Utah Off-Road Trails

Rolling along the red sand beside the cliffs of the Backside of Sevenmile Rim, you'll discover a lovely campsite and captivating views along this 1.6-mile trail. The campsite is at the trailhead with Bartlett Wash Road at Waypoint 13. 4x4 and lower tire pressure are required. The route makes an excellent addition to connecting Bartlett Flat and more. The route has no rock obstacles, and takes as little as 10-15 minutes to complete.

Rock Springs Bench Road is the first of many spurs you will encounter when driving the popular Cottonwood Canyon Road. This trail is unmaintained packed dirt, traversing a typical southern Utah desert landscape with wash crossings, occasional steep hills, and exposed embedded rocky patches. The most difficult part of this trail is the steep entry and exit from a few wash crossings. Long-wheelbase vehicles with bad approach or departure angles may struggle. One climb up a fin of dirt provides a small rock obstacle, but nothing that a stock high clearance 4WD vehicle can't handle. Views of the expansive terrain are the main draw for this out-and-back spur. Camping is limited to a few dispersed locations along the first stretch of the trail, offering no amenities.

On the far eastern border of the Ashley National Forest, before reaching Diamond Mountain, East Draw guides users through the pine forest along Limestone Mountain. Reaching an elevation of 8900 feet, the summer heat feels just a bit better while out exploring north of Vernal. The trail is primarily packed dirt with occasional embedded rocks. This trail is not maintained, so expect a rough ride. On a few of the inclines, washouts can occur, causing an off-camber situation, so 4WD and low range are recommended for safety. A few dispersed camping options are located on this trail, offering a good opportunity to spend a night under the stars.

The road to Steamboat Point rapidly climbs from a lower bench to the highest point of Steamboat Mesa, called Steamboat Point. After switchbacking steeply up the side, it runs the length of the mesa, then forms a lasso-shaped loop around the highest point, with a short spur at the top accessing an epic overlook at the main point. This overlook offers stunning panoramic views of the canyons and mesas surrounding the Dolores River. Visible features include the Sheep Creek valley and the Palisade near Gateway, North and South Beaver Mesas, Dolores Point, Cottonwood Canyon, Sevenmile Mesa, and the backside of the La Sal Mountains. Looking directly across the Dolores River canyon to the southwest, you can see up Sevenmile Canyon to the area around the Top of the World trail, with Fisher Mesa in the distance.

Steamboat Point is classified as a B-road, which means it receives regular maintenance from the county. As such, the road surface is mostly smooth, graded dirt, though the road receives so little traffic that grass has started to grow over it in places. The most difficult part is the steep switchbacks at the beginning, which will require most vehicles to make multi-point turns. This section will need a low range for torque and speed control, though the rest of the road can be driven in 2WD.

While you could camp at the main viewpoint, it is not particularly level and is very exposed to the wind. A better campsite can be found off a short spur on the main level of the mesa, shortly before the final climb to the point. This campsite offers flat terrain, stunning views, and a few trees for shade and shelter, though it could still be windy. If you camp here, you will likely have total solitude, as very few people visit this area.

Located along the southern rim of Sand Mountain, The Ledges is one of the most heart-pumping and visually stunning trails in the area. As the name suggests, it challenges drivers with steep slickrock climbs, vertical drops, and sharply off-camber transitions carved through honeycombed sandstone and sculpted redrock amphitheaters. Every obstacle tests both skill and nerve, with technical stair-step climbs, deep undercuts, and sheer drop-offs that demand constant communication between drivers and spotters. Bring a well-built rig and friends you trust, and leave the tire carrier at home, because this trail is a masterclass in composure, precision, and the value of good approach and departure angles.

San Rafael Desert 9050 is one of many trails leading to remote regions along the banks of the Green River. 9050 begins as a non-descript gray dirt two-track along Lower San Rafael Road. The trail becomes scenic and mildly challenging, with spectacular views of this uniquely rugged landscape. You'll need 4x4, high-clearance, and durable tires to work down to the river's brushy banks. No camping was found along the route, but riverside camping is available on numerous area trails. It takes about 45 minutes to reach the trail's end, where a gate may be locked along the narrow ledge road, preventing access to a water well with room to turn around.

