Utah Off-Road Trails

This route is a constantly changing sand dune route connecting Sand Dune Way and Razzle Dazzle, providing access to The Ledges and Plan B trails. The safest path through the dunes changes on a regular basis due to wind-shifting sand, and the track here is only meant to represent one possible path. The extremely soft sand requires aired-down tires. Driving across a sand dune can be challenging and requires specific techniques to navigate safely. Keep a steady pace and avoid sudden acceleration or braking. Look for the path of least resistance and follow existing tire tracks, or choose a route that seems less steep or more compacted by other vehicles. Use gentle steering movements to maintain control, and if sliding sideways, turn into the slide. When ascending or descending a dune, be sure to always maintain a 90-degree angle to the dune's slope to avoid sliding sideways. Additionally, be cautious of steep dropoffs that can quickly high-center your 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.

Starting in Long Valley and ascending the western edge of Sand Mountain OHV area, Trail 001 to 226 is the easiest route to the beginning of West Rim. Considered part of the West Rim Lite route, this easy access road traverses loose dirt and small sections of soft sand with mere goofball-sized rocks and gradual grades. The trail ends at the bathrooms that mark the start of the West Rim trail. The trail provides scenic views of the valley and cliffs, especially in the evening as the sun goes down.

This trail is suitable for any high clearance vehicle.

Dispersed camping along this specific trail is nonexistent. However, abundant dispersed camping can be found along Long Valley and the southern end of Pipeline Road.

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.

D116 is a 1.6-mile dead-end spur road off Mineral Bottom, ending at an incredible overlook of Taylor Canyon and the Canyonlands National Park. The trail passes a cattle grazing area and travels across several dry desert washes. The terrain is a mix of sand and rock, extremely rough and bumpy, with one 10"-12" slickrock ledge you will need to contend with. As you get closer to the trail's end, the sand becomes more widespread, substantially softer, and deeper. The cliffside ending is highly scenic, with epic views of Buck Mesa, the Colorado River, Taylor Canyon, and the Taylor Canyon Road. The road has two campsites on the plateau along the drive, with an additional 3-4 campsites near the rim edge, depending on how close you want to squeeze to your neighbor. The campsites are best for vehicle camping, rooftop tents, ground tents, and small offroad trailers. Large tents will have a hard time finding usable space.

The rough and rocky terrain makes using a high clearance, 4WD vehicle prudent.

Davis Mountain sits due south of Dugway Proving Grounds in the heart of the West Desert of Utah. It can be easily accessed via the Pony Express Road. The loop road around the mountain is a dirt road not often traveled. It is rocky in spots and has several dry washes that can test your approach and break-over angles. For this reason, you need to have a high clearance vehicle and 4-wheel drive may be required. There are no established camping areas anywhere on the loop.

The Rishel Peak route runs directly across the Silver Island Mountains, cutting between Rishel Peak and Volcano Peak. At its highest elevation of 5100 feet, you'll have a stellar view of the surrounding desert mountains that once were subject to wind and water when the area was Lake Bonneville, which covered over one-third of Utah from 10,000 to 32,000 years ago. At the high point, you'll find a campsite with character providing the perfect spot to take in the views, complete with a creative fire pit made from protruding rock. Closer to the trail's Silver Island Loop Road end, another campsite sits below a large cave.

The entire Silver Island Mountains area is filled with amazing geologic history in addition to the iconic Bonneville Salt Flats, a 30,000-acre expanse of hard, white salt crust on the western edge of the Great Salt Lake basin. 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.

Rising from the ground in a seemingly random area is the smoke from an underground fire burning in the coal seams of Smoky Mountain. It is unknown when the fire started or how, but it is here to stay until the fuel has run out. Experts have tried extinguishing the fire, but new seams have opened, showing their failed attempts. These fires burn around 1,000 feet below the mudstone and sandstone known as the Straight Cliffs Formation. Although you can always smell the putrid odor, smoke may only be visible when temperatures are near or below freezing. Please be very cautious when exploring the seams as they are open holes with nauseating fumes that cling to clothing. Any vehicle with adequate ground clearance can drive this trail. Camping is rather limited to a few small, lightly-used sites. Better camping can be found along Smoky Mountain Road.

Although southern Utah is known for its red rocks and desert landscapes, just outside of Escalante is a high-elevation mountain paradise hosting a number of incredible roads. Sweetwater is one of those hidden gems. Located off of the famous Hells Backbone Loop, this spur is a difficult journey to a beautiful lake. The trail looks innocent at first, but halfway through the trail, you will be greeted with very steep climbs with loose, chunky rocks scattered everywhere. Lightly modified vehicles will find comfort in using lockers or traction aids in addition to 4 low.

Camping along the trail is offered in a few locations before the difficult hill climbs, but the prize location is on the lake at the end of the trail. Many of the sites offered will comfortably accommodate 4-5 rigs.

Located off Mineral Bottom, D1168 is a 1.5-mile-long dead-end trail that leads to the Utah mecca of Highline, the Fruit Bowl Highline area. This rutty, rough, and chunky slickrock trail leads past a dozen designated camping areas and ends at a large parking lot with a pit toilet. This popular area plays host to the annual GGBY Highline Festival around Thanksgiving. A short, half-mile hike from the parking lot leads to a cliffside where highliners, base jumpers, and rope swingers enjoy amazing views against the backdrop of Utah's red rock canyons. Camping along the trail is only allowed in designated spots. This trail is best suited for high clearance 4WD vehicles. Airing down is unnecessary but dramatically improves your comfort while driving the trail.

