Utah Off-Road Trails

This road works as a connector route, linking Indian Springs Road up through a series of climbs to Strawberry Ridge Road, making it a good option for people looking to combine a canyon drive with time on the ridge rather than an out-and-back. It's rated easy and suitable for a stock high clearance 2WD in dry conditions. The one stretch worth planning around comes about a third of the way in, where the road narrows and gets rutted; it's a non-issue in dry season but calls for 4WD if the ground is wet.

Camping is dispersed and plentiful, with around a dozen spots spread along most of the route rather than clustered in one place. At least one of these spots offers both shade and privacy, providing options beyond the more open roadside pull-offs.

The road also transitions directly into 70501 partway through without a marked junction, so drivers can expect to stay on the same line without needing to watch for a turn.

BLM 100 lies within the BLM Kanab Field Office management area and generally runs east to west, connecting Highway 89 with Johnson Canyon Road while intersecting numerous other BLM roads along the way. In dry conditions, the route is suitable for most AWD and 4WD vehicles, but sections can quickly become impassable when wet.

To reach the western end of the road, you will enter via Kanab Canyon Road and the famed Best Friends Animal Society, where you will pass an elaborate pet memorial cemetery. Before officially turning onto BLM 100, a couple of spur roads lead toward Native American ruins located on private property.

Once on BLM-managed land, the road surface becomes a mix of sand and severe washboarding. The washboarding continues through roughly the first half of the route before gradually improving toward the eastern end. Near Johnson Canyon Road, a drainage crossing can develop extremely soft, sticky mud. Although the muddy section may be only about 30 feet from the end of the route, it could become a serious problem, especially when traveling alone.

BLM 100 is not a route for dramatic rock walls or major formations, but it offers a pleasant drive through pinyon-juniper woodlands and broad sagebrush flats.

A few good dispersed campsites can be found along the eastern half of the route, but overall BLM 100 is not particularly well suited for camping.

BLM 100 is a point-to-point, sandy trail offering increasingly expansive views of Cutler Point as it crosses the surrounding high-desert landscape. Near the point, the road passes through active grazing land where free-range cattle are common. A short side trip leads to the parking area for a brief but strenuous hike up Cutler Point. West of Cutler Point, the road crosses private property, where heavy runoff has created several deep washouts requiring careful maneuvering and high clearance. These washouts account for the trail’s moderate rating, as most of the route is otherwise suitable for high-clearance AWD vehicles. After storms or periods of heavy runoff, the washouts may become more difficult, and true 4WD may be necessary. The road surface consists primarily of loose, soft sand, and there are no established camping opportunities along the route.

Brindley Dairy works well as a short link within the Paiute Trail system on the Sevier Plateau, connecting travelers between other routes rather than serving as a standalone destination. The road takes its name from a family dairy operation that grazed cattle here through the summer months in the early 1890s before the site was abandoned. It rates as easy, and stock high clearance 2WD is sufficient throughout; the loose rock near the start and the rutted sections further along are the only real concerns, with no ledges or drops that would call for four wheel drive.

Dispersed camping is available at two spots along the route. The smaller one holds one or two rigs, while the larger site further south fits four or five rigs and trailers. Both sit among trees that offer some shade, though neither provides much privacy.

A wildfire passed through part of the corridor within the last couple of decades, and the forest along that stretch still shows the mix of downed timber and newer aspen and pine growth filling back in.

Monroe Canyon Road offers a quieter, longer alternative to reach Monroe Mountain compared to more heavily traveled routes in the area, and its narrow shelf sections make it a road best driven with some patience rather than in a hurry. Recovery from the 2025 Monroe Canyon Fire is an ongoing part of the landscape here, with the burn scar increasing runoff and debris flow risk during heavy rain in subsequent monsoon seasons.

Vehicles should come with good tires and be ready to yield on the several shelf sections, since there is little room to pass an oncoming rig on those stretches. The creek crossing partway along the route can wash out and become genuinely hazardous after rain, so drivers should check recent weather before committing to the canyon.

Dispersed camping is plentiful along the route, with six or more distinct spots scattered through the lower canyon and near Devil's Dutch Oven higher up. The largest can comfortably host a larger group, and while several spots sit under tree cover for shade, none offer much privacy from the road or from neighboring campers.

