Utah's 7 Best Rock Crawling trails

What are the 7 Best Rockcrawling Trails in Utah?

  • Pritchett Canyon (Moab)

    Votes: 19 95.0%
  • Moab Rim (Moab)

    Votes: 8 40.0%
  • Rusty Nail (Moab)

    Votes: 13 65.0%
  • Hanging Tree (Ephraim)

    Votes: 10 50.0%
  • The Maze (Sand Hollow)

    Votes: 11 55.0%
  • Nasty Half (Sand Hollow)

    Votes: 7 35.0%
  • Hells Revenge (Moab)

    Votes: 9 45.0%
  • Helldorado (Moab)

    Votes: 9 45.0%
  • Coyote Canyon (Moab)

    Votes: 10 50.0%
  • Double Sammy (Sand Hollow)

    Votes: 3 15.0%
  • West Rim (Sand Hollow)

    Votes: 1 5.0%
  • Rattlesnake & Constrictor (Five Mile Pass)

    Votes: 2 10.0%
  • Plan B (Sand Hollow)

    Votes: 6 30.0%
  • Rear Steer (Moab)

    Votes: 3 15.0%
  • Kane Creek (Moab)

    Votes: 5 25.0%

  • Total voters
    20

smfulle

Active Member
Location
Plain City, UT
This is an interesting topic that has so many variables.
My experience is limited by a couple of facts:

1. i only started wheeling about 5 years ago.

2. I have only been on trails that a mostly stock flat fender with 29 inch tires can do with a reasonable (as determined by me) probability of success. Some things I can do, but are a lot of work or take more , shall we say daring, than I could muster at any given time.

I hope to be able to move some of these trails around on my favorite lists by experiencing new trails in the future.


7. Pritchett Canyon - very challenging for me, but quite rewarding to be able to say I've bee there and done that twice. I probably wouldn't do it again,,,, well, unless someone asks me.

6. Metal Masher - Most of the big obstacles you can take or leave, but it still presents a challenge, and the views are spectacular. I'd go back any time.

5. Kane Creek - Really fun running through the creek bottom. Just the drive on the pavement and the county road to get there has awesome canyon views, like driving in the bottom of the Grand Canyon. it's been a few years since I ran it. People say Hamburger Hill is getting tougher. It's most of a full day but an awesome day.

4. Poison Spider - Poison Spider has fun and challenging obstacles and optional climbs. Views are great if you want to stop and walk to the overlooks. One everyone should do and I would do again and again.

3 Cliffhanger - When I ran this trail with three other flat fenders (including Greg) I felt like it was sort of a rock crawling coming-0f-age for me. It really boosted my confidence in my own driving and what my little flattie could do. Driving along the cliff face hanging road was almost a spiritual experience for me. I had to stop several times to catch my breath, the beauty all around me was distracting me from my driving.

2, The Maze - I would like to include much or most of Sand Hollow in this. The place is amazing and a labyrinth of trails that go every which way and all of them fun and exciting. The Maze, specifically, is one obstacle after another. Things that take you all day on a Moab trail to try, you get to experience in an hour or two on the Maze.

1. Hell's Revenge - This was my 1st Moab trail, and the one I want to go back to every time I'm in Moab. I have a blast there every time.. It is especially fun to take newcomers to the west and red rock wheeling on Hell's Revenge to experience the wild feeling of climbing up the petrified dunes that seem insurmountable but you are able to walk up without spinning a tire. It's good for almost all levels of vehicles and drivers. It is fun to try some of the big obstacles and it's fun to watch the carnage in some of the big hot tubs.
 

Coco

Well-Known Member
Location
Lehi, UT
Nasty Half
TNT
Joint Effort
The Maze
HTT
Behind The Rocks
Pritchett
Moab Rim

On the SXS's one of my new favorites is Turtle/Turtle2
 

Pike2350

Registered User
Location
Salt Lake City
I guess my 7 would all be in Moab since I've hardly wheeled anywhere else. I wish I had better experience. It's sad to say that wheeling for 18 years now and i have done very few trails in my life. :sad:

Outside of Moab I barely did Sand Hollow this past Nov.... that was fun, but I don't recall the trail names we did. Other than Moab and Sand Hollow the one time, I have only done 5 mile, AF canyon and the Pony Express. Oh yeah, I did do Hole in the Rock a long time ago I believe. I did get to wheel in Buena Vista, CO as well, years ago.

