Moab ATV Trails
Hurrah Pass / Chicken Corners
Overview
- Length: 39.6 miles
- Skill Level: Moderate
- Driving Time: 7-8 hours
- Fees: None
- Usage: Heavy
- Open: Year round
- Surface: Hard pack dirt, gravel, rock steps
- Services Available: None
- Vehicles Allowed: ATV, SxS, UTV, full size, dual sport
Probably one of most popular and best known ATV trails in Moab.
This out and back trail will take 4 -5 hours of driving. Stop for lunch and stretch your legs and you could easily spend 6 hours on the trail. You’ll definitely want to stop and snap some pictures while you’re soaking up the view as you navigate a ledge 4500’ above the Colorado River.
You drive the Hurrah Pass Trail to the official start of what is Chicken Corner. The first part of this trail, Hurrah Pass, is easy, but once you get on the Chicken Corner portion, it becomes more advanced.
At the end of the road, you can see Dead Horse Point across the river. This is the scenic point where Thelma and Louise plunged to their dramatic death in the movie.
The only thing that makes it a little hairy is a few blind corners with some steep drop offs. But even with the drop offs, the road is wide, so you don’t have to drive right next to the edge.
But, if you’re not a fan of heights, definitely just do the easy Hurrah Pass portion. The last mile is on a shelf 400’ above the Colorado River.
A few rock obstacles and rock steps that you’ll need to navigate, but nothing extraordinary. Even though there aren’t any extreme obstacles to navigate you will need a high clearance vehicle. A large stock 4×4 would probably be OK, but large tires and a lift kit for a bit of extra clearance would be preferable.
At the end of the road is a parking area with plenty of room to turn around. If you’re very brave, there’s a scary, dodgy walking trail that you can follow for a short way to soak up more of the view. Personally, you couldn’t pay me to get on this hiking trail!
BLM Website: Chicken Corners
Hell’s Revenge 4×4 Trail
Overview
- Length: 6.5 miles
- Skill Level: Advanced
- Driving Time: 2 -3 hours
- Fees:
- Daily – $5 per vehicle
- Daily – $5 per towed vehicle trailer
- 7 Day Pass – $10 per vehicle
- 7 Day Pass – $5 per towed vehicle trailer
- Usage: Very heavy
- Open: Year round
- Surface: Slick rock, sand
- Services Available: Camping (@Sand Flats Recreation Area)
- Vehicles Allowed: SxS, buggies, full size (roll bars needed)
Hell’s Revenge is part of the Sand Flats Recreation Area. This off roading area also includes two other popular Moab ATV trails: Fins and Things and the Porcupine Trail.
Located 8 minutes from Moab, this slick rock off roading area is very popular and gets a lot of visitors. Summer is very hot, so the main tourist season is Spring and Fall for this riding area.
Due to the high risk of tipping over, you’ll want a vehicle with an enclosed cab or roll bars.
Quads and motorcycles definitely aren’t recommended on this trail.
Dual sport riders aren’t entirely out of luck as there is a dedicated bike trail at Sand Flats Recreation Area. The Slick Rock Bike Trail is open to both dual sport and mountain bikes.
This park gets about 160,000 visitors a year, so it’s definitely busy. But don’t let the crowds keep you away – it’s a fun kind of busy, not a chaotic kind of busy. The trails require slow steady deliberate travel with difficult lines, so it’s advantageous to see how other tackle the challenges.
Hell’s Revenge Trail travels over the beautiful red slick rock. There are some very steep climbs and descents that are not for the faint of heart or the inexperienced.
If you’re looking to kick it up a notch, there are 4 additional natural features that you can tackle: Hot Tub, Devil’s Hot Tub, Hell’s Gate and Escalator. If you’re not up to the challenge, these obstacles are easy to avoid.
Visit our Hell’s Revenge write up for additional trail information including videos of the advanced sections and camping areas with pricing.