Four miles out and back better be worth it. We've all muttered the words to ourselves at one point. Duma Point is one of those trails that's worth it. While not a difficult trail, this one's about the views and the feeling you get driving along the narrow cliff to the overlook. The trail winds along a picturesque rim that travels over two miles to Duma Point. The trail does have one off-camber obstacle between massive boulders. The entire trail can be completed in stock 4x4s with high clearance and durable offroad tires. The trail is narrow but wide enough for full-width trucks. The difficult obstacle is around the 3/4 mark of the trail. There are no campsites along this route. Camping is available along 10 Mile Point.

Looping around as an alternative to Coop Creek, Chicken Creek is a scenic but bumpier adventure through the Uinta National Forest. This trail provides incredible views of Strawberry Reservoir and the Strawberry River Valley while winding along a ridgeline. Although not technical, this trail is littered with loose rocks, so high clearance is required. This trail is also very narrow, so pinstriping is likely in any full-size vehicle. Camping is available among many dispersed options, most of which are near the southern end.

Dense forests, hidden lakes, and breathtaking views can all be expected once you enter the Thousand Lake Mountain region of Fishlake National Forest. Along the eastern edge of the forest system lies a little-known area with abundant camping around 10,000 feet. The trail is a semi-maintained, bumpy gravel road in the summer season and closed in the winter. The trail passes numerous primitive campsites on short pull-off trails, or you can camp at the wonderful Elkhorn Campground found at the end of the trail. The campground is one of the best-maintained campgrounds in the area. Numerous individual sites have firewood stacked at the site marker, fire pits with benches, and picnic tables. The large group campsite is an amazing site with a large cover and a group fire pit. There are vault toilets and abundant hiking trails to explore.  Early in the route, the forest service advises the use of 4x4 to reduce washboards on the gravel climb. The climb is loose and bumpy, causing 2WD vehicles to lose traction.

Providing access to a hidden oasis in the high Uinta Mountains, China Meadows gives users a direct path to stunning lakes, grueling hikes, and multiple campgrounds tucked away in the trees. Spanning from the edge of Mountain View, Wyoming, China Meadows heads directly south for nearly 20 miles before crossing into Utah and dead-ending at a hiking trailhead for Kings Peak, Utah's highest point. Along this well-maintained trail, Stateline Reservoir, Bridger Lake, Marsh Lake, and China Lake provide the opportunity for incredible fishing and water sports. Views of the High Uinta Wilderness do not disappoint, with snow-capped peaks and barren slopes just a stone's throw away from this lush green forest.

Camping is abundant once you cross into the National Forest, where dispersed camping lines the trail. Campsites can be found at nearly any given point, ranging from small and personal to pull-through RV-sized sites. Improved camping is also abundant, with multiple options to choose from. Each lake has an associated campground, where there are plenty of sites to choose from, accompanied by tables, fire rings, and pit toilets.

Higher Anxiety is one of Sand Mountain’s most intense technical challenges. This trail is designed to push both vehicle and driver to their limits. Located in the far northeastern corner of the OHV area, this two-part loop delivers an unrelenting series of obstacles that test throttle control, balance, and nerve. The trek begins with a few steep slickrock climbs and narrow off-camber traverses that tip-toe along deep cravasses, demanding precise tire placement and confidence in your rig’s traction and stability. Drivers quickly find themselves threading through tight, high-walled canyons and easing over vehicle-sized ledges where one wrong move could mean body damage or rollover. Midway through, the trail drops into a dramatic 12-foot descent into a tight canyon with a sharp 90-degree turn at the bottom; a true heart-rate spike that justifies the trail’s name.

After a short connection along the Northeast Loop, the second half maintains the adrenaline with tall, stair-stepped waterfalls, sharp ledges, and multiple V-notch squeezes. While the rock is classic Sand Hollow slickrock, grippy and unforgiving, the terrain constantly shifts between technical climbs and nerve-testing off-camber shelves. The trail is best run clockwise, starting at the western end, and finishing on the eastern end. This trail should only be attempted by highly capable, modified 4x4s with locking differentials, experienced spotters, and drivers comfortable with extreme exposure.

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.

This is a short spur trail out an overlook of Dry Canyon in the Hog Canyon trail system. It is accessed from the road to the radio towers and is an easy two-track road with a few small rocks and ruts. It is just enough rougher than the main road that it requires a high clearance vehicle, hence the moderate rating. The overlook at the end makes a nice campsite.

