a wicked obstacle while your buddy in his brand-new stock truck watches and enjoys from a path of his own, only feet away.
Whether you come to shred some dunes, crawl some rocks, or enjoy the scenery, the offroad playground of Sand Mountain has an adventure waiting for you.
Sand Hollow Mountain OHV area in Hurricane, Utah, is a rock crawling paradise without the crowds or trail boundaries, but there is more to offer than difficult, buggy-type trails. The East Rim Trail is an easy access point to the expansive trail network that crisscrosses this wide-open OHV area. The trail travels from Warner Valley up along the east rim of Sand Mountain and eventually finishes not too far from the summit. You'll feel compelled to stop at the breathtaking views on the edge of vertical cliffs overlooking Warner Valley and the Arizona Strip. The trail has a few interesting obstacles for stock 4x4s, making this a great entry-level trail for those looking to explore the area without the risk. Loose sand is abundant, and a couple of rock ledges and hill climbs may challenge new drivers. However, even seasoned wheelers will enjoy the incredible sights along this southern Utah trail.
Razzle Dazzle takes you through nearly every type of terrain you can encounter on Sand Mountain. From rock obstacles and slickrock climbs to sandy washes and soft dunes, this trail is a full-day trek of exploring the many options available in the Sand Hollow area. With glimpses into a number of the extreme trails on the mountain, Razzle Dazzle is a great trail for beginners to get their feet wet or an awesome chase trail to watch your buggy friends get crazy.
Warner Valley Road is considered a historic gateway to many different offroad routes within southern Utah and the Grand Parashant National Monument. The route travels around the southern perimeter of the Sand Hollow State Park area. You'll have easy access to numerous primitive campsites and the 4x4 trails that crisscross this unique and colorful landscape. Along the way, the trail has numerous points of interest, including Fort Pearce. The fort's 7-8 foot walls are divided into two rooms and are part of the National Register of Historic Places. The small structure is one of only three remaining stone guard posts built during Utah's Black Hawk War. This war was a period of intermittent raiding between 1865 and 1870, during which the Ute Tribe, led by Chief Black Hawk and other Native American allies, attempted to drive the Mormons from the Ute traditional homelands. The site was selected in the spring of 1866, above the only natural spring for miles. Fort Pearce Wash was a primary route for Ute-Navajo horsemen who traveled to raid the livestock herds and settlements within the St. George Basin. Be sure to leave time for visiting the other highlight within Warner Valley, Dinosaur Tracks, where approximately 400 dinosaur tracks and footprints can be found. Some tracks are well preserved, displaying toe pads and claw marks of the large Eubrontes and smaller Grallator.
Easy to get to and offering a huge variety of challenges from mild to wild, West Rim is a popular trail for both veterans and newcomers to the Sand Hollow area. This trail hosts a great variety of obstacles, from tire-chirping ledges to metal-scraping rock faces, and welcomes a wide range of vehicles. Stock rigs can drive right next to the buggies, and both will find a challenging line. In addition to great obstacles, West Rim rewards users with incredible views of St. George, Warner Valley, the Arizona Strip, and the Hurricane Cliffs. Great for groups or testing out new builds, West Rim is a perfect introduction to what the Sand Mountain OHV Area offers.
The first trail developed in the Sand Hollow area is named after local 4x4 shop owner Milt Thompson. Milt's Mile is an always-evolving must-do trail for anyone new to the area. This trail offers constant slickrock challenges, including off-camber turns, steep bowl climbs, stair-step ledges, and technical v-notches. With many obstacle options, this popular trail has several variations, making it a great trip for a wide range of vehicles, no matter your build size. In addition to the fun-filled obstacles, Milt's Mile provides incredible views of Sand Hollow Reservoir, the cliffs of Zion National Park, Pine Valley Mountains, and vibrant desert canyons and rock formations.
With Sand Hollow Reservoir as a constant scenic backdrop, Double Sammy offers continuous, non-stop challenges with obstacles that never seem to cease. No wonder this is one of the Sand Hollow area's most famous rock crawling trails. You will only have time to catch your breath when you are stopped waiting for a vehicle in front of you to continue. Best known for "The Chute" obstacle, this trail leaves you scratching your head as you repeatedly defy the laws of gravity. If you feel right at home with off-camber leans, tire lifts, and maneuvering over ridiculously steep terrain, this is a trail you won't want to skip.
Dedicated to fallen service members from every American conflict, The Fallen is a highly technical trail located east of the sand dunes on top of Sand Mountain that boasts a countless number of slickrock challenges peppered between ten officially named obstacles. Muti-level waterfalls, tight wedges, and steep climbs await those willing to attempt this trail.
