Trails and Parks
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Arapeen OHV Trail
Discover some of the rugged and remote treasures of Central Utah's Wasatch Plateau on the Arapeen OHV Trail. Located in the Manti La-Sal National Forest, the trail features accessible mountaintops overlooking spectacular high vistas and wide valleys dotted with small towns, each directly connected to this 600-mile trail system.
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Buckskin Hills Recreation Complex
Buckskin Hills Recreation Complex offers year-round outdoor sports in Vernal. This includes mountain biking, ATV trails, a shooting range, drag strip and speedway, motocross, camping and a ski and snow tubing hill. ATV trails operate from March to October.
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Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
Located in the southwestern part of the state, about 90-percent of the dunes in Coral Pink are open for off-highway vehicles. Four-wheelers generally check out the Sand Highway, which is a one-way narrow trail in a small canyon on the boundary of the dunes, and the South Boundary Trail, which is several miles long and continues along the eastern side of the main dune area. Guided ATV tours are available.
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Jordan River OHV State Recreation Area
Located in Northern Utah, the Jordan River OHV State Recreation Area is perfect for digging into the dirt. Four tracks — including two motocross tracks for off-highway motorcyclists and two dual-purpose OHM and ATV tracks — fill the space. For this densely populated part of the Wasatch Front, it's the perfect place to get your vehicles out for some quick off-road action.
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Knolls OHV Special Recreation Management Area
Located about 80 miles west of Salt Lake City in Tooele County, Knolls Off-Highway Vehicle Special Recreation Management Area is a popular off-roading destination that is managed by the BLM. A part of the Great Salt Lake Desert, the area includes nearly 36,000 acres of sand dunes, rocky trails and mud flats.
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Little Sahara Recreation Area
Little Sahara sits 115 miles southwest of Salt Lake City, less than a two-hour drive away. The 60,000-acre recreation area has become a playground for ATV enthusiasts. Beginners will want to head for the dunes southwest of Black Mountain. The White Sands dunes, in the northern portion of Little Sahara, are appropriate for riders of all skill levels. And Sand Mountain, rising 700 feet tall, is one of the park’s highlights and offers super-challenging hill climbing.
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Paiute ATV Trail
The Paiute ATV Trail in Central Utah is one of the most well-mapped and well-maintained trail systems around. It comprises more than 900 miles of trail loops and spurs. An especially popular location for riding jamborees, the historic Paiute Trail is a bucket-list trip for any off-road enthusiast.
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San Rafael Swell
The San Rafael Swell, a 70 by 40-mile geologic upheaval located in southeastern Utah, featues an assembly of sandstone buttresses, canyons and plateaus. The area offers a less crowded alternative for those who are willing to make the journey to the more remote spots on the map. Popular OHV trails in the Swell include Devil’s Racetrack, Eva Conover/Fixit Pass Loop and Behind the Reef.
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Sand Hollow State Park
Sand Hollow State Park in southwestern Utah is renowned for its red sand beaches, dazzling red rock formations and a 1,322-acre reservoir. A favorite destination among off-roaders, you can ride 62,000 acres (2,428 hectares) of technical trails and sand dunes at the park. ATV and OHV rentals are available on-site.
Stories Along Top Trails
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Basecamp Beaver: A Comprehensive Guide to Off-Roading Utah’s Paiute Trail
One of Utah’s top off-roading destinations, the Paiute Trail offers stellar views, towering mountains, alpine forests and spectacular routes for any kind of ATV enthusiast. There are many ways to hit the trail and from Beaver off I-15 you’ll find one of the best.
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Marysvale: Miners Park and ATV
Close to the expansive Paiute ATV Trail, Miners’ Park, and the self-guided driving tour on the road that leads to it, shows the heyday of activity in Utah’s “Canyon of Gold.”
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Max Reid and the Max Reid ATV Trail
Meet an Icon of Utah's Renowned ATV Trail System
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Off-Roading in Central Utah: Exploring the OHV Trails of the Carbon Corridor
As the sport of off-roading explodes across Utah, the Carbon Corridor features some of the state’s best options, with challenging terrain, incredible views — and few people.
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Paiute ATV Trail
If you love to ride ATVs, Utah’s Paiute Trail is perfect for you. Learn about the more than 1,000 miles of trails for every level of rider!
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Riding the Arapeen OHV Trail of Central Utah
Looking for the best off-roading trails in Utah? You have to try the Arapeen OHV Trail, featuring hundreds of miles of scenic backcountry trails in Central Utah. Start planning now!
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The 7 Best Trails in the Carbon Corridor Trail System
Take in the amazing scenery at locations only accessible with four-wheel drive.
Rules of the Trail
Resources
- Utah Division of Outdoor Recreation — maps and trails, registration and permit, laws and rules, events and more.
- Tread Lightly! — Based in Utah, this organization is the nation’s only source for a full line of motorized and non-motorized outdoor ethics training and education materials.
- Bureau of Land Management — travel maps by field office.
Utah OHV Education Requirement
As of January 1, 2023, Utah requires all OHV operators to complete the Utah OHV Education Course. Completion is required in order to operate an OHV or street legal OHV on Utah's public land, roads or trails.
Registration
Any OHV (ATV, UTV, motorcycle or snowmobile) must display a current OHV registration sticker. Most non-resident OHV operators are required to purchase a Non-resident OHV Permit for each ATV, UTV, OHM and snowmobile they bring into the state. These permits are available online or from vendors located near popular OHV destinations. Learn more about OHV registration in Utah.
Tread Lightly!
Not all areas are open to OHV use. Utah's mountains and deserts are fragile, remote and often adjacent to private land, so it is important to heed all rules and restrictions in order to protect yourself and the landscape. Check with Forest Service, BLM, or state park offices, before exploring on your own.
- Registered off-highway vehicles may be operated on public land, trails, streets, or highways that are posted by sign or designated by map or description as open to off-highway vehicle use by the controlling federal, state, county, or municipal agency. According to this law, all roads, etc. are closed to off-roading vehicles unless posted open.
- On U.S. Forest Service and BLM-administered land, off-highway use of any vehicle is permitted in designated areas only. Check with local agency offices for brochures and maps of appropriate areas.
- Off-highway vehicle use is NOT allowed in most national parks, wilderness areas or on lake shores.
- Practice fire safety: Spark arrestors are required on all off-highway vehicles (OHV). Don’t park a hot car or other machine in dry grass, even when pulling over on the side of the road.
Read more at Tread Lightly! and learn about their programs and events focused on responsible off-roading.
Land Cruiser Heritage Museum
Located in Salt Lake City, the Land Cruiser Heritage Museum houses what is believed to be the world’s most diverse collection of Toyota Land Cruisers.
