Southern Cathedral Valley Road

Total Miles15.5
Technical Rating
2Easy
Best TimeSpring, Summer, Fall, Winter
Trail TypeFull-Width Road
Accessible By
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Trail Overview

This is 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, even sedans. In one section, the road weaves and snakes through a beautiful rock and dirt road in a canyon-like area. Again, 2WD vehicles can make it.

Photos of Southern Cathedral Valley Road

Difficulty

2WD vehicles can make it, so it's easy.

Technical Rating

2

Status Reports

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Alex LaBarge
Sep 19, 2025
2018 Toyota Tacoma
Open
NormalDustyWashboard
Ran from the Hartnett connector road to SR-24. Moderate to heavy washboard on the majority of the route.
Al Smith
Sep 15, 2025
Open
Washboard
Daniel Guttormson
Jun 02, 2025
1999 Jeep Cherokee
Open
Washboard
Rob L
May 30, 2025
2020 Toyota Tacoma
Open
Normal
Very easy trail. The dry washes were easy to cross. Very rocky and very bumpy.
Autumn howatt
Apr 10, 2025
2023 Ford Bronco
Open
Dusty
Aidan Soto
Feb 27, 2025
2020 Subaru Outback
Open
Normal
Just did the whole loop starting from clockwise from the River ford and ended in Caineville. Great weather the whole time. There aren't big rocks to navigate around or any flowing rivers to cross on the Cathedral Valley side. But, unless you'd really like to see the Bentonite Hills, I'd skip the river ford side and only go in from Caineville; you're not missing much by doing this. As for the river crossings in the valley toward the Temples, the river is bone dry and it appears as though a tractor has gone through and smoothed out the road and helped to make the crossings doable in a normal SUV. The road is not super sandy to where you'd need to worry about getting stuck in sand. The road is also surprisingly smooth. 90% of the road I was going above 30 mph. Only about 10% is rough washboard.
Steve GEOTACO
Jan 04, 2025
Open
Normal
Sam McGuire
Jan 04, 2025
Open
Washboard
Quite a bit of washboard but otherwise normal.
John Landon
Apr 25, 2024
2024 Subaru Outback
Open
NormalDusty
Jesse Riley
Mar 02, 2023
2020 Toyota 4Runner
Open

Southern Cathedral Valley Road Trail can be accessed by the following ride types:

  • Single Track
  • 50 Inch
  • 60 Inch
  • High Clearance
  • Full Width

Southern Cathedral Valley Road Map

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