Traversing slickrock waterfalls and maneuvering through tight rocky washes, Sliplock Gulch is a continuous pucker fest of fun from the first obstacle to the last. This trail offers countless steep and ledgy climbs that don't require a highly modified vehicle to conquer. Located near the western side of Sand Mountain, Sliplock Gulch is a great Sand Hollow trail to come to test your skills and your machine, no matter what size vehicle you drive.
Winding its way through the rocks of Sand Mountain is a trail known as Triple 7. Like others nearby, this trail is lined with thrilling rocky shelves, vertical faces, and chunky terrain. Although not overly tricky, many optional obstacles here can result in body damage or tipping if the correct line is not chosen. Views of Sand Hollow Reservoir can be had at almost any point, but attention should be paid to the consistent obstacles that lie ahead. This is a great trail to improve your driving skills if you are ready to bump up your off-roading game.
Traveling between Sliplock Gulch and West Fenceline Road, Resurrection is a 5-mile multi-section trail that provides a small taste of everything you can find within the Sand Mountain OHV area. The trail traverses two natural washes, climbs small, off-camber slickrock waterfalls, visits two bluffs with amazing views, pounds through soft sand, and provides an incredible look of the southwest desert flora.
Resurrection can easily be split into three separate sections with three separate difficulties. The first section, starting at Sliplock Gulch, lasts 0.55 miles and is the most challenging section as it snakes its way through a sandy-bottomed wash with several small slickrock obstacles. These obstacles will articulate your suspension and roll your center of gravity up to 25 degrees. One obstacle, named Skully's Pinch, will require you to traverse up a narrow, two-step cut in the slickrock while leaning to the passenger side, potentially causing rear corner damage. This first section climbs out of the wash as you pass an optional 10-foot waterfall climb and approach the first trail finger. This finger makes its way around Resurrection Rock with great views of Sand Hollow State Park and offers a few flexy holes and a poser rock to take photos. 35'' tires are recommended for long-wheelbase vehicles, while 33'' tires are suitable for short-wheelbase vehicles.
The second section starts on a plateau before dropping downhill and weaving through a second canyon known as Jacob's Draw. This canyon slowly increases elevation and traverses long slabs of slickrock that visually look like long slip-n-slides. Several steep ledges must be climbed, but all are smooth and gradual, making for great traction. This second section is much easier than the first and is suitable for any vehicle but may require prior driving experience or a spotter.
The third section begins as you pass West Fenceline Road and create a big "U" back to West Fenceline. This section is a simple sandy road with occasional protruding rocks, passing through rich flora where you will see many cacti and other desert plants. The trail then heads east to another trail finger around Tombstone Bluff, where you can see an old tombstone and explore a 4'x'4x25' cave cut into the mountainside. This last section is suitable for any high clearance vehicle.
About Sand Mountain
Sand Mountain is an extremely unique parcel of public land. Designated as an Open OHV Area, riders are free to make their own trails. Due to this, many of the long-established named trail routes have several variations that can take easier or more challenging routes through the intended trail. The GPX track for this trail helps you navigate the area, but various lines, bypasses, and additional obstacles may exist along the way. Riders are encouraged to stay on existing trails and not unnecessarily drive over or destroy vegetation.
Fees
Riding on Sand Mountain is entirely free. However, there are multiple entry/exit points for the area, including "the tunnel," which connects Sand Hollow State Park to the open OHV area. Any entry into the boundaries of Sand Hollow State Park requires a Utah State Park Pass.
Requirements
When operating on Sand Mountain, users must attach an orange or red safety flag to the vehicle, rising at least 8 feet off the ground.
Located in the Sand Mountain OHV Area, John's Trail is a popular trail for those seeking out steep slickrock climbs and descents. Beyond constant views of the sky, you'll often find yourself reaching out for balance like a Jack Sparrow pirate walk, as you tiptoe and sway through many technical off-camber challenges. This tire-chirping trail offers a continuous adrenaline rush from beginning to end and is a must-do for aggressive off-roaders looking to advance their skills.
Located along the southern rim edge of Sand Mountain Open OHV Area, The Maze is a non-stop adrenaline-rushing technical rock crawling trail, with continuous obstacles traversing gravity-defying ascents and descents, seat-puckering off-camber situations, and heart-pounding cliff exposures with over 1,000-foot drops. Relentless twists and turns through millennium-old rock formations and countless optional routes that sometimes lead back to the main trail and sometimes lead to nowhere severely test your navigation skills as you make your way through this trail. The Maze is a popular, must-do trail for anyone looking for a hardcore challenge.