A beautiful forest road that goes up and over Gold Hill and drops back down to Whitney Reservoir. It has deeply rutted and steep climbs, semi-shelf sections, rocky areas, and narrow areas with fallen trees. It is slow going, but the views over the pass are amazing and worth it. There aren't any camping areas directly on this route until you reach the bottom by Whitney Reservoir, but side roads offer options before the reservoir.

Three Fingers is a popular petroglyph site on the edge of the San Rafael Swell. The site is named for a specific piece of art with three fingers. The artwork is quite impressive, with numerous characters unique to this site. This easy out and back trail travels to a small parking area for hiking to the rock art site. The trail is easy enough for all stock 4x4s with high clearance and durable tires. This dirt road is not for passenger cars. A couple of deep washouts and ruts could cause low clearance 2WD vehicles to become high-centered. The walk to the rock art is about 100 yards beyond the parking area. Stay to the right as you walk into the canyon and start looking at the solid rock ground and walls. Be careful as you walk to help preserve the site; the petroglyphs are in the rock under your feet. There were not any campsites found along this trail. Please do not camp in the parking area.

Camping and more camping is the best way to describe Desert Lake Road. This well-maintained gravel and dirt road is the main access route into the San Rafael Swell from the north. The trail travels across wide-open prairie while approaching the base of Cedar Mountain. Once you're around the foothills, the boulders along the eastern edge of the trail contain numerous free campsites. Many primitive campsites have large open areas for groups or RV campers. Smaller sites are hidden back in the boulders, making an ideal basecamp while exploring the Swell.

This is a scenic, moderate alternative route to the middle section of the Behind the Rocks trail, which follows the upper rim of Hunter Canyon. It offers excellent views across the canyon into the Behind the Rocks Wilderness Study area and great dispersed campsites.

The route starts just after climbing out of the wash with the "High Dive" obstacle on the Behind the Rocks trail, with a right turn on a lesser-used track that winds around to the north to the rim of Hunter Canyon. From there, it follows the canyon rim for a while before dead-ending at a spectacular viewpoint/campsite on a point sandwiched between the canyon rim and a tall slickrock fin. Doubling back from there and turning right, you pass through a flat area at the base of more slickrock fins with additional dispersed camping opportunities. Turn right again to follow an easy sandy track that parallels the Behind the Rocks trail across a state trust land parcel, skirting the base of some sandstone cliffs before ultimately rejoining the Behind the Rocks trail just before Hummer Hill.

This route receives significantly less traffic than the main Behind the Rocks trail, and is much easier, with only a few moderate rock-ledge obstacles. It can be an easier bypass to the Vertical Ledges obstacle at Waypoint 16 of Behind the Rocks. Multiple dispersed campsites can be found near the trail's northernmost point, though the one at the main viewpoint is very exposed to wind. More sheltered campsites can be found amid the tangle of short spur trails further back from the rim.

Take your time, and enjoy the absolute solitude you experience along Saucer Basin. If you've never felt like you were in the middle of nowhere, this truly remote road should fix that. It seems to go on forever, and the view through your windshield is constantly changing as you work across the blowing dunes. Four-wheel drive may be needed on the soft sand sections, but for the most part, any vehicle with durable tires can quickly complete this route in about an hour. Surprisingly, no established camping was found on the route, probably because the winds would drive you mad.

Shootering Canyon (aka Shitamaring Creek) is a fun experience as you travel through wide Lost Spring Wash, past the active Shootering Mine operations, and through the tight canyon walls before climbing out and connecting to Eggnog Star Springs Road.

This area falls within the South Henry Mountains Mining District, hence the presence of Shootaring Canyon Uranium Mill, which has been in operation since the late 1970s. Travel through the active mining area respectfully and with care. Be mindful of fences and gates, and do not deviate from the public road/trail.

Two small campsites can be found in the wider Lost Spring Wash area within a half-mile of the T-intersection. Another larger campsite is located at the northern end of the trail, roughly a mile after coming out of the canyon.

The hardest part of the trail is the mild wash crossings at the southern end. However, any high clearance 2WD vehicle should be able to traverse these features easily.

Loggers Fork is an ideal alternative to the groomed gravel of Manti Canyon. The trail offers stock 4x4s a mild challenge while climbing through dense forests and across flowing creeks. The trail zigzags its way uphill along an old logger's trail leading to Loggers Reservoir at 10,000 feet. A few mild challenges require 4x4 low-range and high clearance, but most stock Jeeps and similar 4x4s will not have an issue. The climb is long and bumpy but worth every moment. About 2 miles up, turn left on 1232 to visit an old log cabin hidden in the trees. Camping is limited along this route. There are several small single pull-off sites, but that was about it. There is abundant camping along the main trails on the mountain; most are free and easily accessible.

BLM 2341 is a short spur road off of the Steel Bender loop. The trail travels over soft sand and sections of slickrock. The road is bumpy in places but very easy and can be completed by any high clearance vehicle. The trail is only one-vehicle wide the entire way, but there are many places to pull off and pass oncoming traffic. The trail offers fantastic views of the La Sal Mountains and passes unique rock formations.

Although dispersed camping is allowed, there are no suitable or existing campsites along this trail.