Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Oljato-Monument Valley, Utah
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Valley of the Gods
Spectacular 17 mile route through iconic desert spires, buttes, and formations. Think Monument Valley that you can actually drive right next to the monuments and wild camp - for free. This route is not hard,… Learn more about Valley of the Gods
Total Miles
15.5
Tech Rating
2
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi
Comb Wash Road
Comb Wash Road follows the iconic Comb Ridge. The road itself is on BLM land and is suitable for most all-terrain vehicles. There are some water crossings in the Spring or when storms are nearby,… Learn more about Comb Wash Road
Total Miles
17.4
Tech Rating
3
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi
Hole In The Rock Road
Hole In The Rock Road (BLM 200) travels through the heart of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Almost 60 miles in length, this out-and-back dirt road travels through some of the most remote country in the… Learn more about Hole In The Rock Road
Total Miles
53.4
Tech Rating
3
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi
Arch Canyon
This 17.3 mile out and back box canyon trail features amazing Utah bluffs and rock formations and numerous water crossings. You will turn left before crossing the water that leads to Hotel Rock. There is… Learn more about Arch Canyon
Total Miles
7.6
Tech Rating
3
Easy
Best Time
Fa / Sp
Elk Ridge Shelf Road
This stunning Shelf Road provides fantastic views of the surrounding Manti-La Sal National Forest. It connects the wonderful campsites on the plateau with the red rock canyons that surround it, offering visitors a unique and… Learn more about Elk Ridge Shelf Road
Total Miles
9
Tech Rating
2
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa
South Elks Road
This road is wide and graded but leads to several more technical trails and provides access to the Manti-La Sal National Forest. It largely traverses BLM, which makes it a perfect area to camp and… Learn more about South Elks Road
Total Miles
18.9
Tech Rating
1
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Wi / Fa
Road to Hite
Spend the day in true Utah backcountry on this easy, 30-mile road to the north end of Lake Powell. The trip is beautiful, but very remote so come prepared and consider riding with another vehicle.… Learn more about Road to Hite
Total Miles
29.4
Tech Rating
2
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa
Elk Ridge
If you're looking to escape the crowds of Moab and sneak off into the pines, Elk Ridge in the Manti-La Sal National Forest is a perfect choice. Leading off Beef Basin, this trail climbs into… Learn more about Elk Ridge
Total Miles
10.9
Tech Rating
2
Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa
Croton Road
Croton Road is a rarely used gravel road that stretches twenty-five miles through the Grand Staircase Escalante. It connects Left Hand Collett to the Sit Down Bench and Little Valley roads along the Croton Bench… Learn more about Croton Road
Total Miles
23.8
Tech Rating
3
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa
Nothing to See Here Trail
When I first glanced down the turnoff to this trail, it didn't look like there was much to see. This trail isn't very long. It has a couple of washouts to navigate along with some… Learn more about Nothing to See Here Trail
Total Miles
0.3
Tech Rating
3
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi / Su
Alstrom Point - Rec Road 264
Unmaintained dirt road accessing Alstrom Point above Lake Powell in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. This is an easy drive out to a scenic viewpoint. It does have one section of a rock garden… Learn more about Alstrom Point - Rec Road 264
Total Miles
6.5
Tech Rating
3
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa
Burr Trail Switchbacks
This trail goes from Notom-Bullfrog Road to Capitol Reef National Park over the Waterpocket Fold. Once the trail enters Grand Staircase a couple of miles from the top, it becomes a paved road. It winds… Learn more about Burr Trail Switchbacks
Total Miles
5
Tech Rating
3
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa
Dude Ranch to Stone Henge
Starts off as a paved road, then turns into a maintained dirt road, then bare right into a forested OHV trail. This is a great beginner trail. Be on the look-out for a large grassy… Learn more about Dude Ranch to Stone Henge
Total Miles
0.5
Tech Rating
3
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa
Glen Canyon Rec Road 340-230
Wide, graded gravel road along the Northern boundary of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area used to access Alstrom Point and other scenic spots along Lake Powell and into Grand Staircase Escalante to the North.… Learn more about Glen Canyon Rec Road 340-230
Total Miles
4
Tech Rating
2
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa
Canyon De Chelly
This park sits entirely on Navajo tribal lands. Beautiful ruins, Indian writings and phenomenal scenery are just a few of the perks you'll experience here. You can take a guide along with you, or use… Learn more about Canyon De Chelly
Total Miles
7.5
Tech Rating
