Utah Off-Road Trails

Dellenbaugh Tunnel Trail is fairly well-known, but what is not so well-known are the alternate four-wheel drive routes that can be combined to either get to the Tunnel or be used as a variation on your way back to Moab or camp. This east alternate offroad trail is fun to drive due to the mix of road surfaces, in addition, it provides an impeccable view of Tombstone Rock for almost the entire route.

Chalk Creek Road is maintained as a public right-of-way through private property. The main purpose of this road is to provide public access from the Coalville, UT area and I-80 to Whitney Reservoir and the other high Uintah roads and activities. It is a seasonal vehicle road and a popular snowmobile route during the winter months. It is a scenic drive traverses ridgelines, canyons, mountain passes, and creeks. Some narrow, steep, deeply rutted rocky areas and the two creek crossings can be fairly deep depending on run-off. Thus, the moderate designation is warranted. High clearance and all/4wd is necessary.

Numerous "No Trespassing" signs are posted all along the route. They specifically state both sides of the road are private property. Thus, no camping is allowed anywhere along this route. You must stay on the right-of-way county road. Once you reach the end, near Whitney Reservoir, you will find plenty of camping options!

Mill Canyon is one of the most rewarding trails in the Tintic Mountains. Although this offroad trail doesn't contain many obstacles, the view from the top is well worth the short trip up. In the springtime, camping up at Dry Lake is as peaceful as it gets. The history in this area dates back to the 19th century, with the Tintic Mountains being 20th of the 25 richest gold districts in the United States and the second most profitable mining district in the state. Today, the area is now defunct, with the town of Eureka remaining with around 500 residents. Remains of old mining towns are scattered throughout the hills, with a few mine shafts still visible. If ghost towns are your thing, this is the area to be exploring.

Notom Road Scenic Byway is aptly named for its stunning views of The Reef as it travels north/south along the striking rock formations. Much of the locally known Notom Bullfrog Road has been paved, leaving only a 16-mile section of maintained dirt as it travels through the Capitol Reef National Park boundary. Regardless of the lack of technical difficulties, this stretch is still filled with scenic views and is very remote, with services being few and far between.

Those seeking to spend a weekend in the area may choose to camp at the Cedar Mesa Campground and hike to the Circle Cliffs or continue south to connect with the historic Burr Trail and traverse the steep switchbacks. Others may continue all the way south to the little hamlet of Bullfrog, where you (and your vehicle) can take the ferry across Lake Powell to Halls Crossing.

The Hog Point Loop also called the City View Loop, is a harder moderate trail in the Hog Canyon trail system that can be driven in stock vehicles. It is a good introduction to the Hog Canyon trails, featuring sand, rock ledges with different lines of varying difficulty, and tight twists and turns in the trees. One series of obstacles about a third of the way into the trail has multiple routes that challenge modified vehicles, while stock vehicles can take a bypass. The reward is great views from the rim of Tom's Canyon over Kanab. A viewpoint with a picnic table at the apex of the loop at the end of Hog Point is particularly spectacular.

There are no established campsites along this trail.

Gypsum Canyon is a remote and rarely driven trail that crosses from the Beef Basin area of Bears Ears National Monument into the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and accesses two viewpoints of Gypsum Canyon, a side canyon of Cataract Canyon. Of the two, the western viewpoint is the most spectacular as the road ends right on the canyon rim at the edge of a thousand-foot cliff with an epic campsite. You round a corner and pass through a gap in the cliffs surrounding the canyon, and then there it is below you. The eastern spur ends at the top of a bluff still a distance from the canyon rim and would require a short hike to have any views into the main canyon.

The moderately difficult road crosses flat sandy meadows. Route finding is the greatest challenge, as the road can get very faint and overgrown with tall grass. You will almost certainly be alone on the entire trail. The campsite on the rim of Gypsum Canyon would be a perfect place to camp during a longer overland trip through the area as long as it isn't windy.

Hiccup Hills is one of those hidden gems in this little-used area of north Moab. The views are massive, and the trail is quite exciting. The trail has a few rock-crawling obstacles and a difficult hill that will push the limits of stock vehicles. The Hiccup Hill climb is short but pretty intimidating. The ground is loose dirt, and large boulders litter the slope before you reach the top, where a cattle gate immediately stops you. A locker or two may be needed on this climb to prevent rolling down into the canyon. No camping was found along this rugged route.

