Trail Overview
Set within an expansive high-desert badland landscape featuring rolling clay hills and sagebrush flats managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), BLM 132A delivers a scenic mountain-backdrop drive. Accessed directly off of BLM 132 near the primary highway trailhead staging lot, this 2.5-mile out-and-back dirt spur travels through open desert terrain into quiet backcountry draws. Outdoor enthusiasts, off-roaders, and campers explore this path to enjoy unobstructed vistas of the dramatic Book Cliffs, set up secluded primitive camps, or access surrounding multi-use trail networks. The driving surface consists of fine silt, soft sand, and embedded rocks featuring deep wheel ruts and off-camber slopes, earning a technical Grade 3 difficulty rating. Departing the main staging area, the trail meanders past an initial roadside campsite at 0.2 miles before traversing undulating hills. Additional primitive campsites appear near 1.8 miles and 2.2 miles before the route concludes at a designated closure point established for local wildlife and vegetation protection.
Difficulty
Earning a technical grade 3 difficulty rating, this 2.5-mile desert spur presents distinct ground-clearance and traction challenges. As shown in the photos, primary obstacles include deep 12- to 14-inch longitudinal wheel ruts carved into loose silt, mild off-camber side slopes tilting up to 10 degrees, embedded surface cobbles, and sandy hill ascents. Drivers should maintain a steady speed through loose sandy patches, carefully straddle the deep central ruts to avoid underbody scraping, pick elevated lines along tilted track sections, and refrain from traveling during wet weather when fine desert clay transforms into slick, impassable mud.
