Utah Off-Road Trails

Although you're more likely to see pronghorn, Horse Heaven was named for the meadows and shady canyons horses once populated. Horse Heaven is a moderate 4x4 trail connecting different San Rafael Recreation Area regions. The trail has mild hills with loose dirt and rocks that may require 4x4. The trail twists through desert scrub brush and across rocky washes that require high clearance and durable tires. Connecting with Cottonwood to the Big Flat area creates an enjoyable back-country overland route. The route has no established campsites.

One of the multiple camping spurs off the Toquerville Falls, this trail offers a single site best for 1-2 vehicles. Shortly after the campsite, the trail comes to a dead end with little room to turn around. With the elevation at this point, there are great views of the plateaus across the canyon that guard the Blackridge Wilderness area.

While crossing the remote San Rafael Desert, only a few landmarks help guide you across the seemingly endless flats. At the southern end of a red sandstone escarpment is the Point of Rocks, a prominent point of red boulders. 4345 is a short sand and rock trail that leads out and back to the uniquely shaped rock hiking area. The trail requires 4x4 for deep sandy washouts and soft sand that is impassable in 2WD. No established campsites were found, but there are small patches of sand near the end where a vehicle can park and set up a tent for the night. The trail's northern end is washed out and impassable to all vehicles.

Deep Creek is a laid-back, straight-through route that offers one of the more accessible and scenic drives through the eastern edge of the Uinta Mountains. Connecting UT-44 to the Sheep Creek Geologic Loop, this trail is perfect for those looking to slow down and take in the mountain air without needing a heavily built rig or advanced offroad skills. The road is well-maintained, with a surface of graded dirt that remains manageable in wet conditions, making it suitable for stock, high-clearance 2WD vehicles. It’s a welcoming route for beginners, families, or anyone looking for a relaxed forest escape.

What draws people to Deep Creek isn’t the technical challenge; it’s the peaceful, wooded surroundings and abundant camping options. The trail passes through stands of evergreens and meadows, offering frequent dispersed campsites as well as a developed spot at the Deep Creek Campground for those seeking more amenities. With plenty of room to pull off and set up camp, this area sees consistent use during the warmer months, particularly on weekends. Although traffic can be heavier at times, there’s usually enough space to find a quiet place among the trees.

While the trail is easygoing, timing is everything. Snow keeps the road closed or impassable through winter and early spring, so summer through early fall is the ideal window for travel. Whether you’re just out for a scenic drive or looking to stake out a weekend basecamp, Deep Creek delivers the classic Uinta experience with minimal effort and maximum relaxation.

Easily traveling to an amazing overlook of Seger's Hole, with multiple cliffside campsites, this remote trail is a wonderful addition for the adventurous traveler. Combined with Cedar Mountain, Seger's Hole offers an accessible viewpoint over the San Rafael Swell. The 360° views of the rugged landscape from the edge of the upheaval are truly unique. Camping is available at the eastern end, along the rim. It can be very windy on the rim, especially during springtime. In dry conditions, the entire route can be completed in 2WD.

Wedge Pond is a short 1.8-mile connector trail to access primitive camping and the North Salt Wash Point trail. The trail is a mix of small rock ledges and dusty two-track traveling across desert prairie land. The trail can be completed in high clearance 4x4s with durable offroad-type tires. Tall camper vans will not have height or width issues. Camping is found at the eastern trailhead and is usually occupied by large RVs and groups. There are no services or running water in the immediate area.

A very short part of the Dead Cow network of dirtbike trails, D2766 is a full-size vehicle crossover trail between D2761 and D2800. The trail is a bumpy, sandy, straight cut across the scrub brush. Be aware of the hidden boulder under the sand. There are no campsites along this route. Camping is available along 10 Mile Point and other trails.

This short spur off Spring Canyon Point leads to a small campsite with big views down into the Green River Canyon. The spur isn't difficult, and the camping area is large enough for a single vehicle. 

D1290 is a 2.5-mile out-and-back trail to an overlook of the North Fork Mineral Canyon. This trail's remote isolation adds to the peacefulness while you are out here. This is not an overly difficult trail, so new drivers and stock high-clearance 4WD vehicles will enjoy this trail. There are only a handful of small rocky obstacles to conquer. There's no campsite along the trail, but many nearby spurs offer great dispersed camping.

C Canyon Ridge is a short spur near the southern end of Skyline Drive. Although no expansive views are found, the trail does end in a little turnaround with multiple hiking trailheads. This is a lightly used trail, and due to its shaded nature, snow and mud are common late into the spring. Large ruts form in a few locations, requiring high clearance to complete this trail. Limited dispersed camping is found near the beginning. Just be sure not to camp near the corral.

Winding its way east through the National Forest, Vernon Lofgren is a maintained gravel road providing alternate access to Vernon Reservoir. This trail provides no challenges shy of a blind curve and connects users to Highway 67 and, eventually, Eureka and I15. This is also part of the large Prospector Trail System. Dispersed camping is found in many locations along this trail before reaching the private land section on the eastern side. If you want developed camping, head to Vernon Reservoir Campground.

