Utah Off-Road Trails

Venturing west off North Dragon, this spur dips through 2 rocky washes before wandering onto a flat and open meadow. Although it is an easy trail, a heavy passing storm could cause the washes to require 4WD. Once in the open, the views are quite impressive, with Ferron Canyon below and Bittlecome Ridge towering to the east. Camping is allowed by USFS regulations, but no established sites were located.

A short and sweet addition to the Josie Morris Loop, the Green River Access spur is a nice way to dip your toes in the cool and refreshing water of the mighty Green. The route depicted here is simply one of many optional offshoots leading to the shoreline, providing numerous opportunities to find your own slice of peacefulness away from the crowds. Although not overly challenging, high clearance is required to reach the water. Rough dirt and loose grapefruit-sized rocks await along the final descent, causing traction issues for those without 4WD.

Dispersed camping is available in a few locations along the trail, with beautiful sandy spots along the bench providing the best views. Camping is also possible at many locations along the river, although bugs may be there to disturb the peace.

Murdock Bench is an easy, short connector between Daniel's Pass and the popular Strawberry Ridge trail, spurring off the Main Canyon trail. The trail winds through primarily aspen forests, with a smooth and wide road surface. As you gain altitude, you are treated to stunning views across open meadows to Heber Mountain and on to the High Uintas. Beyond its fall viewing lure, this road is also a hotbed for early summer wildflowers. The trail offers a wide range of camping options and is a good base camp location when exploring the entire Strawberry Reservoir region.

A wide, graded road with several designated dispersed campsites set against Entrada Sandstone or shaded by cottonwoods. Roberts Bottom Road transitions into Triangle Road, making it a common east–west corridor for overlanders traveling between Grand Junction and Moab. With multiple well-spaced sites, it’s an ideal place to stop for a night of camping.

Acting as a camping spur off Mineral Point, Waypoint 3, this short and sweet trail is not shy on options. Many of these sites are tucked into the trees that provide a fair amount of shade and are out of sight from the others. The further you drive back, the less likely you'll have neighbors. Most sites have plenty of flat sandy spots to pitch a tent. The trail is not difficult and does not require 4WD.

Seger's Rim isn't like the other trails in the area; it requires the driver's undivided attention and the use of low-range 4x4. The trail is a shortcut between Seger's Hole and Moroni Slopes, zig-zagging next to the rim of the upheaval along a narrow, two-track ledge full of shale rock. The trail has numerous overlooks into the labyrinth of canyons below. A couple of steep, loose rock climbs, blind turns, and small rock steps require steady momentum to maintain traction. It's not recommended for large camper-top trucks or trailers. Camping in the area is best found along the connecting trails at each end of Segar's Rim.

Beginning off of Mud Spring, FS52246 is the eastern side of The Kitchen's 66-inch and narrower segment. This is a moderate trail with a few small embedded boulders to navigate. The trail's end puts you at a cattle pond at the base of unique rock formations, with the cattle watching your every move. Camping is legal. However, no established sites were found directly on this trail.

Oak Creek Ridge is a bumpy dirt road that winds through the Manti-La Sal National Forest off Skyline Drive. It is one of the longer spurs to explore, but dead ends at a gate for private property. There are no obstacles, but occasional rough patches require more clearance than an average car. Camping is only offered on the first portion of the trail, as there is a seeding project along the final 4 miles.

Another jumper between D1136 and Mineral Bottom Road, D1135 is an easy and quick option with good camping opportunities. There are no notable obstacles along this trail, so any higher-clearance vehicle should be acceptable. As with other spurs nearby, this area is less explored, making for a peaceful day on the trail. The campsites are quite nice, with several having large enough trees to provide shade from the summer sun.