Sand Flats Recreation Area: Hell’s Revenge 4×4 Trail
Fins And Things
Overview
- Length: 10 miles (one way loop)
- Skill Level: Moderate/Advanced
- Driving Time: 3-4 hours
- Fees:
- Daily – $5 per vehicle
- Daily – $5 per towed vehicle trailer
- 7 Day Pass – $10 per vehicle
- 7 Day Pass – $5 per towed vehicle trailer
- Usage: Heavy
- Open: Year round
- Surface: Slick rock, sand
- Services Available: Camping (@Sand Flats Recreation Area)
- Vehicles Allowed: ATV, SxS, UTV, full size, dual sport
Like Hell’s Revenge Trail listed above, this trail is also part of the Sand Flats Recreation Area. The trail starts beside campsite E-6 in E Campground which is 2 miles from the Entrance Station.
Super fun trail!
This is on my personal ‘Best Moab ATV Trail’ list.
It has the perfect mix of challenge and fun. [I’m a lightweight in the ‘challenge’ category for sure]
For this trail, a short wheel base is recommended as some of the hill ascents and descents have a sharp exit off the slick rock. This makes it an ideal trail for ATVs and SxS.
Fins and Things takes you over a rolling series of beautiful red rock hills. It’s a fun ride on a natural slick rock roller coaster.
The red rock hills are the “fins”- as the fins erode, they become the “things”. You’ll have views of the fins and things in all directions as you make you way through this interesting landscape.
There are some steep climbs and descents that complete newbies may find intimidating, but for the most part this ride is an enjoyable family friendly ride. Loose sand on the hills can make the hills a bit more challenging.
Sand Flats Recreation Area: Fins And Things ATV Trail
BLM Website: Fins And Things ATV Trail
Related: Roundup Of The Best ATV Trails In Utah
Dome Plateau
Overview
- Length: 32 miles
- Skill Level: Moderate
- Driving Time: 6 -7 hours
- Fees: None
- Usage: Light
- Open: Year round
- Surface: Hard pack, sand, gravel, rock outcrops
- Services Available: None
- Vehicles Allowed: ATV, SxS, UTV, full size, dual sport
Most of the ATV trails in Moab are popular and crowded, but there are less crowded trails out there. And nice trails too! Dome Plateau is one such trail. It’s beautiful and off the beaten path!
If you’re looking for a an excellent trail with great scenery and overall easy with just a touch of a technical challenge, then Dome Plateu may be just what you’re looking for.
Drive from the Colorado River to a plateau overlooking the river, canyons and valley floor.
This trail passes three arches that are part of the Entrada sandstone formations. These arches are less well known and not easy to find on maps.
Two are less dramatic arches, but still worth a visit. Those arches are La Boca Arch and Harold’s Arch. Another arch is a fairly spectacular arch, but it take a bit more effort to reach – Covert Arch.
Visit an old mining area, Yellow Cat Mines and Poison Strip with some old structures still standing. There are also some cool caves to explore if you have the time.
You do have to drive out of town to reach the trailsheads, but this is what helps keep the crowds down. This trail has two access point that start near Dewey Utah, about 45 minutes outside of Moab.
This is a wishbone shape trail. Most riders go in one fork, drive to the end, backtrack and then exit through the other fork. You can easily shorten the ride by just avoiding the out and back section. This will take off about 1+ hour of travel time.
Most of the trail is fairly easy, but Again and Again Hill kicks the rating up to moderate. This hill has some loose rock and series of rock ledges.
Nothing too extraordinary, but there are some hairy ledges. They’re enough to increase the overall trail difficulty from a 3 (out of 10) to a level 4 difficulty. There is a bypass to Again and Again Hill if you’re not up for the challenge, but it adds to the travel time.