When you drive across the alien landscape along the Kodachrome trail, the contrasting colors of the layered terrain become more rugged and vibrant. The 4-mile trail has an otherworldly and remote feel but is only minutes from town. This somewhat difficult route can be confusing. Follow the GPX track closely. You need rock crawling experience, high clearance, and durable off-road tires. There are a couple of narrow ledges, rock ledge climbs, and steep loose dirt climbs. There are a few campsites along the route, but the best sites have views of the river.

East Portal Road in the Wasatch National Forest departs from Murdoch Basin Road and drops down to the Duchesne River Dam and Little Deer Creek Falls. Although not a long trail, at just over 3 miles, plan for slow going since the surface is primarily large cobble rocks, descending roughly 1,000 feet in elevation. Most of the dispersed camping is located at the end of the trail directly next to the Duchesne River Dam. A rock fire ring distinguishes each site. Little Deer Creek Falls is easily seen by foot just off the trail, and the impressive Cataract Gorge is also hikeable.

The Bull Valley trail is a scenic connector between the Beef Basin loop road and the Imperial Valley trail. It also accesses a spur trail to the rim of Gypsum Canyon in the Glen Canyon Recreation Area. The difficulty is on the hard side of moderate, with several rock ledge obstacles that would be challenging but passable by stock 4x4s. Expansive views are found along this trail as you descend a series of terraces into the Imperial Valley.

This is a great connector trail in a larger overlanding loop through the Beef Basin area, allowing you to visit overlooks of Gypsum and Imperial Canyons and then go up Impossible Hill on the way out. There are no established campsites along this trail, but camping is allowed throughout the area, and campsites can be found along several spur roads.

Dragon Road is the only way in and out of the famed Dragon Ghost Town. As with many roads and trails in the western United States, they came to exist due to mining. Dragon is no different, but it wasn't gold or silver they were mining; in this case, it was Gilsonite. Gilsonite is a flammable material used in asphalt, inks, paints, and oil-drilling fluids. In the late 1800s, one vein was found in the area that reportedly resembled the look of a dragon, and the name of the new mine became the Black Dragon Mine. The camp associated with the mine was later called "Dragon." The narrow gauge Uintah Railway was built to ship the Gilsonite, and with the ease of access, the camp eventually became the town of Dragon in 1904. It had a school, a hotel, and even a baseball team. Not much remains of the town, and as a matter of fact, many of the residents lived in canvas wall tents because the mine refused to build permanent structures for their workers. The railroad and mine ceased in 1939, and that was it for the town. It became what is now a ghost town with almost nothing that would indicate a town was standing at all.

Besides the town, which you won't see much of, the route to the town and the road are exceptionally scenic. It travels through the high desert, and a good portion will be through vast canyons. The geology of the canyons is fascinating, where horizontal lines in different shades show millions of years of history of how the land was formed. The road does have several sections where soft potato dirt exists, which, when mixed with water, can become extremely mushy and slick.

While there are several locations to pull over and camp, no pre-disturbed locations are along the route.

Price River Road is a welcoming backcountry road through a corner of this secluded desert region of Utah. While traveling along Highway 6, you can detour onto this enjoyable, maintained gravel road. The trail can be completed in 2WD in dry conditions. However, there is one bumpy crossing and soft sand crossing at the train trestle. This can be cautiously completed by all overland and camper van-type vehicles. The camping is pretty limited along this route. Only one established rock fire ring was found. Private ranches line the northern sections of the route; please respect the fence and boundary markers. Connecting the trail to Buried Forest and back on East Mounds Road makes for a scenic trail ride with an exciting hike in the middle.

Located outside of Heber City, Coop Creek is a beautiful forest drive through the Uinta Mountains. Acting as a common connector from Strawberry Reservoir to Currant Creek Reservoir, this popular trail welcomes any adventurer. The hiking is abundant throughout, the fishing is fantastic at either reservoir, and the camping is endless. This is also a popular area for hunting and leap-peeping in the fall. Coop Creek makes a great start for a day of exploration or an extended overland trip through the western hills of the Uintas.

Barlow Canyon offers the best old mines and prospects in the area. The trail passes the Scranton Mine, which produced silver, lead, and zinc. If you are willing to do a little hiking, there are a lot of interesting historical artifacts to see. Combine this with Miners Canyon and The View for a good day of mining ruins and scenery.