Dry Lakes Road serves as a mellow connector road off the Markagunt Plateau, linking travelers to the broader network of routes around Brian Head and Sugarloaf Mountain. It works well as a short, scenic link between other plateau roads or as a quick descent to cap off a day of exploring the area, rather than a standalone destination.

The road is rated easy, and a stock high clearance 2WD vehicle handles it without issue, thanks to good traction and a steady, non-technical grade. No specific trail concerns are noted along the route. Grazing use shaped many of the roads in this district long before recreational travel became common, which is why the private inholdings along this stretch still carry a strict stay-on-the-road rule.

Camping is not available on Dry Lakes Road. The short Forest Service segment has no designated spots, and the remainder crosses private land where camping is not permitted.

Page Ranch New Harmony Road follows Pace Draw and Little Pinto Creek up from New Harmony, working through changing vegetation zones before ending at the historic Page Ranch House. It offers a useful link for those looking to connect from the New Harmony area into the high country beneath Stoddard Mountain, with the old ranch site itself serving as a worthwhile destination for history-minded drivers.

The road is easy and typically suitable for a stock high clearance 2WD, though two rough spots deserve attention. One sits on the harder edge of easy, and a second features ruts six to seven inches deep that can be avoided with careful line choice. Outside these two areas, the road is a mellow dirt and rock two-track with good traction. Two dispersed camp spots break up the drive, with the larger of the two able to host a group; neither offers much privacy, though at least one has some shade.

The road terminates near the Page Ranch House, a brick home built around 1898 to 1900 on land homesteaded decades earlier by an early Mormon settler. The house served travelers and miners for years as the only sizable agricultural operation in this part of the forest, and it still stands today as a listed historic site.

Pinto Road is a mellow connector route linking Cedar City to the Pinto area, offering a quiet dirt alternative to the highway. Along the way, it passes close enough to the Lion's Mouth pictograph alcove and the Old Irontown ruins to make both worthwhile side stops for anyone not in a hurry. Given the easy grades and solid gravel surface, the road is a good option for a relaxed afternoon drive for any vehicle.

Camping is dispersed and limited to two spots. The first, a few miles in, fits one or two small rigs or trailers and sits in the shade, though it's close to an ATV trail and offers little privacy. Further down the road, a second, larger spot can hold a couple of trailers and a few rigs. It lacks shade but sits off the road, giving it more privacy than the first.

The road also passes near Pinto, settled in 1856 and still used for grazing today, which is why the route weaves between public and private land.

Circling around the well site for the nearby Ruby Ranch, this easy-graded road has distant views of the Green River and private ranch valley. In dry conditions, the sandy road can be traveled in 2WD high clearance vehicles. The trail connects easily with D2930, a scenic out-and-back trail that ends near the Green River. The best nearby camping can be found along Ruby Ranch Road.

Buffalo Canyon offers a low-key sidehill cruise, gaining just under 500 feet over its length. It works well as a relaxed add-on for a bigger day in the area, or as an easy introduction to backcountry driving for someone in a stock rig.

Difficulty is Easy, typically suitable for a high clearance 2WD. The surface is packed dirt and rock with only minor dips and ruts, and grades stay gentle throughout. The one exception is the short climb up to the camping area near the start, which is rougher than the rest of the road and may give trailers some trouble.

Camping is dispersed, with three spots available. The largest is a hilltop site with room for a larger group, while two smaller pull-offs nearby hold one or two rigs each. None of the spots offer shade, though there is some privacy to be had.

Bowery Creek Yankee offers a different way to reach Yankee Meadows Reservoir for anglers and paddlers, following forest road out of the oak and mahogany hills before dropping into open meadow near the water. Once the route merges with Yankee Meadows Reservoir Road, the drive settles into a smooth, easy cruise for the final approach to the lake, making the road a different option for those hauling in a canoe or kayak.

The route is easy and suitable for a stock, high clearance 2WD vehicle. Two short sections, one near the start and another about a mile in, hold rockier, rutted ground that calls for careful tire placement, though neither stretch is technical enough to demand Four Wheel Drive.

