In the beauty of Central Utah lies the great San Rafael Swell. Running through the land are miles of off-road trails taking you to some incredible places. McKay Flat Road is no exception. Beginning just a short distance off of Temple Mountain Road, McKay Flat Road provides some incredible scenic opportunities while connecting you to some of the other incredible trails in the swell. If you are looking to camp away from the crowds of the campgrounds, this trail also provides many dispersed camping options. Combine this trail with the Reds Canyon Trail and Hidden Splendor for an unforgettable journey.
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Drive north for just under 20 miles until you reach Temple Mountain Road. Turn left (west) on Temple Mountain Road and follow for 16.3 Miles until a fork. Turn left at the fork and follow for another 3.7 miles. The trailhead will be on the left (south).
Not a whole lot to say about this trail other than it's incredibly smooth which made for a relaxing (and somewhat scenic) drive on my way out from Hidden Splendor. I did see about four wild horses (at least I think they were wild) which was awesome as I'm not sure I'd ever seen any before.
Not much of a trail, just a connector to reds canyon and hidden splendor. Super dry and dusty with not much to see. There are a couple camping spots along the trail but nothing worth staying at in my opinion.
Easy connector trail with wide-open views. It was cool to watch the storms build off in the distance. We ran this trail to check out Hidden Splendor; it was a dusty and windy day.
A small Trails Offroad crew ventured into the area for some mapping work in the San Rafael Swell. I found this trail to be dry and dusty with weather conditions ideal for a September trip. We found antelope and wild horses running wild along this trail.
Nothing special on its own, however, it does provide access to 2 of the more beautiful trails in the area and also makes a good place to basecamp. You can also see lots of wildlife along this trail if you are paying attention.
Ran this trail for the second time. There is no major change and the rating is dead on. However, this time I ran the trail in both directions and realized the prettiest view is running it from the south to the north which give views of formations off in the distance.
Nice connector trail to some of the other amazing trails in the area. We went and did Hidden Splendor and then came back up McKay Flats and found a great camp site. A great trail to make a base camp.
Mckay Flat Road in the San Rafael Swell is a great road that connects you to other prime areas. There are some great camping locations along this route. For utility purposes while in the Swell, this is a good connector road with overnight camping.
This trail has some decent scenery and some decent camping. I personally wouldn't go out of my way to do just this trail. However, it does connect to Hidden Splendor, which is an absolutely incredible trail.
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Born and raised in Salt Lake City, Utah, he's only been off-roading since he was 16 but fell in love immediately. He attended college in Denver for Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management and wheeled in Colorado for 4 years, but ended up moving back home to Salt Lake City. He currently works in an off-road shop and spends his free time doing anything he can to stay busy, which is usually working on his jeep or playing music. Outside of off-roading, he is an avid whitewater rafter and outdoor cook. Camping at least every other weekend in any season is a normal year. The further from civilization, the better. Bring on the memories!
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