Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Big Water, Utah

Smoky Mountain Road

This is the first 14 miles of Smoky Mountain Road as it passes through a portion of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area above Lake Powell. It is most often used to reach the popular…
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Total Miles
13
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Nipple Butte Trail

This is a beautiful desert canyon trail that takes you from Big Water UT up north and circles back east toward Lake Powell. It follows Nipple Creek and meanders thru Tibbet Canyon. Lots of desert…
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Total Miles
23
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Cottonwood Canyon Road

Cottonwood Canyon Road is a relatively easy route that serves as a shortcut between Bryce Canyon National Park / Utah SR-12, and Lake Powell / US-89. It follows Cottonwood Canyon and the Paria River, and…
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Total Miles
36.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Su

Glen Canyon Rec Road 340-230

Wide, graded gravel road along the Northern boundary of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area used to access Alstrom Point and other scenic spots along Lake Powell and into Grand Staircase Escalante to the North.…
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Total Miles
4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Smoky Mountain Road

This is a backcountry route bordering the Burning Hills Wilderness Study Area. It connects Alstrom Point above Lake Powell to the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. It starts with a steep climb up Kelly Grade.…
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Total Miles
41.6
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa

Alstrom Point - Rec Road 264

Unmaintained dirt road accessing Alstrom Point above Lake Powell in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. This is an easy drive out to a scenic viewpoint. It does have one section of a rock garden…
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Total Miles
6.5
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Nothing to See Here Trail

When I first glanced down the turnoff to this trail, it didn't look like there was much to see. This trail isn't very long. It has a couple of washouts to navigate along with some…
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Total Miles
0.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa / Wi / Su

Sandhill Loop - NM1084

This is a sand and sandstone rock road connecting Poverty Flats Ranch to NM1323 road to access White Pocket. This road starts out easy and stable but the sand gets deeper as it approaches White…
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Total Miles
2.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa

Paw Hole Road - NM1079

Sand road accessing Paw Hole TH, Sunset Butte, and other areas of Coyote Buttes South (hiking permit required). This road climbs up into Vermillion Cliffs National Monument from House Rock Road. This road sees little…
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Total Miles
5.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa

Croton Road

Croton Road is a rarely used gravel road that stretches twenty-five miles through the Grand Staircase Escalante. It connects Left Hand Collett to the Sit Down Bench and Little Valley roads along the Croton Bench…
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Total Miles
23.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Pine Tree Road

Pine Tree Road is well traveled, but unmaintained. There are many large, partially buried rocks in the road, making it slow and bumpy. There are signs along the way recommending high-clearance vehicles only. The road…
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Total Miles
5.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

House Rock Road

House Rock Road is an unimproved road, but well maintained. The road sees a lot of traffic due to several popular trailheads, such as Buckskin Gulch, Wire Pass and the Wave. There are trailhead parking…
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Total Miles
19.3
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

BLM 1025 to House Rock Road

Extremely scenic route with fairly easy accessibility, but not advisable for any 2WD during any sort of weather. Trails leading off can have many obstacles and deep sand that, if dry, never ends. This trail…
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Total Miles
22.2
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

89A House Rock North

A very scenic route into the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument or the backside of it. There are many other trails leading off this fairly well maintained gravel road. Note this route is deceiving as it…
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Total Miles
8.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su / Fa / Sp

Buffalo Ranch to Grand Canyon North Rim

Buffalo Ranch road is mostly a maintained dirt road. It passes through a patch of a deep sandy area that can get vehicles stuck. Nothing a high clearance 4x4 can't handle. When you make a…
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Total Miles
19.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Orderville Canyon

This nice, mellow drive is well marked and offers some great camping near Jacob Lake. Its located in the northernmost leg of the Great Western Trail, and takes you through Orderville Canyon to the Buckskin…
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Total Miles
36
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su

Hole In The Rock Road

Hole In The Rock Road (BLM 200) travels through the heart of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Almost 60 miles in length, this out-and-back dirt road travels through some of the most remote country in the…
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Total Miles
53.4
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa / Wi

Skutumpah Road

This is a 34-mile trail with high clearance vehicles recommended by BLM. The road winds through the western portion of the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. Carry extra water and fuel as there are no…
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Total Miles
19.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su

Tropic Reservoir Road (Private Easment Section)

This is a private easement section of Tropic Reservoir Road. Gate access is subject to closure during Utah Deer Season. Please close the gate after passing through, and smile, you are on camera entering this…
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Total Miles
6.1
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Su

Jacob Lake Burn Piles

This route pokes in and out of the Kaibab National Forest around Hwy 89, just north of Jacob Lake Campground. The Mangum Fire tore through this area in 2020. As a mitigation measure, dead growth…
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Total Miles
1.1
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Powell Point Trail

This is a relatively short out-and-back road to Powell Point. The trail ends at a hiking trailhead sitting at approximately 10,000 feet above sea level. The land is administered by the forest service, and the…
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Total Miles
14.5
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Tater Ridge

This trail comes down just north of Grand Canyon National Park. You'll find many options for camping and a lot of different side roads to play on. Unlicensed vehicles are allowed here. If you want…
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Total Miles
15.8
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Su

Tropic Reservoir Road

This is a scenic route with some washouts, water bars and ruts on the lower end of the trail. It is a main artery road to multiple ATV, UTV, dirt bike and 4x4 trails with…
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Total Miles
21.2
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su

East Rim Ridge Trail

The East Rim Ridge Trail is a beautiful wide washboard dirt road that meanders through a very dense old-growth forest of Aspen, Ponderosa, and Pinon Pine trees. With stunning views, campsites, and many spur trails,…
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Total Miles
5.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

611P

Trail 611P is truly a gem hidden among the forest. On the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, but far East enough to have spectacular views of Marble Canyon and the Navajo Reservation, this trail…
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Total Miles
0.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Straight Canyon

This side trail off Tropic Reservoir Road takes you through aspen patches and along west-facing overlooks characteristic of the area. The trail can be narrow and overgrown at points, and is more suited for ATVs…
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Total Miles
18.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Su

Dave's Hollow Cutoff

Dave's Hollow is a flat and very easy cutoff road from Highway 63 to Tropic Reservoir Road. It's a popular way to get from Bryce to the forest service roads in the adjacent area. Any…
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Total Miles
4.7
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Hidden Lake Loop

The trail starts from the Peek-A-Boo trailhead. The trail starts with a trek through some very deep, loose and fine sand. You will likely have to air down your tires if you are running street/hard…
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Total Miles
18.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Hells Backbone - NF153

Hell's Backbone is a rugged area that bridges between towering Boulder Mountain on the north and canyons cut by the Escalante River and its tributaries on the south. The Hell's Backbone Road is a winding…
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Total Miles
23.8
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Aquarius Teasdale - NF154

Easy gravel road climbing up onto Boulder Mountain above Escalante, UT. This road accesses Posey Lake, Cyclone Lake, and a number of high alpine lakes. Climbing over 9,500 feet, this is a great place to…
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Total Miles
7.6
Tech Rating
1 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa