Utah Off-Road Trails

The Hell Dive Canyon is a scenic and challenging loop trail in the Moquith Mountain Wilderness Study Area, which accesses an overlook at the head of Hell Dive Canyon at the end of the primary spur. From there, you can hike to the site of the Hell Dive Pictographs in an alcove called Medicine Man Cave down in the canyon bottom.

The trail starts at a staging area off Hancock Road just east of Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. It starts easy and sandy, following BLM 50 along the base of the sand dunes, traveling past a steep sand hill and a more gradually sloping road that serves as entry/exit points to the open riding area on the dunes. The trail gradually gets harder and rockier after it passes the junction with the Indian Canyon Road, where the road number changes to BLM 51, and then climbs onto the ridge above Hell Dive Canyon. Near the loop's apex, you'll pass a legal spur on state land that goes out to an overlook of Coral Pink Sand Dunes and a second spur out to Ed Lamb Point that is legally closed to vehicles even though not signed as such. Turn right at the next junction to stay on BLM 51, the main spur out to the overlook of Hell Dive Canyon. This spur is mostly rutted sand with small rock obstacles.

Returning to the junction at the beginning of the overlook spur, turn right on BLM 52 to complete the loop. This section is the hardest part of the trail as it descends into Water Canyon and climbs out the other side. Several large ledge obstacles must be navigated while crossing the wash, though they are not significantly more difficult than those found on the rest of the trail.

Camping is technically allowed along this trail but not recommended as it is mostly within a Wilderness Study Area, and no established campsites exist.

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.

The Wickiups' red cone peak acts as a beacon on the San Rafael Swell landscape. Passing along the base of the colorfully layered mountain, this trail plots a course through desert junipers, pinyon pine, and several colonies of rare cacti. Eventually, the trail breaks out of the trees and opens to vast open plains with expansive views of the surrounding sandstone buttes and spires. The north end of The Wickiup connects with Oil Well Flat and many other scenic trails within The Swell.

The name "Wickiup' derives from the similarly shaped dwellings of early American Indians. The mountain is primarily made up of Sinbad Limestone, dating back to the Triassic era, approximately 200 million years ago. There is a quick but difficult "climbing" trail to the top of the peak.

Part of the Dome Plateau Loop, Squaw Park is a leisurely scenic tour across tall grass meadows and towering sandstone cliffs with multiple caves to explore. Cave Spring is a unique natural feature where a natural spring drips out of the cave walls, creating a colorful oasis within the cliff wall. You'll want to plan extra time to hike up into the caves to see how far they go!

Barney's Overlook is a spur trail off the northeast portion of the Poison Spider loop that takes you to an epic campsite behind Pig Rock with an incredible bird's eye view of the downtown Moab Valley. The road to the two viewpoints along the cliff edge starts as a sandy trail but quickly transitions to a rough, slow, and rocky track across many small, jagged, slickrock ledges. Camping at the end is exposed to the wind depending on direction, but the ground is level. A few soft sandy spots will make for a great floor bottom for a tent.

This trail is suitable for any high clearance 4x4.

Nestled in the heart of the San Rafael Swell in central Utah, the Locomotive Point trail travels across the picturesque flats known as The Head of Sinbad. Besides the epic canyon camping, this trail has two worthy attractions. The Locomotive Point Pictograph Panel and the Head of Sinbad Pictograph Panel are painted on the walls of the towering sandstone formation for which the trail is named. These Barrier Canyon-style pictographs are estimated to be 1500 to 4000 years old. A quick diversion from the Interstate instantly transports you into a beautiful, rugged landscape with hidden gems around every corner.

Take a beautiful journey out to one of Moab's most breathtaking overlooks. 10 Mile Point starts as a maintained graded dirt road but ends on the rim, 400 feet above the Green River. The further you travel on this trail, the rougher it gets. There are several very bumpy sections, and towards the end, there is mild "rock crawling." You will need high clearance and possibly 4x4 for the soft sand or if you become high centered on a rock. This area is remote and not very busy; go over-prepared—plenty of free camping along this route.

The easy access and amazing views at the end at Strawberry Point make this a wonderful trail. The views are similar to what you would see at Cedar Breaks National Monument. Make sure to bring your camera to capture sights and even bring lunch for a picnic. Early in the route, you'll easily travel through a vast meadow where you can often view grazing wildlife. The trail connects with several other trails that travel to tree covered primitive campsites. Connecting this route with Strawberry Ridge, Duck Creek makes for a truly enjoyable loop through a dense forest.

Circling the mountains that rise behind the iconic Bonneville Salt Flats, the Silver Island Mountains Back Country Byway provides the perfect opportunity to turn a visit to the salt flats from a day trip into a weekend adventure. Dispersed camping speckles the first 14 miles of the loop and is popular among groups and solo campers alike. If you're feeling extra adventurous, explore the area caves formed by wind and water tens of thousands of years ago when the mountains were an island surrounded by Lake Bonneville. The Silver Island Mountains Back Country Byway also accesses the historic Hastings Cutoff of the California National Historic Trail. The infamous Donner-Reed party passed through the area on September 2, 1846, on their grueling journey to California, having lost 36 oxen and several wagons.

The Bonneville Salt Flats, a 30,000-acre expanse of hard, white salt crust on the western edge of the Great Salt Lake basin, are a remnant of prehistoric Lake Bonneville that covered over one-third of Utah from 10,000 to 32,000 years ago.  Today, the Salt Flats are a BLM special recreation management area open to the public and motorized vehicles and even hosts the annual Speedweek land speed races.

Driving on the Bonneville Salt Flats when wet and camping directly on the Salt Flats is expressly prohibited by the BLM, as stated on the Salt Flats website and signage posted on the Bonneville Speedway Access Road. Please respect management agency regulations and help to protect the top layer crust of the Salt Flats for many decades to come.

One of the many options on Fins and Things, this alternate track ramps up the excitement with a tricky descent down a razor-edge fin. Suitable for experienced drivers with capable vehicles and should not be attempted in slippery conditions.

Ward Canyon runs from the bottom of the valley to the top of the peak. This road gives amazing views of the canyon and of the valley and towns below. The road has some narrow sections, washboard, and lots of small potholes. There are several nice campsites along the road. The Old Ward Canyon trail spurs off of this road. Ward Canyon, Bountiful CG Skyline, and Bountiful Peak can be combined for a fun and scenic dirt road drive from Bountiful to Farmington.

Crescent Creek is the eastern gateway to the ruggedly beautiful Henry Mountains of southern Utah. The lower portion of the trail highlights the multi-hued sandstone layers that Utah is famous for. Following its namesake creek, the trail offers lots of campsites in the shade of cottonwoods. Climbing higher, the barren sandstone desert gives way to junipers as the Henrys loom larger on the western skyline, the peaks of Bull Mountain, Mount Ellen, Ragged Mountain, Pennell Mountain, and even the Horn pop in and out of view. Two old cabins along the way remind us of how hardy early settlers in the area must have been. The juniper grudgingly gives way to the pines, spruce, fir, and aspen of the Henrys' alpine forests. Shy deer peek out of the shaded forest as you drive by. The cool of the mountains begs you to roll down the windows and soak in the pine-scented air. Don't forget to look behind you at the canyon cut into the sandstone beauty below. The trail ends at an intersection with Copper Ridge and Bull Creek Pass. Either will transport you deeper into the remote Henry Mountains and even more adventures and beauty. Welcome to the Henrys. Enjoy.

From Potash Road, Pyramid Butte travels to the edge of the Colorado River, where you can see across to Chicken Corners. The road is primarily soft dirt and would be difficult in wet weather due to mud. A few patches of rocky soil are filled with goofball to baseball-sized rocks. Interestingly, patches of prickly pear cacti and sand dunes are built up against its namesake, Pyramid Butte. No camping is permitted.

Cummings Parkway Road is a stunning 2200-foot ascent into the Wasatch Mountain State Park overlooking Heber Valley. While generally an easy to moderate trail, the nearly 8-mile trek demands attention as almost every mile is rocky and contains steep shelf roads, not to mention the 360-degree breathtaking views of the mountains and valleys in the area. If properly outfitted, airing down tires is a big plus for comfort and to save wear and tear on suspension components. There is very little camping directly on the track itself. Offshoot trails have beautiful options for dispersed camping. Be on the lookout for OHVs, as this trail gets moderately busy on weekends and holidays.