BLM 12260 spans just over 3.25 miles as it runs parallel to The Reef before dead-ending at a scenic view of Long Canyon. Two campsites are found along the trail, with the larger one nestled among large boulders and the much smaller site at the base of the hardest part of the trail, a crumbly rock ledge. The uneven ground at the end of the trail makes it ill-suited for camping, but a great spot to take a lunch break. The trail is easy most of the way, made up of primarily rough dirt with small fist-sized rocks. However, halfway through the trail, you will encounter a 1-foot crumbly rock ledge on a small hill that necessitates the need for a high clearance, 4-wheel drive vehicle.

There is loads to see in the general area, from the big views of the southern end of The Reef to colorful bentonite hills and the sheer cliffs of deep canyons. Be sure to bring your camera and some extra time in the schedule to take it all in.

After visiting the Grassy Creek Petroglyphs, your adventure continues through a canyon with a mine site with cabins, an old railroad line, and a natural spring oasis. Grassy Creek winds along the eastern edge of the San Rafael Swell, where water is extremely rare during the summer months. After stopping at the log cabins, continue following the old railroad track mound to the hidden oasis. Large boulders in the creek mark where the mineralized water leaches from the cliffs. You will need 4x4 high-clearance and durable offroad tires to travel the entire trail. Consider that the Grassy Hills trail is considered hazardous, so you might consider an out-and-back on this one. No camping was found along this route.

Hidden away in the Labyrinth Rims region of Moab is a network of seldom used trails. D2703 is one of the many spurs offering great views and a bit of solitude. This easy spur is 2 miles long and easy for any high clearance vehicle, with only sandy patches to worry about. The trail dead ends at Trough Canyon, a small, pretty canyon typical in this area of Utah. A motorcycle trail continues, but full-size vehicles must turn around on the rocky rim. There are no campsites along this trail, although many nearby spurs have great dispersed camping opportunities.

Traveling to a lookout point over the broad and colorful Rock Canyon, D2664 makes for a perfect stop for lunch or a leg stretch when doing other trails in the area. On your way out to the viewpoint, a mild obstacle is just at the starting point near the start from D2662, requiring high clearance. It is important to note that base maps will show this road continuing as a loop to where you could eventually look down into Tenmile Canyon. However, that section of the trail was closed in 2023. Suitable camping does not exist along this route.

The first legal primitive camping you'll encounter when entering from Highway 191 is this short out-and-back sandy two-track. The trail leads up to a turn-around campsite with room for 3 to 4 vehicles with tents. The trail is soft sand and requires high clearance and AWD. It's ideal for overland camper vans, far enough off the road for privacy, and the sunrise wake-up views of the La Sal Mountains are fantastic.

Moroni Slopes, part of a dramatic upheaval, leads to a vertical drop into a labyrinth of canyons within the San Rafael Swell. The landscape appears barren and flat as you drive up the slope; only distant monuments are poking up from the scrub brush. The trail is comprised of hard-packed dirt and rock, allowing for higher speeds over the cobblestones, or you'll have to take it slow and enjoy the views. The camping at the eastern end, along the cliff, is amazing. The ground is level, there are rock fire pits, and breathtaking sunrises.

Unrelated to Canyonlands National Park, this Island in the Sky trail is an unmaintained yet easy dirt and gravel road spurring off North Creek Road and providing hiking access to the Great Western Trail. The only obstacles one may encounter are a few small washouts in the packed dirt. Any vehicle with good ground clearance can complete this trail. Camping is found near the trailhead in the gully between this and North Creek Road or at the trail's end, where you turn around and head back down. A designated campground can be found at the end of North Creek Road at Barker Recreation Area Campground.

A hidden gem in the San Rafael Swell, Calf Canyon sees little use, but don't let that deter you from what this trail has to offer. Lying just off Buckhorn Draw Road, this little canyon provides incredible isolated camping, stunning views, and access to world-class rock climbing. Although it is an easy trail, high clearance is needed due to the unmaintained wash crossing and a sandy and bumpy rock surface just before reaching the end. Dispersed camping is available at the trails end around the rock climbing areas. If you are looking for improved camping, Swinging Bridge Campground is just south on Buckhorn Wash and offers pit toilets, fire rings, and picnic tables in designated sites.

DeKleined is an extreme crawler's proving ground where precision meets punishment. Designed for full-tube buggies and the most capable rock crawlers, this route combines relentless climbs, narrow canyon squeezes, off-camber ledges, and deep sandstone cracks that demand complete precision. The name “DeKleined” comes from a local buggy driver who, upon his first attempt, was literally declined by the trail itself, a fitting tribute to what most rigs will experience here. The obstacles are unrelenting, with sections that will challenge even the best drivers to stay upright and keep their rig intact. Expect steep ascents that require perfect throttle modulation, body-twisting wedges that flirt with gravity, and notches deep enough to swallow rigs whole.

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.