Badlands Trail

Trail Overview

South of Green River, Utah, is a vast off-roading playground that stretches all the way to Moab. To the north in this playground, you find the Badlands Trail. It's 7.3 miles of trail winding over and through hills and washes, with some tight turns and easy challenges. There is some off-camber riding, and this trail is subject to erosion and washout when it rains. The terrain resembles what the surface of the moon must look like and is covered with a fine gray dirt in areas. Other parts of this area are a golden brown dirt. The Badlands Trail connects the Crystal Geyser Spur to the Crystal Geyser Road further south. The Green River is to the west, the Labyrinth Rims are to the southeast. Other trails of interest in this vast playground include the Crystal Geyser Road, White Wash Sand Dunes, Secret Spire, Spring Canyon Bottom and the Ten Mile Wash. Don't forget your camera as much of this area is photo worthy, including some of the rock formations and the views. Carrying extra fuel is a must out here, as there is no fuel available to purchase between Green River and close to Moab. Bring lunch and extra water so you can stay all day. Carrying recovery equipment like a tow rope, a snatch block and a saw is a good idea. Be sure to watch for rattlesnakes during the spring, summer and fall months. Starting Feb 2023, Utah is going to begin enforcement of their new law, which requires an online course for all off-roaders. The free course will be available online as of Jan 1, 2023. The state says the online course will take 15-30 minutes, and it's required for all off-roaders, Jeeps, SXSs, dirt bikes, ATVs. You will have to print out something to carry with you which shows you took the course. I have a photo below with information about this course.

Difficulty

Areas of erosion will exist after rains or winter snow. Some tight turns, some off-camber areas and some washouts.

History

The Crystal Geyser is a cold water geyser that has been known to erupt as high as 130 feet, however, locals told us it no longer is active. When we were there, we didn't see any activity.

Technical Rating