3
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa
McMIllan Springs Road
This short road stretches between the Henry Mountain road and the McMillan Springs campground. The campground has a vault toilet and designated camping spots but is otherwise an unimproved camp area. The foliage is mostly… Learn more about McMIllan Springs Road
Total Miles
2.3
Tech Rating
3
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa
Henry Mountain Road
The road stretches from Sandy Ranch Road on the West end. It traverses through a desert-type area with many small buttes, gullies, and clay-like soil. It can be very slick when wet. Sagebrush and Cedar… Learn more about Henry Mountain Road
Total Miles
14.1
Tech Rating
3
Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp
Smoky Mountain Road
This is a backcountry route bordering the Burning Hills Wilderness Study Area. It connects Alstrom Point above Lake Powell to the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. It starts with a steep climb up Kelly Grade.… Learn more about Smoky Mountain Road
Total Miles
41.6
Tech Rating
2
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa
Smoky Mountain Road
This is the first 14 miles of Smoky Mountain Road as it passes through a portion of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area above Lake Powell. It is most often used to reach the popular… Learn more about Smoky Mountain Road
Total Miles
13
Tech Rating
2
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa
Nipple Butte Trail
This is a beautiful desert canyon trail that takes you from Big Water UT up north and circles back east toward Lake Powell. It follows Nipple Creek and meanders thru Tibbet Canyon. Lots of desert… Learn more about Nipple Butte Trail
Total Miles
23
Tech Rating
3
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi
Loop & Sand Wash
Really fun sand wash that has a few connectors that will get you back on to the main trail/ road. It has a few tight turns and high side that make it narrow in a… Learn more about Loop & Sand Wash
Total Miles
7.6
Tech Rating
3
Easy
Best Time
Sp
Cow Dung Road
A well-maintained dirt road that offers some incredible views of the very unique desert landscape. Just over 2 miles in, is a neat boulder field and canyon to navigate through. Just North of this, you'll… Learn more about Cow Dung Road
Total Miles
7.1
Tech Rating
2
Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Su / Sp
Tantalus Flat - NF30168
Fun mixed terrain route accessing Lower Browns Reservoir, Jorgensen Flat, Tantalus Flats, Laurel and Hardy Arch, and the Western back-door access point of Capitol Reef National Park. This route starts out as a graded gravel… Learn more about Tantalus Flat - NF30168
Total Miles
9.9
Tech Rating
2
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa
Taylor Canyon
Taylor Canyon is a 5-mile out-and-back trail, 10. Located in the back country of Canyonlands National Park off of White Rim Trail. To access the trail, you must have a back country day permit or… Learn more about Taylor Canyon
Total Miles
4.9
Tech Rating
3
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa
Hells Backbone - NF153
Hell's Backbone is a rugged area that bridges between towering Boulder Mountain on the north and canyons cut by the Escalante River and its tributaries on the south. The Hell's Backbone Road is a winding… Learn more about Hells Backbone - NF153
Total Miles
23.8
Tech Rating
1
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa
Potash Road, Shafer Switchbacks
If you're looking for beautiful scenery, this route will deliver. Potash Road and its side roads are legal for ATVs and UTVs, but you have to stop at the Canyonlands National Park border even if… Learn more about Potash Road, Shafer Switchbacks
Total Miles
17.4
Tech Rating
2
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa
Chicken Corners
The route winds primarily along the Colorado River, but you can stop to explore some catacomb caves along the way, and the scenery is phenomenal. Chicken Corners travels along a high, steep cliff overlooking the… Learn more about Chicken Corners
Total Miles
8.5
Tech Rating
2
Moderate
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa
Blue Valley Road
This short little side trail doesn't lead to much, but it does offer some pretty incredible desert views. There was an attempt to connect to the Sand Wash Road, but that road is no longer… Learn more about Blue Valley Road
Total Miles
1
Tech Rating
2
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi
Southern Cathedral Valley Road
Another stunning maintained desert trail that connects you from the main road to Lower Cathedral Valley. It is well maintained and scenic. All vehicle types can make it - I was passed by sedan cars.… Learn more about Southern Cathedral Valley Road
Total Miles
14.7
Tech Rating
2
Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi
North Caineville Reef Road
This trail is a great trail to view the west side of Factory Butte. It is incredible to see red rock, brown rock, and gray rock (and sand and silt in all of these colors).… Learn more about North Caineville Reef Road
Total Miles
10.9
Tech Rating
3
Easy
Best Time
Fa
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