Located south of the dunes, on the cliffside edge of Sand Mountain, Plan B is an adrenaline rush from start to finish with countless climbs, drops, cracks, off-camber leans, and optical illusions next to a towering cliff face. This trail travels through tight canyons with gravity-defying walls. It traverses white-knuckle shelves next to sheer drop-offs as you try to keep your focus on the trail and off the spectacular views of the Arizona Strip and Warner Valley. If you are looking for a trail to make you pucker and conquer obstacles that leave you certain the vehicle is on the edge of rolling, this is the trail you need to head to.
Sand Dune Way is a major north-to-south artery within the Sand Mountain OHV Area. It connects the Sand Hollow tunnel with Top of the World, providing entry and exit points to many major trails. As the name suggests, this trail primarily travels across soft sand dunes for the entire 3.5-mile length. At its southern point near the Competition Hill Overlook, you can find a large gathering spot with a vault toilet. Traversing the dunes requires 4-wheel drive and aired-down tires. Caution should be taken when cresting large dunes, as steep vertical drops can appear out of nowhere.
About Sand Mountain
Sand Mountain is an extremely unique parcel of public land. Designated as an Open OHV Area, riders are free to make their own trails. Due to this, many of the long-established named trail routes have several variations that can take easier or more challenging routes through the intended trail. The GPX track for this trail helps you navigate the area, but various lines, bypasses, and additional obstacles may exist along the way. Riders are encouraged to stay on existing trails and not unnecessarily drive over or destroy vegetation.
Fees
Riding on Sand Mountain is entirely free. However, there are multiple entry/exit points for the area, including "the tunnel," which connects Sand Hollow State Park to the open OHV area. Any entry into the boundaries of Sand Hollow State Park requires a Utah State Park Pass.
Requirements
When operating on Sand Mountain, users must attach an orange or red safety flag to the vehicle, rising at least 8 feet off the ground.
Located on the northern side of Sand Mountain, Risky Biz is an extreme 4WD trail that pushes the limits of your highway-legal vehicle with off-camber, flexy, slippery, and sheer wall obstacles. Like other trails on Sand Mountain, there are many options to complete this trail. Following the signs will offer a good challenge for vehicles of all makes and builds, and be sure to provide a good time exploring this incredible area.
Right out of the gate, Nasty Half welcomes users with challenging slickrock obstacles, shelves, waterfalls, and cracks. Winding its way through a narrow wash on Sand Mountain, this short but exciting trail offers numerous lines to test the ability of both driver and rig. This trail is not for the faint of heart, though, as even the most experienced and well-built vehicles may struggle along its many challenges, specifically the Three Monkeys or Nasty Crack. If a wild adventure is what you are after, Nasty Half will surely provide.
Located a short distance east of the tunnel, just before the east fenceline, Arrowhead Canyon is a technical, tight sandstone canyon ready to wage war on body panels and weak driveline components. Drivers can expect to encounter massive v-notches spanning 4 feet wide, multi-step 6-foot waterfall climbs, a 10-foot sheer wall, and endless side challenges that will push the limits of any rig.
This trail starts up a soft sandy wash from Lakeside for a short distance until you reach the first slickrock slab with a steel sign marking the official trail start. This slabbed waterfall is in no way a representation of what you will eventually encounter along the trail. Continue along the sandy slickrock wash as the canyon constricts, eventually leading to a gatekeeper v-notch scarred with countless engravings from prior vehicles that fell victim to the trail's true difficulty. Arrowhead then continues up the canyon, offering numerous side challenges through a trail known as Side Chick, a level 12-rated trail. Several more waterfalls and v-notches await as you continue traveling southwest to the end, where you will intersect with Papa Smurf and make a hard right turn up a steep, chunky, slickrock slab to exit the canyon.
This trail should only be attempted by experienced drivers in purpose-built rock-crawling rigs. Body damage and mechanical failure are highly likely, and recovery attempts will be challenging.
About Sand Mountain
Sand Mountain is an extremely unique parcel of public land. Designated as an Open OHV Area, riders are free to make their own trails. Due to this, many of the long-established named trail routes have several variations that can take easier or more challenging routes through the intended trail. The GPX track for this trail helps you navigate the area, but various lines, bypasses, and additional obstacles may exist along the way. Riders are encouraged to stay on existing trails and not unnecessarily drive over or destroy vegetation.
Fees
Riding on Sand Mountain is entirely free. However, there are multiple entry/exit points for the area, including "the tunnel," which connects Sand Hollow State Park to the open OHV area. Any entry into the boundaries of Sand Hollow State Park requires a Utah State Park Pass.
