Located in the hills of eastern Utah, Moab has gained recognition as one of the great destination spots that the country has to offer. Part of this is the breathtaking beauty of the locale, and part of this has to do with the fact that it offers one of the most expansive and exhilarating off-road runs in the country. In fact, many will even go as far as to say that it is the absolute best that the country has to offer.
Is that an overstatement? Definitely not, and that’s because Moab offers anything and everything. It offers trails for less experienced drivers, and it offers explosive, dynamic trails for the most experienced trail blazers.
In fact, there are so many great trails in Moab that it can be hard to pick out the very best. Most riders, however, seem to agree on a couple, including…
1. The Sand Flats Recreational Trail (nicknamed Sliprock)– This trail is about 40 miles of pure madness. The trail features a high plain of slick rock domes, bowls, and fins that rises to nearly 13,000 foot peaks. Traveling on this trail will blow your mind aesthetically, but it might also make you shit your pants.
Jalopnik’s Andrew Collins says of the trail, “Don’t be too spooked by YouTube videos of trucks tipping over like turtles or ending up hopeless stuck at the bottom of some death pit though. There are bypasses to the most harrowing obstacles, and as long as you take it slow and watch where your wheels are the easiest line will present itself to you.”
“When in doubt, throttle out! Walk the obstacle. Better yet, ask wheelers who look like they know what they’re doing what they reckon of your truck. (Look for folks with beat-up rigs, well-used winches, and goggle tans.)”
2. The Moab Rim– This trail is an absolute beauty, but it’s also absolutely terrifying. That’s because it’s the ULTIMATE Moab cliff trail. Along the trail, there are obstacles and climbs that leave you half-dangling over 800 foot falls into the Colorado River. So, if you don’t like heights or don’t 100% trust your driving, try to avoid this one.
Some of the more difficult obstacles on the trail include the Devil’s Crack and the Z-Turn. In regards to the Devil’s crack, drivers will have to turn onto a ledge to avoid dropping a wheel into the aforementioned crack, while the Z-Turn requires some patience as drivers navigate through two turns over some wild rocks and ledges.
3. Coyote Canyon– This is one of the most difficult rock climbs in the entire country! Believ it or not, this trail is actually only .65 miles long, but can take up to 4+ hours to navigate.
The U.S. Department of the Interior says of the spot, “The route is one-way up a small canyon and down another… Only HEAVILY modified vehicles can make it through. This route provides rock crawler enthusiasts an opportunity to challenge both their rigs and skills in a unique setting.”
Obviously, that’s just some of the action found at Moab, but the further you dig…the more you’ll find. The place is so loaded with action that over the years it has even become the official location of the Easter Jeep Safari– one of the world’s best Jeep events.
Every year, around Easter time, Jeep enthusiasts pile up and blaze the trails together. In between runs, Jeep makes a huge party out of the event, as they often debut new concepts and make major announcements. Without a doubt, all of these factors have helped to propel Moab to the front of the line when it comes to off-road experiences.
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