Best Beginner Trails in Sand Hollow

Hurricane, Utah, is home to Sand Hollow State Park and the Sand Mountain Open OHV Area. If you've never been, but always wanted to visit this legendary offroad destination, you're probably well aware of its reputation for hardcore rock crawling and insane buggy obstacles. But what you may not know is that this area offers an abundance of trails catering to every level of off-road enthusiast. 

Navigating an extensive inventory of GPX tracks, photos, descriptions, and trail reviews can give anyone anxiety when doing trail research. Let’s help make your research super simple: Below, you’ll find Trails Offroad’s five best beginner trails in Sand Hollow. 

Sand Dune Way: The Gateway To Adventure

What better way to get familiar with Sand Mountain than hopping on the main north-south artery and shredding through the dunes? There are plenty of nationwide rock crawling trails, but opportunities to play in the sand are fairly few and far between. Sand Mountain has several large sections of red sandy dunes, but Sand Dune Way is 3.5 miles of straight sand. 

What makes this a trail worth driving?

This is a great entry-level trail as it teaches beginners some important principles:

1. Tire pressure – The difference between floating across the sand and sinking to your frame can often come down to the difference between only a few PSI.

2. Throttle control – Too little throttle, you’ll find yourself going nowhere. Too much throttle, you’ll find yourself going somewhere you might not want to go, and not be able to avoid it.

3. Keeping your eyes up -  If you only focus on what you are driving over right now, you might miss the proper line ahead of you. Whether it’s a rock to dodge or a sudden cornice drop off, it’s always a good idea to know your line before your tires reach it. 

East Rim: The Scenic Route To Big Views

Starting at the floor of Warner Valley and ascending 700 feet to the southern cliff edge of Sand Mountain, East Rim is a lengthy trail with a few minor challenges like hill climbs, small ledges, and rocky patches that keep the drive interesting as you make your way over a mix of loose sand and sandstone. You’ll roll past entrances to harder-core routes (great for spectating), and you can keep your day mellow by staying on the main trail.

What makes this trail worth driving?

This is a great beginner-friendly Sand Hollow route for a few big reasons:

1. Scenery – The views just keep getting better as you climb, with spectacular looks down into Warner Valley and out across the Arizona Strip.

2. Camping – Coming in from Warner Valley sets you up with dispersed camping potential and an easy “basecamp” vibe for exploring the area without feeling like you’re in the middle of the crowds.

3. Limited Crowds – Because this trail sits out on the rim and runs more remote than the main Sand Mountain hangouts, you can often go long stretches without seeing many other vehicles.

West Rim: The Choose Your Adventure Trail

As the name suggests, West Rim travels the western cliff edge of Sand Mountain and offers a wide range of line and obstacle choices. The trail primarily traverses slickrock and offers beginners the chance to tackle numerous ledges, waterfalls, and V-notch obstacles. Nearly all the obstacles along West Rim have bypasses, allowing the opportunity to decide if you want to take on an obstacle or not. 

What makes this trail worth driving?

This isn’t just a beginner trail, it’s a trail for everyone:

1. No Commitment - Unlike some of the trails on the mountain, which leave you past the point of no return, all the obstacles on West Rim offer an easy bypass or bailout. 

2. Challenge Yourself – Difficult lines can be found at nearly every obstacle as well, allowing you the chance to place your tires on a single obstacle, without requiring you to traverse a gauntlet of tough obstacles. 

3. Scenery – West Rim offers a spectacular mix of 360-degree cliff-side views and unique, Navajo Sandstone rock formations.

Razzle Dazzle: The Sand Mountain Grand Tour

If you are looking for a trail that combines all of the aspects of the previously mentioned trails on this list, Razzle Dazzle will be your shining star. This trail is one of the longest on the mountain, traveling from the north side to the south side, and back again. Offering the opportunity to explore deep sand, slickrock obstacles, scenic views, and hardcore offshoots, Razzle Dazzle is a popular trail to experience anything and everything Sand Mountain can offer. 

What makes this trail worth driving?

This trail showcases every obstacle type and every view you can experience while on Sand Mountain.

1. Easy Access – Whether coming from St George, Washington, or Hurricane, the trailhead is easily accessible right off the Southern Parkway.

2. Time Constraints – Explore the entire trail, or cut off sections that don’t fit into your schedule. This trail can be made as long or as short as you want, and all of the obstacles are optional, which helps speed up the trip.

3. Spectating – Want to see some hardcore rigs in action? Razzle Dazzle is a primary access trail for some of the most notable hardcore trails on the mountain, including DeKleined, Higher Anxiety, Sandthrax, Unforgiven, and Plan B. 

Toquerville Falls: The Offroad Detour To A Hidden Oasis

There is no better “reward at the end” trail than Toquerville Falls. This is a fun and popular trail about 15 minutes north of Hurricane,  that winds out to a beautiful set of waterfalls on La Verkin Creek. Along the way, you’ll tackle a few rough sections and creek crossings, then finish with great photo ops and a cool place to stretch your legs (and sometimes wade in the cool waters, depending on conditions).

What makes this trail worth driving?

This trail welcomes all types of users and offers more than just gentle trail riding: 

1. Scenery– The trail is packed with panoramas, and the payoff is a beautiful, two-stage, horseshoe-shaped waterfall with a grotto at the bottom.

2. Iconic Creek Crossing – The La Verkin Creek ford is a classic “rig-in-the-water” photo moment and adds just enough excitement to the drive.

3. Bonus Detours – Add any of the half dozen spur trails to your route and easily turn the trip into a full day.