Requirements
When operating on Sand Mountain, users must attach an orange or red safety flag to the vehicle, rising at least 8 feet off the ground.
Water Tank Road is one of the central access veins to the southern side of Sand Mountain and a great trail to familiarize yourself with the open OHV area. The trail starts at the massive Waddy's Coral staging area just south of Highway 7 off Sand Hollow Road. Here, you will find a restroom and plenty of space to gather and prepare for your trail ride. From the staging area, the trail travels directly south past many other trail intersections, traversing sharp sandy embankments and tiptoeing through protruding sandstone rocks. You'll cross several long dune sections as you work your way to the Top of The World overlook and the Sand Dunes Overlook, where you will be rewarded with expansive views of Sand Mountain, Sand Hollow Reservoir, The Arizona Strip, and Competiton Hill. This trail is suitable for any high clearance vehicle, and airing down is highly recommended due to the rough terrain and soft sand.
About Sand Mountain
Sand Mountain is an extremely unique parcel of public land. Designated as an Open OHV Area, riders are free to make their own trails. Due to this, many of the long-established named trail routes have several variations that can take easier or more challenging routes through the intended trail. The GPX track for this trail helps you navigate the area, but various lines, bypasses, and additional obstacles may exist along the way. Riders are encouraged to stay on existing trails and not unnecessarily drive over or destroy vegetation.
Fees
Riding on Sand Mountain is entirely free. However, there are multiple entry/exit points for the area, including "the tunnel," which connects Sand Hollow State Park to the open OHV area. Any entry into the boundaries of Sand Hollow State Park requires a Utah State Park Pass.
Requirements
When operating on Sand Mountain, users must attach an orange or red safety flag to the vehicle, rising at least 8 feet off the ground.
Traversing non-stop, consecutive obstacles through the most demanding terrain on Sand Mountain, Joint Effort is a short but brutal trail that tests even the most well-built vehicles. Immerse yourself with steep slickrock climbs, sharp drop-offs, and extreme off-camber situations, constantly articulating your suspension to its max. The obstacles on Joint Effort provide a constant adrenaline rush but don't forget to take in the spectacular views of Sand Hollow Reservoir, Zion National Park, and the Pine Valley Mountains in the backdrop.
West Rim Boulevard is a rough and sandy connector trail traveling along the western edge of Sand Mountain. The trail connects West Rim and Water Tower Road and is primarily used to access more challenging trails like The Maze, Fawlty Towers, and Renegade. A portion of West Rim Boulevard, south of the West Fenceline Road, is part of the West Rim Lite route, bypassing obstacles like V-Notch, The Squeeze, and Wall of Doom. West Rim Boulevard offers fantastic views of St. George, Washington, Warner Valley, and the Arizona Strip. The road surface is a mix of everything, with rough dirt sections, soft sandy sections, protruding slickrock sections, and a couple of loose hill climbs. Besides a few slow spots that may require low range, this trail has no major obstacles and is suitable for any stock 4-wheel drive vehicle without any modifications.
About Sand Mountain
Sand Mountain is an extremely unique parcel of public land. Designated as an Open OHV Area, riders are free to make their own trails. Due to this, many of the long-established named trail routes have several variations that can take easier or more challenging routes through the intended trail. The GPX track for this trail helps you navigate the area, but various lines, bypasses, and additional obstacles may exist along the way. Riders are encouraged to stay on existing trails and not unnecessarily drive over or destroy vegetation.
Fees
Riding on Sand Mountain is entirely free. However, there are multiple entry/exit points for the area, including "the tunnel," which connects Sand Hollow State Park to the open OHV area. Any entry into the boundaries of Sand Hollow State Park requires a Utah State Park Pass.
Requirements
When operating on Sand Mountain, users must attach an orange or red safety flag to the vehicle, rising at least 8 feet off the ground.
Like an offroad playground, Twister is a continuous offering of technical obstacles that twist, turn, and loop erratically, running parallel to obstacles your buddies might still be conquering. Located near the central part of the Sand Mountain OHV trail system, Twister is an adrenaline-rush trail for big builds as they ascend steep inclines and staddle vehicle-size notches using only the sidewalls of their tires for traction. The plethora of different lines through the many waterfalls, wedges, and off-camber walls leave you talking about this trail for days after your adventure and have you coming back time after time.
This off-camber rock thrill ride has nonstop obstacles and precarious situations. Right out of the gate, drivers are treated to a glimpse of what this trail will provide. Although not technically challenging, Razorback will test drivers' skills as they are forced into tippy situations to avoid dragging vehicle body parts on the sharp projections. If off-camber is not your thing, you will want to avoid this short but fun ride.
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