Old Highway 95

Scout Route
4.8/5 (5 reviews)

Every trail guide in full detail for $0.80/week*

Get access to thousands of Trails Offroad™ Trail Guides with
  • Detailed Waypoints
  • Photos and video on the trail
  • Comprehensive list of concerns
  • Community trail reviews
  • PLUS Trails Offroad™ Scout Routes
Check out a nearby All-Access Preview trail guide:
*Billed annually at $39.99/year
Hero: Old Highway 95
small-sr Icon

Cross Comb Wash and pass through Comb Ridge the hard way! This was the original roadbed of Utah State Route 95 prior to 1976, when the current paved highway was constructed about a mile to the south. While it was originally a graded dirt road passable to 2WD sedans in the 1960s, the road has degraded to the point where it is now a moderate to difficult 4x4 trail that provides a scenic and challenging offroad alternative to the paved highway. This trail can also be combined with either the Arch Canyon trail or the Hotel Rock trail, which both connect to it. While there is minimal camping along the trail itself, there are numerous campsites along the Arch Canyon Overlook road at its western end and at the mouth of Arch Canyon in the middle.

Beginning at the junction with the Arch Canyon Overlook road just past the hiking trailhead to House on Fire, the road is relatively easy crossing the mesa top. The scenery gets more dramatic as you approach the rim of Comb Wash, where the difficulty increases considerably. The descent into Comb Wash follows a series of switchbacks and requires navigating one significant rock obstacle that lower clearance vehicles might struggle with coming up (pictured in the hardest part photo). Once at the bottom of Comb Wash, the route briefly follows a graded dirt road before turning off to the right to climb up Comb Ridge.

Erosion and regular rock falls have taken their toll on the historic dugway cutting through and down the side of Comb Ridge from Posey's Trail Road. It is now a narrow, rocky, shelf road that will test the courage of the average driver. The remains of an old wrecked car can be seen lying on the rocks below, demonstrating that even in the 1960s, this road was far from safe. This portion of the trail is best run uphill for the greatest challenge and for the best views from the driver's side. After climbing up the side of the cliff most of the way, the road veers right through a gap cut through Comb Ridge and follows a steep erosion gully up to the junction with Posey's Trail Road.