Related: Paiute Trail – ATV Utah
Golden Spike
Overview
- Length: 7 miles (one way)
- Skill Level: Advanced
- Driving Time: 5 – 6 hours
- Fees: None
- Usage: Heavy
- Open: Year round
- Surface: Sand, slick rock, shelves, gravel, hard pack
- Services Available: None
- Vehicles Allowed: ATV, SxS, UTV, full size, dual sport
Not recommended for quads. For safety, a roll bar is highly recommended. You’ll also want to have beefed up tires, extra clearance and locking differentials.
This trail will test your mettle, it shouldn’t be undertaken lightly.
It’s a tough trail and breakdowns are common. But, even though this is an advanced trail, it’s still one of the most popular UTV trails in the Moab area.
The views from this trail are hard to beat. You’re driving to the top of a mesa with amazing views in all directions.
Golden Spike is a best of the best of Moab ATV trails. It includes parts of other top notch, must do, Moab ATV trails including Poison Spider, Gold Bar Rim and Gemini Bridges.
Trail includes half of Poison Spider, all of Gold Bar Rim and a portion of the Gemini Brides Road. It connects Poison Spider Mesa with Gold Bar Rim.
Technical route with a lot of obstacles including some steep climbs, rock shelves and slick rock.
Featuring obstacles with names like Launching Pad, Skyline Drive, Zuki Hill, Golden Crack, Golden Steps, The Wall, Double Whammy and my personal favorite the Body Snatcher.
Plan for an early start, so you don’t get stuck on the trail after dark.
Hey Joe Canyon
At the open, this video says that it is 10 mile canyon, but it is actually Hey Joe.
Overview
- Length: 45 miles (round trip)
- Skill Level: Moderate – Difficult
- Driving Time: 5-6 hours
- Fees: None
- Usage: Moderate
- Open: Year round. Avoid during or after rain.
- Surface: Hard pack, sand, gravel, rocks
- Services Available: None
- Vehicles Allowed: ATV, SxS, UTV, full size, dual sport
Ideal for ATVs and dual sports! The wider your vehicle, the more challenging this trail gets. The local 4×4 club does this trail in full sized rigs, but it does present additional challenges.
Don’t do this ride when wet or during a storm. Rocks can become loose making the narrow sections particularly treacherous.
Portions of this trail run along a high narrow ridge that is continually eroding and getting narrower with each passing year. The area is also prone to rock falls which also occasionally lay havoc to the trail.
This narrow portion is well suited for ATVs and bikes, but it’s not ideal for riders afraid of heights.
Some sections of the trail have Tamarisk bushes that encroach on the trail, so wear a tough outer layer to avoid getting scratched up.
This is a beautiful deep red rock canyon, lovely in it’s own right, but he best part of this trail is a scenic portion that follows along the Green River.
You’ll also get to see the remains of an old mining operation including a large bulldozer, a shot up old truck and a big mystery piece of mining equipment that I’m not sure what it does.
- As of January 1, 2020, Utah does not offer ATV registration reciprocity
- If your vehicle is not registered as street legal, then you are required to purchase a non-resident permit
- Moab is 95 – 105 degrees from mid May – mid September – hot, hot, hot
- May is perfect for catching the wild flower bloom
- Utah does allow for street legal ATVs, UTVs and SxS
- In order for your ATV to be street legal in Utah you must have a license plate from your home state and have all required safety equipment. Utah Street Legal Requirements
- Even though most Moab ATV trails are open year round, this area does get snow, so higher elevations may be dangerous or impassable
- Spring and late Fall are the best time for riding in southern Utah
Best Guide Book For ATVing In Moab
Chuck Wells book is by far the best guide for off roading in Moab with 80 trails for all skill levels.
Trail descriptions = 34 advanced, 23 moderate and 23 easy.
This guide tells you what vehicles are allowed and/or recommended on each trail, so it works for ATVs, UTVs, SxS, dual sports and full sized vehicles.
