Beginner Off-Road Trails Near Escalante, Utah

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tantalus Flat - NF30168

Fun mixed terrain route accessing Lower Browns Reservoir, Jorgensen Flat, Tantalus Flats, Laurel and Hardy Arch, and the Western back-door access point of Capitol Reef National Park. This route starts out as a graded gravel…
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Total Miles
9.9
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Burr Trail Switchbacks

This trail goes from Notom-Bullfrog Road to Capitol Reef National Park over the Waterpocket Fold. Once the trail enters Grand Staircase a couple of miles from the top, it becomes a paved road. It winds…
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Total Miles
5
Tech Rating
3 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

Loa Great Western Trail

This portion of the Great Western Trail stretches from the Red rock-covered low lands around Loa up onto the Thousand Lake mountain plateau. The higher elevations are covered in Pine and Aspen trees. There is…
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Total Miles
19.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

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

Panguitch to Casto Canyon and Casto Bluff Loop

This route sends the you to amazing bluffs and hudus. The ride sends you on a ride very similar to Bryce Canyon but you are able to do it on a motorized vehicle and see…
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Total Miles
28.3
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Fa

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

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

Deep Creek Lake Road

Deep Creek Lake Road traverse's the East side of the Thousand Lake Mountain range from the North end and wraps around the South end of the mountain. Depending on how wet of a year it…
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Total Miles
7.2
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

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 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

Henry Mountain Road

The road stretches from Sandy Ranch Road on the West end. It traverses through a desert-type area with many small buttes, gullies, and clay-like soil. It can be very slick when wet. Sagebrush and Cedar…
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Total Miles
14.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Fa / Su / Sp

Loop & Sand Wash

Really fun sand wash that has a few connectors that will get you back on to the main trail/ road. It has a few tight turns and high side that make it narrow in a…
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Total Miles
7.6
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp

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

Papa Bear Poker Run 2021

Easy route, can do it in any all wheel drive vehicle, a few mild hills and most rocks under 6". This is a charity run to/from Marysdale Ut, the charity does a different route every…
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Total Miles
62.7
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Su / Sp

Elkhorn Road

Elkhorn Road is well-maintained and offers access to Deep Creek Lake Road and Elkhorn Campground. The campground and surrounding area are great for tents, as well as travel trailers. The area offers great views of…
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Total Miles
3
Tech Rating
1 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

South Mytoge

South Mytoge Road offers access to the South and East side of Fish Lake. The road is maintained around the South end of the lake as it offers access to many campgrounds and primitive camping…
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Total Miles
5.9
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

Baker Ranch Road

Descending nearly 3000 feet from Hwy 72 at approximately 9200 feet down to the Lower Last Chance road on the San Rafael at 6400 feet. The road borders the north end of Capital Reef National…
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Total Miles
16.4
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

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

Geyser Peak Trail

The Geyser Peak trail extends for six miles along the eastern side of Geyser Peak. The south end the trail meets with the Elkhorn campground road. On the north end it meets up to Hwy…
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Total Miles
6.1
Tech Rating
3 Easy
Best Time
Sp / Su / Fa

As Above So Below

This road connects Upper Cathedral Valley (campground) and Lower Cathedral Valley (Temple of the Sun and Moon). Stunning desert views all around. The dirt road is maintained, but there are river washes that could potentially…
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Total Miles
7.5
Tech Rating
2 Easy
Best Time
Wi / Fa / Su / Sp