Pretty sad really. I just have no immediate friends or family that wheel. The groups I've been a part of all disbanded and I have a hard time meeting new people. It's really sad to realize how little I've done
 

Kiel

Formerly WJ ZUK
In no particular order mine used to be

Upper helldorado
Pritchett
Rusty nail
Skull canyon
Hell's backbone/new helldorado
Judgement day
Chainsaw/upper chainsaw
 

N-Smooth

Smooth Gang Founding Member
Location
UT
-Hell's Revenge - Not very challenging but it's the trail I would be most crushed if it went away etc
-Pritchett - not super challenging anymore but still makes for an action-packed day
-Nasty Half - one of the first trails I ever did in StG. I want to do it every time
-The Maze - again not super hard but very fun
-Moab Rim - tradition, particularly at night
-Rusty Nail - awesome
-Hanging Tree - just a fun trail
 

LJTim

Active Member
Location
Herriman, UT
I am in Southern Utah so I am biased. I really like the following in no particular order of favorites. They are all great.
Maze
Plan B
The Squeeze
Hanging tree trail
Pritchett canyon
Rusty nail
Moab rim

I'd love to know more about the Squeeze. I just downloaded it from UPLA, but know nothing about it. Pics, description, difficulty?

I'm way out of the loop but I'd say
  1. Pritchett
  2. Helldorado
  3. Coyote
  4. Rusty nail
  5. Green day
  6. Pinnacle? I can't remember the name, but it's in price
  7. Upinya

What's Upinya? Pics, description, difficulty?
 

LJTim

Active Member
Location
Herriman, UT
I don't know all the trails in Utah. I've done "most" trails up to a 7 (Moab/SandHollow) rating, but I'm far from able to say what the best trails are, but here are my favorites. I can't put them in order though.

- The Maze - I think this trail has it all. Tons of obstacles, amazing views, and even optional lines you can either aspire to, or just watch the big dogs.

- John's Trail - I love how this has so many steep climbs right out of the gates. This also has a few optional routes, and if you have the time, can add Sliplock for some extra fun. Both trails wind through a series of ravines, which I think is awesome.

- Hell's Revenge - This trail never gets old. One of my first trails ever, and I still get a thrill out of it. It's also a blast to bring first-timers on this trail. I still find myself getting butterflies on a coupe of those climbs. Mickey's Hot Tub, and Escalator were new accomplishments for me last year too.

- Milt's Mile - My first Sand Hollow trail, and I don't get sick of it. I love how it has tons of optional obstacles too. Rated a 7, but can be as easy as a 5, and as tough as a 9.

- Fawlty Towers - I love this one, because I was able to help put this one on the map. It is a ton of fun, on a cool area of the mountain, that if you aren't part of an organized event, you can freestyle all over the place and catch your favorites of West Rim and the new obstacles on Fawlty. I also love that it ends at the Rock Garden, with lots of optionals to play on.

- Cliffhanger - I'm surprised it took me so long to experience this trail (2018). I waited so long, because people said if I didn't enjoy Moab Rim, I wouldn't enjoy Cliffhanger. This is false. I have a hard time with the off-camber ride 100% of the time on Moab Rim. I've done it 4 times, and tell myself "that was the last time I do that trail" every time I do it. It's just uncomfortable. Cliffhanger is not like this at all. Fun obstacles, not a lot of them, but several that are fun. But that view... So amazing.

- Golden Spike - Obstacle after obstacle, amazing views. It's just packed with fun. Do it with a small group of capable rigs/drivers, and you can be done early afternoon. I have gotten tired of taking larger, less experienced groups though. Takes too long. We're in the middle of a 3-4 year break from it.