Each trail is a detailed section with a full map, turn by turn directions, historic points of interest and GPS waypoints. There are also lots of pictures. One of the most helpful parts is the pictures of the most challenging sections so you can really see what you’re getting into.
Beef Basin
Overview
- Length: 94 miles (one way)
- Skill Level: Easy
- Driving Time: 9 hours
- Fees: None
- Usage: Light
- Open: Year round
- Surface: Hard pack, sand, gravel
- Services Available: None
- Vehicles Allowed: ATV, SxS, UTV, full size, dual sport
The trailhead for this relaxing backcountry drive is about an hour south of Moab off of Hwy 211.
Travel up a Beef Basin Wash Road south of Canyonlands Park into the backcountry of the Utah desert. The terrain is primarily open desert with low scrub brush and distant views of mesas.
Numerous Anasazi Native American ruins can be accessed from this trail. Dated from the 11th and 12th century, these ruins are remnants of a once vibrant culture and the native peoples that flourished in this region.
There are many ruins, more than a single road trip will allow you to visit. Some require hiking to reach. In order to find them all, you’d need to buy a guide book specific to ruins. Here’s an excellent write up: Anasazi Ruins In Beef Basin
Rimrocker Trail
Overview
- Length: 160 miles
- Skill Level: Advanced
- Driving Time: Multiple Days
- Fees: None
- Usage: Light
- Open: Year round
- Surface: packed dirt, sand, gravel, rocks, shelves
- Services Available: One town in middle with services
- Vehicles Allowed: ATV, SxS, UTV, full size, dual sport
This ATV trail is a multi-day adventure that takes you from Montrose Colorado to Moab Utah. Plan on at least two days to do this entire trip, but 3 days is best.
Riders will need to purchase both a Colorado Non-Resident OHV permit and a Utah Non-Resident Permit in order to do this trail.
There is plenty of dispersed camping available on public lands. The Rimrocker Trail goes through some private land where camping isn’t allowed, so you need to have a rough idea of where you’d like to stop.
At about the half way point, the trail passes through Nucla Colorado where you can gas up, grab a meal. To find a motel or more dining options, you’ll need a 4×4 street legal vehicle to make the 5 mile drive to Naturita Colorado.
Colorado does not allow for street legal ATVs.
There is one short section that gums up the works for unlicensed ATVs and SxS looking to do this trail in it’s entirety. A 1.4 mile segment of Hwy 141 in Colorado, east of the Utah border requires a street legal vehicle.
Montrose County is currently working on an alternative route for this section that will accommodate non street legal vehicles. Hopefully they’ll get this done soon!
Find dispersed camping in the Moab area:
Moab UTV Trails
Behind The Rocks
Overview
- Length: 25 miles
- Skill Level: Advanced
- Driving Time: 6-7 hours
- Fees: None
- Usage: Very heavy
- Open: Year round
- Surface: Sand, slick rock
- Services Available: None
- Vehicles Allowed: ATV, SxS, UTV, full size, dual sport
Although this trail is open to quads, a SxS or full size vehicle with a roll bar is highly recommended. Front and rear lockers and 35” tires are also recommended.
Excellent views of Hunters Canyon with plenty of natural beauty including views of Terra Cotta Warriors, Lone Rock, Balcony Arch, Picture Frame Arch and distant views of the La Sal Mountains.
Make sure you know what you’re getting into before you take on this route. It’s one of the most difficult, challenging trails in Moab.
The main obstacle that drivers need to be aware of is White Knuckle, a steep daunting decent down from a plateau via a series of large steps.
This is largely regarded as the most challenging hill in the Moab area driven on a regular basis.
When descending White Knuckle, a lot of vehicles use rear safety straps attached to vehicles on the plateau as a safety guard against rolling.
Plan on a trail jam as people slowly funnel up and down White Knuckle. Enjoy the show as you wait your turn in line.
Another challenging sections is High Dive Canyon, but it’s not nearly as intimidating as White Knuckle. Plus, these sections can be avoided with a bypass.