Gold Mine Road winds through Cow Canyon, tracing the Dolores River beneath towering canyon walls and shaded by stands of cottonwood trees. Connecting Entrada Bluffs/Shura Road to Triangle Road, it offers an iconic river crossing. A handful of well-placed campsites make it an ideal stop for overlanders traveling between Utah and Colorado. The route likely takes its name from historic mining activity near Big Pinto Mesa, adding a subtle layer of history to an already memorable drive.

Desert Lake Loop is a well-maintained gravel road and part of an overland route accessing the San Rafael Swell from Wellington, Utah. The route is named after the protected Desert Lake Waterfowl Management Area that the route circles. The area is an extensive collection of retention ponds that migrating birds often frequent in this desert landscape. In dry conditions, the entire road is easily accessible in all vehicles equipped with durable tires. No camping was found along this route. Abundant camping can be located further south in the Swell.

Branching off Brinkerhoff Spring, 123 is a longer spur leading to a very random dead end with little room to turn around. The draw for this spur is the hiking offered that leads to the nearby plateau, with incredible views of the surrounding valley and cliffs. Obstacles along the trail include washouts and loose, chunky rocks that should pose no threat to stock, high-clearance 4WD vehicles. Camping is limited along this route and is all in the form of dispersed sites.

An easy dirt road that leads to The Upper Courthouse Station, also known as the "Halfway Station." Halfway Station was once used as a house that served as a place to eat a meal, change horses, rest a spell, or sleep overnight as travelers in the late 1800s made their way to the railroad 35 miles away in Thompson. It is illegal to remove, deface, or destroy historical resources and artifacts. The road is suitable for any vehicle, and there is no camping.

Branching off Black Dragon Wash, this sandy loop offers primitive, dispersed camping. However, the best spots take a little exploring to find. The south end starts near the I-70 cattle gate and includes very soft sand and tight trees, making it a poor fit for full-size/wide vehicles and camper-top trucks. Those rigs should enter from the northern trailhead to reach the best campsites tucked back in the rocks. Overall, the trail is easy for most high-clearance 4x4s with off-road tires. The most accessible campsites are located near the northern trailhead in Black Dragon Wash, adjacent to the San Rafael River. The only major concerns along this trail are the soft sand and a rocky dirt climb with a blind summit, where visibility is limited for oncoming traffic.

D1480 is a short, out-and-back camping spur off of Spring Canyon Bottom. There are nearly a dozen campsites along this spur. The first half of them are easily accessible by any type of camp setup, including RVs and trailer trailers. The last half is best suited for vehicle camping and small trailers only. The trail surface is primarily hard-packed sand and dirt with occasional sections of exposed, flat, slickrock. The deeper into the trail you travel, the more slickrock you will encounter. The slickrock areas are not difficult but can be a bit rough and bumpy on passenger cars. The trail ends at several campsites that offer fantastic views of Hell Roaring Canyon.

D1076 is a short dead-end spur road off of Mineral Bottom Road. The road is very rough, bumpy, and rutty, with several small exposed slickrock ledges and slabs. The rutty terrain will be sure to test your suspension flex, but otherwise, there are no major obstacles to contend with. The trail starts with campsites on both sides of the road that are very large, level, and great for groups or small trailers like popup campers. As the trail continues, climbing a somewhat steep and loose hill, it eventually traverses down a sandy and rocky two-track, finally ending at a large, flat campsite good for vehicle camping and ground tents. The trail is suitable for any high clearance 4WD vehicle and offers fantastic camping.

Goshute Canyon Access is a spur road leading away from the Callao CCC Campground. It follows Tom's Creek up in elevation for about a mile towards the Deep Creek Mountains Wilderness Study area. The trail dead-ends at a small campsite that is not the most level and is best for one vehicle. Pinstriping is guaranteed as the trail is narrow, and the brush has grown thick around the creek, eager for a water source. Tom's Creek flows in small waterfalls around the campsite, creating peaceful white noise if you stay there; sadly, they are hard to view through the trees and brush lining the creek. Old remnants of irrigation damming and holding tanks sit next to Tom's Creek, perhaps left from the Civilian Conservation Core projects.