A dispersed camping spot along the way fits two or three smaller rigs, offering some privacy but no shade.

Navajo Ridge Road is best suited as a staging drive for a base camp, rather than a technical outing. High clearance 2WD is enough to handle the dirt and light rock surface, and the grades stay gentle enough that stock vehicles won't struggle. One slower, more attentive stretch near the top keeps drivers alert, but it stays within easy limits the whole way. The road eventually ties into the ski resort's access network, so staying on the marked route matters once private land begins.

Dispersed camping is abundant here, with dozens of pull-offs scattered along most of the road. Spot sizes range from tight single-rig clearings to larger group sites, and at least one spot offers both shade and privacy for those wanting a quieter stay. Pit toilets serve one of the larger camping areas near the start, a rare amenity for a dispersed camping stretch.

The road predates the ski resort it eventually borders, having served as a forest access and camping route on the Markagunt Plateau long before the lifts went in. Its name traces back to Navajo Peak, the resort's gentler, beginner-friendly slope.

Paiute Side Trail 44 (PST44) works as a connector, linking the Koosharem side of the Sevier Plateau to the Paiute ATV Trail network on the west side of the mountain. Grass Valley opens up in the views as the route climbs, and the west end ties into the Koosharem Guard Station Road, site of Utah's oldest surviving Forest Service guard station. The road makes a good link between trail systems or a quiet stopover on a longer run.

Rated as easy, and the road is suitable for a stock high clearance 2WD. About two miles in, a stretch of ruts slows the pace and can turn greasy after rain, briefly pushing that section toward a tougher rating. The trail also crosses private property twice, each crossing marked with signs and a cattle guard, so staying on the established road through those stretches matters.

Camping is dispersed, with around a dozen sites spread across two areas. Most sit shaded under trees along the main stretch, and a tight three-spot spur partway through adds shaded, private sites suited to a single small rig.

Summit 30014 exists mainly to get to dispersed camping, offering several informal pull-outs in the foothills below the Pine Valley Mountains. The road also brushes up against the start of the Summit Trail corridor, a route used for generations by hikers and livestock crossing the range from a trailhead near Pinto, a community settled in 1856 that has long served as a gateway into this country.

The drive is easy and suitable for a stock, high clearance 2WD vehicle. One rocky section partway up may require careful driving, but it stays well within what a stock rig can manage.

Camping along the road is dispersed and free. A small pull-out partway up offers a bit of privacy but no shade, and won't fit a trailer. Further on, a more open area has room for a trailer up to about 25 feet and includes a few picnic tables. A third spot near the upper end could hold one or two rigs but sits exposed and has some privacy.

Upper Mud Creek is a connector road. The route follows a series of easy grades rather than a single long descent, with a short climb midway before dropping again toward the finish. It opens into a rolling meadow near the end, offering wider views across the drainage after the tighter, timbered sections earlier on. It works well as a short, scenic link between trails in the area rather than a destination in itself.

A short rocky pinch early on narrows the road and calls for careful tire placement, but the rest of the drive is a mellow forest cruise with occasional ruts and embedded rock. One dispersed campsite sits a little past the halfway point, set back in the trees with some shade through parts of the day, though it stays fairly open rather than fully enclosed. It can comfortably fit two rigs, or one rig with a trailer. No permits are noted for camping or travel on this road. The stay limit is 14-days.

A notable diversion and wonderful place to camp for free, Sulphur Creek packs a bunch of primitive camping in a short distance. The western trailhead is easy to access, and there are several different campsites to choose from. There are no services, restrooms, or potable water. The eastern portion of the trail does not allow camping, but it's a wonderfully scenic and easy drive, with a water crossing. 

Bell Rock connects Monroe Mountain Road to Paiute Side Trail 40, dropping through Fishlake National Forest before crossing onto BLM land partway along the route. Most drivers use it as a scenic through route or a link between nearby trail systems, descending steadily along dirt and rocky gravel.

Suitable camping is not present on the road or trail.

This road serves as the approach to the historic Browse Guard Station and multiple hiking trails that enter the Pine Valley Mountain Wilderness. It climbs from open rangeland into pine forest and ends at a rare giant sequoia growing far outside its usual range. It functions as a scenic drive with a clear historical destination at the top.