To get out of High Dive Canyon you have a choice of a challenging ledge or Upchuck Hill. Pick your poison. Both are advanced sections, but Upchuck Hill is the less challenging of the two [but still very challenging!].
If you’d like a taste of adventure, but maybe not the whole enchilada, there’s an early exit trail prior to reaching White Knuckle that backtracks you to the trailhead.
Here’s an excellent write up with tons of pictures including one with a rolled UTV: Behind The Rocks – Moab, Utah.
Easy ATV Trails In Moab
Looking for something a bit more tame….?
Check out: 5 Family Friendly ATV Trails In Moab
Cameo Cliffs To Wilson Arch
Overview
- Length: 28 miles
- Skill Level: Moderate
- Driving Time: 5-6 hours
- Fees: None
- Usage: Moderate
- Open: Year round
- Surface: Sand, hard pack, ledges, rock
- Services Available: None
- Vehicles Allowed: ATV, SxS, UTV, full size, dual sport
This trail is about 30 miles south of Moab and is part of the Cameo Cliffs OHV Area, also sometimes called Hook And Ladder Trail System.
Head south on Hwy 191from Moab. Keep an eye out for the “OHV Trailhead” trail sign.
Cameo Cliffs OHVA has 50 miles of marked ATV trails that are a combination of old mining and ranching roads. Trails are well marked with difficulty ratings, this makes it easy to navigate. It also makes sure you don’t take on more challenges than you can handle.
Cameo Cliffs OHVA is worthy of a visit on it’s own – an area of stunning natural beauty specifically set aside for motorized use. And Cameo Cliff To Wilson Arch Overlook is one of the best trails the area has to offer.
Riders will enjoy views of Cameo Mesa, Yak Rock, Four Fins Overlook, Dragon Rock and Wilson Arch.
The trail ends at an overlook with a view of Wilson Arch, one of Moab’s most prominent arches. Off in the distance, the La Sal Mountains and the Abajo Mountains add to the already dramatic views.
Although this trail isn’t too difficult or technical, there are still enough challenges that it rates as moderate.
Definitely not recommended for people with a fear of heights. One section runs along a high narrow cliff area – beautiful, but scary.
Other challenges include a rocky section and a couple shelves to navigate. There are also some Pinion and Juniper crowding the trail. With good driving you may avoid getting scratched, but if a scratch is going to ruin your day then you may want to avoid this trail.
You have a few driving options for getting to Wilson Point. Several options are moderate trails, but if you want to kick it up a notch, there are also a couple advanced sections you can throw into the mix.
Route 9 (Cameo Terrace) is the preferred route with excellent views, but there are no bad options!
Map of Hook And Ladder ATV Trails (excellent pdf from San Juan County)
Bonus Moab ATV Riding Area
White Wash Sand Dunes (Ride Up Tenmile Wash)
This riding area is too good to leave out.
Due to the fact that this riding area is 48 miles outside of Moab, it doesn’t strictly qualify as a Moab ATV trail.
Plus, it’s not a trail. It’s a bunch of trails with an open sand dune riding area thrown in.
White Wash Sand Dunes are 1400 acres of open riding area with hundreds of roads and trails open to OHVs.
The sand dunes also have dispersed camping which makes this a great jumping off point for a weekend of riding.
Tenmile Wash (not to be confused with Ten Mile Rim Trail) is a popular ATV trail in the region. This moderate trail travels up a scenic narrow wash through several areas of pooled water. This environmentally sensitive trail is open to bikes, ATV, SUV and SxS.
Due to a wash out, you can no longer make it to the Green River. Still a great drive though.
Map: White Wash Dunes and Surrounding Moab ATV Trails
BLM Website: Whitewash Sand Dunes OHV Area
Big Sand Riding In Utah
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park (Kanab, Utah)
Little Sahara Recreation Area (Eureka, Utah)
Moab ATV Trails