On my to do list:
  • Rusty Nail
  • Pritchett
  • Hanging Tree
  • Stuff in Price (don't know the trail names)
  • Front Range
 

Cody

Random Quote Generator
Supporting Member
Location
East Stabbington
What's Upinya? Pics, description, difficulty?

It's a trail... Out west. There may be some pics floating around, but I'd have to dig for them. It's.... Hard. A series of 3 or 4 sheer waterfalls. I couldn't get passed the 2nd and had to do the world's most awkward front dig pivot to get back down.
 

Bart

Registered User
Location
Arm Utah
I can only echo what many have already said. In no particular order:
Hell's Revenge - I never get tired of it, and I love taking new people out on it.
Pritchett
Moab Rim
The Maze
Double Sammy
Plan B
Rusty Nail
Where Eagles Dare - if I could have 8
 

woodysfj40

eternal noobie
Location
Toquerville UT
I'd love to know more about the Squeeze. I just downloaded it from UPLA, but know nothing about it. Pics, description, difficulty?
Ran it yesterday. No hardtops in the group, every rig scratched their way thru the namesake/gatekeeper. Most of the rigs winched one climb, but it was wet...can be crawlable if dry. A few rigs had multiple winch pulls, smallest rig in the group was on 37's. For whatever reason, it doesn't like LJ wheelbases :) One roll, a few dozen winch pulls, two easy breaks. I'm on 40" stickies (sub 3k buggy) and ended up winching one wall.

Just loaded a ton of pics on the RockCrawler forum. https://www.rockcrawler.com/forum/threads/the-squeeze.3818/
 

Greg

Make RME Rockcrawling Again!
Admin
Bumping this back up, now with a Poll! Please vote on the Poll, you can change your options if you like.

I've added many of the trails named here, there are 15 different trails listed. You can vote for more than 7 of the choices, with the idea that eventually we will settle on the 7 Best Rock Crawling Trails in Utah. There is a reason behind this thread & poll, I'm hoping to gather some great information and create something useful with it.
 

RockChucker

Well-Known Member
Location
Highland
I voted. However technically speaking Helldorado shouldn't be on the list. It is closed. And I suspect it will be permanent (bummer). Along with everything else in area BFE. But I did still vote for it. Because that trail is awesome. And should still be open.

The other argument to be made is what the target rig is? I voted for trails that I enjoy and that my rig is capable of, and even as capable as my rig is, it still can't even dream of doing the super extreme trails in Sand Hollow. Are we talking rear steer buggy type single seater trails or trails you can do in an extreme full body rig/recreation buggy? Just a thought. Based on the trails listed in the poll, I would say extreme trails requiring a comp style rig are not in the scope?
 

Greg

Make RME Rockcrawling Again!
Admin
I voted. However technically speaking Helldorado shouldn't be on the list. It is closed. And I suspect it will be permanent (bummer). Along with everything else in area BFE. But I did still vote for it. Because that trail is awesome. And should still be open.

While I agree with you that Helldorado shouldn't be on the list (based on the outline in the first post; open, legal trails), I feel the same way. I'm hoping that the folks that own Area BFE will eventually re-open the park and make those trails accessible again.


The other argument to be made is what the target rig is? I voted for trails that I enjoy and that my rig is capable of, and even as capable as my rig is, it still can't even dream of doing the super extreme trails in Sand Hollow. Are we talking rear steer buggy type single seater trails or trails you can do in an extreme full body rig/recreation buggy? Just a thought. Based on the trails listed in the poll, I would say extreme trails requiring a comp style rig are not in the scope?

Correct, I'm interested in the popular trails that are attainable for most people's built rigs. Not just the hardcore, comp buggy trails. Rigs like yours, something that is a modified factory vehicle or even a buggy built for recreational wheelin. In my mind, I'm shooting for a list that would appeal to the majority of the people that have a built up 4x4, one that is pretty capable.



Voted. Way too many trails on that list that I've not been to. I need to get out more!

Really? I have ran some stuff in Sand Hollow, but that's where my experience is limited.
 

RockChucker

Well-Known Member
Location
Highland
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