Dugway Mountain Road spurs off of the Pony Express and travels along the eastern side of the Dugway Range. It cuts through Bullion Canyon at the most northern end to cut over to the western side of the range. The last few miles of the trail are easily the most fun as you travel through Bullion Canyon and climb in elevation. If you keep a sharp eye out, you'll notice dilapidated remnants of mining structures along the high points of the canyon. The hardest part of Dugway Mountain Road is a set of switchbacks roughly 1.5 miles from the trail's northern end. Taking a trailer on the switchbacks is not recommended due to the tight turns.

While exploring the never-ending maze of trails along Mineral Bottom Road, you should know exactly where it's legal to camp. D1207 is a short, sandy, rocky out-and-back trail to several designated campsites for individuals or the entire overland crew. A short hike to the end leads to spectacular views of the Labyrinth Canyon and the Green River. The campsites along the early portion of the route are dispersed amongst the limited trees and are relatively small. The BLM map designates four individual campsites that cannot be reserved and are first come, first served. There are no services or water in these remote camp areas, and you must bring out all human waste. The trail has small rocky ledges and soft washouts that may require 4x4.

One of the many spurs off of Taylor Mountain, East Ashley Grasshopper is a bumpy dirt road winding its way in and out of the pine and aspen trees. The southern end of the trail will have you rolling through open meadows before the trail jogs alongside the rim of Ashley Canyon. Once you enter the forest, the trail gets narrow enough so that full-size vehicles may get some pinstriping! Although this is not a technical trail requiring 4WD, you will find many patches of softball-sized embedded rock that will cause quite a rough ride, especially if you do not air down. Camping is abundant along the southern end among the rustling aspens but offers no amenities. All camping is dispersed along this route.

The name Polar Mesa may conjure a cold, rugged landscape, but that impression can be misleading. While the mesa reaches elevations above 8,100 feet and can experience polar-like temperatures in winter, late spring through fall offers a much different experience, with pleasant conditions and plenty of camping opportunities along the approach in the pine trees.

The road climbs steadily to the top of the mesa before ending at an old mining complex. These ruins are part of the Polar Mesa uranium and vanadium mining area, with the Effie F. Mine being one of the named mines associated with the remaining ore bin and trestle structures. From the far end of the road, the views stretch for miles in every direction, including distant views of the Book Cliffs to the north.

The road is generally maintained, but as you gain elevation, there is a section of wide shelf road that will require you to pay attention during the drive.

The best camping is located west of Hideout Canyon, where sites are large and spacious, suitable for any camp setup.

Quarry Road begins as a maintained road as it departs from I80, with nothing in the way of obstacles. Once you start to reach the camping, the road begins to get rougher as it is less used the further you go. Once you are in the foothills and climbing up the side of the Lakeside Mountains, the road begins to have sections of steeper, loose rock where 4WD and low range may likely be needed. At the saddle, you must turn around and return the way you came since the trail enters private property to the north. Dispersed camping can be found along a good majority of the trail.

Sheep Bridge Road is the main segment through the very popular Hurricane Cliffs Designated Camping area. It resides a short distance from the western entrance of Zion National Park. This road leads to three others, which collectively have 36 designated campsites, of which only a handful are located on this road. The area is most popular with mountain bikers, and a popular trailhead exists on the road and includes a vault toilet. The road is suitable for any vehicle.

Green River Overlook is a short out-and-back trail to one of the area's best river overlooks. You will need a capable 4x4 to reach the dead-end viewpoint safely. The trail is rocky with off-camber ledges. The point at the end is a narrow peninsula with soft dirt and room for a few vehicles with tents. Just so you know, it can be quite windy, especially in springtime.

Time to get off the gravel roads and find a campsite? East Wedge is an ideal trail for those seeking more difficulty in their trails and privacy in their camps. The trail crosses over rolling prairie land with views of Cedar Mountain before getting into the trees and rocks. There are several free primitive campsites along the trail. A couple of the camps have room for a few vehicles and beautiful views of the surrounding area. The trail has no difficult obstacles and can be completed by all vehicles with 4x4, high clearance, and durable offroad tires.