Best off road driving trails in Utah

Cruise up and down incredibly steep, giant slickrock fins The dominant feature of this trail is its steepness and great traction on the slickrock. Unbelievable fun and fantastic scenery. Best part is between Points 9 and 13. Small fee required to enter. Fee includes map with rules and regulations. Read and follow rules carefully. For information on this trail, contact the Sand Flats Recreation Area at (435) 259-2444. Steep slickrock climbs and descents. Some large ledges have bypasses, but not all. Short vehicles with high approach and departure angles do best, but many stock SUVs are seen on this trail. The south loop is not recommended for ATVs. Show more

Hells Revenge is rated as the top trail for many Utah ATV riders and is one of the top Moab ATV trails. The trail contains some long steep climbs on slick rock that are intimidating your first time on the trail. There are many optional obstacles on Hell's Revenge that advanced riders can test their skills on. Some of these obstacles include Hell's Gate, Tip-over Challenge, the Escalator, Rubble Trouble, and the Hot Tubs (aka Mickey's Hot Tub). Several of the obstacles on this trail will leave you wondering how anyone ever thought of attempting the obstacle in the first place.Show more

For an out-and-back mountain bike ride, park your car at this turnout and start riding your bike up the trail. For a loop ride or to shuttle a car, park your car at the turnout and continue up US 191 to Highway 313, where you will ride or drive uphill for 12.8 miles to a dirt road on your left marked Gemini Bridges. Beautiful scenery on way to remarkable Gemini Bridges. The bridges are not apparent until you get close and look down. An extremely popular mountain bike route. Please slow down to minimize dust when passing. To view bridges from below, see Bull Canyon Trail. (Available from FunTreks on EveryTrail.) Turn left on road before Gooney Bird Rock for good camp spots. Open all year weather permitting. Best time to go: Spring and Fall. Located on BLM land. For current status call Bureau of Land Management, Moab Field Office at (435) 259-2100. Off-road Driving Rating: Easy. This once-rocky road has been tamed by rock-grinding equipment. One steep hill after Point #5 requires four-wheel drive. The route shown on this page is a point-to-point. This route could also be done as an out-and-back by turning around after you get to the Gemini Bridges.Show more

Long drive over Hurrah Pass to great scenery above Colorado River Camp in designated sites only in Kane Creek Canyon. Very popular ATV, UTV and dirt bike area. Descend the dramatic west side of Hurrah Pass to the Colorado River. Explore natural caves at Catacomb Rock. From Chicken Corners, look across river to see dramatic Thelma & Louise Point. (You'll appreciate this spot more if you've seen the movie.) Experience the thrill of Chicken Corners.Located on BLM land. For current status call Bureau of Land Management, Moab Field Office at (435) 259-2100. Rating: Moderate. With the exception of a few moderate rocky spots, most of this trail is easy. Best driven in late spring and fall. Hot in summer. Show more

Conveniently located near Moab, this trail offers a hardcore, four-wheeling experience with great views of Moab from various points along rim. Please note this is a dangerous trail. Not for stock vehicles or inexperienced drivers. This trail is shared by hikers and off-roaders, so if you don't have a 4x4, hike it! This route is located on BLM land. For current status call Bureau of Land Management, Moab Field Office at (435) 259-2100. Show more

A thrilling adventure of 4-wheeling on deep sand through a desert landscape of junipers, pinions, yuccas and cacti before reaching a slender passage that will tantalize photographer and hiker alike with a visual array of warm reds, cool browns and hot oranges in rippled and fluted sandstone. Southern Utah has its share of unique desert scapes, but the land here offers something different too - slot canyons. Abundant, yet hidden gems, that start out as small cracks in the earth that, overtime water has forced to become deep and narrow sandstone slots. The beauty of these dimly lit chasms entice hikers to explore into their depths. The price of admission into such a canyon often requires long hikes, down-climbing and rappelling skills, as well as an involved knowledge of rope work. Fortunately, there are some slot canyons that can be experienced without such a hefty price. Red Canyon, or as locals call it: Peek-a-boo, does not require any hiking to get to, but will require a 4 wheel drive. This is not the Peek-a-Boo slot canyon found in the Escalante area. Peek-a-Boo From where you parked you can see the slot canyon to the west. The canyon is usually dry and is only about .35 miles long. Notice how some sections are warmer and others are flushed with chilly air as the slot twists and turns, opens and narrows and the canyon floor rises and falls throughout the short hike. Stripped logs, twigs, and other debris wedged up high offer evidence of past violent flash floods that have raged through the waterway and forged the sandy chasm. The enclosed setting of a weathered canyon with towering walls, abstract designs and dramatic lighting combine for a photographers camera, as oils on a canvas do for an artists brush, providing the ideal tools to create a perfect image. Most sections in this slot are well lit, but a few places can only be captured with a steady hand or the use of a tripod. All too soon a large chockstone, 15 feet up, wedged between the walls ends exploration. Tanya Milligan in Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon Shamans Needle Back at the slot entrance look for a small drainage that enters from the north. Taking a casual stroll just a mere 100 yards up this sandy bottom wash will reveal a "pencil stick" stone structure. To exit, return the same way as you drove in. Show more

Undeveloped, mostly flat trail along Wahweap Creek to the Wahweap Hoodoos. Please be advised there is often little to no shade and this trail can be extraordinarily hot during summer months. After rain, the rocks tend to get very slippery and the trail may be muddy. Be careful and be sure to wear appropriate footwear.Show more

This trail is mainly used by off road drivers, some mountain bikers and a few hikers. Trail starts out smooth gravel which is deceiving - it gets far more technical when you reach the split in the trail at the final stretch to the top. If it’s rainy day, do not attempt this drive unless you are expert off-roader and have a winch.Show more