Paunsaugunt ATV Trail North

Trail Overview

The Dixie National Forest has designated an ATV trail that roughly travels along the western and southwestern rim of the spectacular Paunsaugunt Plateau in Utah. The trail described herein deals with the northern 20.3-mile segment of this trail. Since this trail is so long, it covers virtually all of the environments found on the Plateau, including verdant open parks, dense stands of fir, pine, and aspen, and areas that have recently been affected by wildfire. Where the trail approaches the rim of the plateau, there are spectacular exposures of the colorful rock formations that are the signature attraction of the Punsaugunt Plateau. This trail reaches an elevation of 9,339 feet, so it may not be available in its entirety until late in the spring.

Photos of Paunsaugunt ATV Trail North

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Difficulty

Most of the segments of this trail are fairly easy, but there are several segments that are substantially more difficult with ruts, rocks, and washouts that require significant technical skills. These difficult segments are most typically those segments that have been newly constructed to ATV standards. These segments are sometimes, but not always, signed.

History

The origin of the tongue twister "Paunsaugunt" (pronounced PAUN-suh-gant) is interesting. It is reported to be a Paiute indian word meaning "home of the beavers". That's entirely credible after viewing all of the ponds and streams on the Plateau. It's also worth noting that the signage for the trail contains the image of a beaver.

Technical Rating

Paunsaugunt ATV Trail North can be accessed by the following ride types:

• ATV (50")
• Dirt Bike