Cow Camp is a short out-and-back dirt road leading to a free scenic camping area. Along the short drive, there is a dry wash with access to the San Rafael River. The large open area at the end of the trail has a couple of established fire rings for individual or group campers. The trail is hard-packed dirt and passable in 2WD vehicles.

Red Mountain (FS017) is a scenic, high-country trail linking China Meadows to Henry’s Fork along the north–south corridor of the High Uintas. Winding through small aspen groves, open meadows, and stretches of lodgepole pine, the route climbs to just above 9,500 feet in elevation. The surface is graded dirt throughout, making it approachable for almost any high-clearance two-wheel-drive vehicle. Anglers and campers often use this trail, as it provides access to dispersed campsites and the many lakes scattered across the region.

Driving the maintained roads across the High Uintas region requires little off-road experience. Newcomers will find the terrain of Red Mountain forgiving, with gentle climbs and broad curves. However, conditions vary with the seasons: snow usually renders the route impassable in winter, leaving it to snowmobilers until the thaw. By summer, the corridor becomes popular on weekends, when traffic picks up, and it is common to share the area with 4WD vehicles, camper trailers, and ATV/UTV drivers.

A highlight for many is crossing the state line, clearly marked by wooden posts reading “Utah” and “Wyoming.” Drive by too fast and you might miss it!

Whether you’re aiming for an easy point-to-point connection or just looking for a quiet campsite in the trees, Red Mountain delivers a laid-back, accessible mountain drive.

Running through the West Desert, Ericson Knoll is an occasionally maintained dirt and gravel road wrapping around its namesake feature. This trail connects Ericson Pass to the Weiss Highway in a different location, acting as a "scenic alternate" to completing Ericson Pass to the south. Although the majority of this trail runs through BLM land, no camping is observed directly off of the trail. However, many spurs heading into the small side canyons have a few dispersed options. This trail is also part of the large Prospector Trail Network, providing opportunities for an extended overland journey through the mining history of the West Desert.

D1091B is a short jumper road between Big Draw Trail and Mineral Bottom Road. It is a lightly used two-track with sections of sand and rough and bumpy slickrock striations. Due to light vehicle usage, route finding can be difficult along the slickrock. No pre-established campsites exist along this trail. This trail is suitable for any high clearance vehicle and airing down is highly recommended due to the brought terrain.

Cottonwood Ridge is a short spur leading to an abundance of camping opportunities. There are no major obstacles, but a short hill climb with loose rock may provide a challenge for lower-clearance vehicles. The trail ends at a campsite with an impressive view of the valley below. Dispersed camping is offered all along the first half of the trail, with one or two sites near the top. The 2-track does appear to continue but gets too narrow for full-size vehicles.

Crossing the barren landscape along Grey Flats feels like driving on the moon. The puffy gray dirt creates dust clouds as you zigzag around the rutted washouts. The trail is the only legal connector between Neversweat Canyon and Camel Wash. The trail has a couple of hills that require extra momentum and 4x4. The hardest section is the descent down the narrow ledge above the Price River. River access is minimal because of the dense foliage. Expect pinstriping if you intend to reach the river or access Camel Wash. There were not any established campsites along this very lightly used trail.

The Middle Moody Canyon ORV Route is a spur off Moody Creek Road within the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (NRA). This is what the Glen Canyon NRA considers a Designated ORV Route and is open to conventional vehicles, OHVs, and street-legal ATVs. The route is a short 2-mile out-and-back and dead ends at a sizable turnaround spot with beautiful views of Middle Moody Canyon. The only camping on this trail would be at the turnaround spot, meaning you may have company if you stay there. This area is extremely remote and is the farthest south you can get within the Glen Canyon NRA via motorized travel when accessing from Burr Trail to the north. The hardest part you will encounter is a short and somewhat steep climb with patches of loose shale material that a stock 4WD vehicle can easily traverse.