This easy road is manageable in a stock high-clearance 2WD and is seasonally closed in the winter. Drivers should watch for a steep razorback crossing that acts like a shelf road on both sides, along with a long, narrow stretch farther up the canyon that runs about one and a quarter vehicle widths wide, requiring caution for oncoming traffic.

Camping is dispersed, with three sites scattered along the upper half of the road. The largest comfortably fits three rigs or two rigs with small trailers, and at least one spot offers privacy despite lacking shade. The guard station itself dates to 1921, when it began as an experimental grazing range, with the current CCC-built structure going up in 1934 to replace an earlier cabin on the site.

Pinto Spring Road is a mellow, dead-end high-clearance spur through open pinyon-juniper country in the Pine Valley Ranger District. A livestock gate crosses the road partway through, a reminder that this stretch still serves working ranches as much as it does sightseers, and drivers should expect to stop, open it, and close it again behind them. The only real technical feature is a rutted spot roughly five inches deep, well within what a high clearance 2WD rig can manage.

Suitable camping is not present on this road.

Clyde Creek Road is a connecting road to Strawberry Ridge at the western end. The road climbs steadily passing through pine and aspen stands with occasional views back into the Clyde Creek drainage. It works well as a link route toward Strawberry Ridge or as a standalone drive for those exploring the reservoir area.

Traction stays good throughout, and the climb is gradual rather than technical, making it a good option for a relaxed drive or for breaking in a new rig. Dispersed camping is available along the road, with dozens of sites scattered the length of the trail. The largest sites can fit more than 10 rigs, and a few offer some privacy or shade from surrounding trees, while others are more open. No permits are required for dispersed camping in this area of the national forest. The stay limit is 14-days.

High Mountain Road follows a former logging and forest access route. The drive is easy and typically suitable for high clearance 2WD, with a packed dirt and rock surface, small dips and ruts, and grades that hold good traction despite occasional steep sections. It works well as a scenic out and back through conifer and aspen stands, with a payoff view at the high point before descending back to the start.

Dispersed camping is available at a single spot near the top of the road, and it can be uncomfortable given the lack of shade or privacy. The area can hold three to four rigs, but only if a trailer is able to make the climb up.

The alternate steep route to hike on Dead Man's Trail to the Great Gallery is at the end of this unmaintained trail. Windy Peak is washed out and appears to be lightly used by visitors. There are a couple of steep, loose climbs with deep crosscut washouts that surprise the driver. Experience in sand is required, as well as a capable vehicle with self-recovery equipment. You will find one small campsite along the trail with room for a couple of vehicles with tents. The camping at High Spur Camp is highly recommended.

Dead Man’s Trail is a steep, historic route providing access to the canyon floor of Horseshoe Canyon. The trail drops roughly 700 feet in elevation over 0.6 miles. Roughly 1.2 miles round trip for the descent/ascent itself, plus additional walking on the canyon floor to reach the rock art panels.

BLM 100H connects BLM 100 with BLM 103C. The road surface is more undulating than BLM 100 and will flex your vehicle’s suspension in a few spots where the road crosses washes and areas of erosion. It is suitable for any high clearance vehicle in dry conditions.

The narrow, one-vehicle-wide road is bordered by sandy banks dotted with juniper, pinyon, and sagebrush. Along the way, it provides good views north toward the cliff lines leading up to Cutler Point.

At its junction with BLM 103C, the route passes through a ranch gate.

BLM 103C offers a short but surprisingly varied drive through the open high-desert landscape. From the eastern end at BLM 100H, the route crosses a broad meadow where the sparse terrain and looming ridgeline to the north give the area an almost isolated, eerie feel. The road soon drops into a narrow, wash-like drainage bordered by steep earthen embankments, winding through several blind corners before climbing back onto more open terrain and terminating at BLM 103D.

In dry conditions, the route is generally suitable for any high-clearance vehicle, but the soft soils and confined drainage can become muddy, slick, and potentially impassable during or shortly after rain, making wet-weather travel inadvisable. There are no established dispersed campsites directly along BLM 103C. Some maps depict the road continuing farther east through private property, but the route described here avoids that access and instead begins or ends at BLM 100H.