5 Offroading Trails To Explore, Enjoy, and Discover

1. Death Valley National Park, CA

Our first location for offroading trails is Death Valley National Park, CA. The name ” Death Valley ” may sound sinister, and it is particularly in the summertime. We recommend visiting this location when its temperatures are a bit cooler and you can explore more miles of different roads than any other national park.

Did you know that this national park has nearly 1,000 miles of dirt and paved roads that are great opportunities for exploration and recreational activities? I bet you also didn’t know that more than 90% of the parks 3 million+ acres are protected in wilderness areas with no roads.

This park is well known for its four-wheel adventures waiting in dozens of canyons, these canyons are hidden from the average passerby. A specific trail that is favorited by many is called “Lookout city”. Starting the trail from the south side of Panamint Springs Resort, this trail quickly rises from the valley floor into a range of mountains where rock piles wait along the road and magnificent vistas await your arrival as you finish the trail.

A number of captivating sites can be visited, amongst them is the Charcoal Kilns in the Wildrose Canyon and the famous Modoc Mine.

Other offroading trails to explore

• Badwater Basin Salt Flats – easy
• Zabriskie Point – easy
• Telescope Peak – hard
• Golden Canyon Trail to Red Cathedral – moderate
• Gower Gulch Loop – moderate

2. Coconino National Forest, Sedona, AZ

Our second destination for offroading trails takes us to the Coconino National Forest, Sedona, AZ. If you walk or drive through Sedona you will see several tourists looking for an off-road adventure, this leads them to the various Jeep tours that are available. 

Many of the tours head to the Broken Arrow Trail, the Broken Arrow Trail is short but is also a very technical offroad course. This spot is frequently visited by locals and tourists alike for its challenging obstacles and amazing views. Because of its challenging obstacles, a 4×4 off-road vehicle is a preferred choice for many returning visitors.

The Broken Arrow Trail is a short three to four-mile loop. Of course, this depends on how many side trails you take along the way. This trail is specifically known for its challenging section at the end of the loop known as ” The Devils Staircase “.

If you’re interested in visiting this location for yourself, it is highly recommended to NOT attempt this trail without two things:

1. A 4×4 high clearance vehicle
2. A spotter

Other offroading trails to explore:

• Schnebly Hill Road – moderate
• Outlaw – moderate
• Van Deren Cabin – moderate
• Diamondback Gulch – moderate
• Dry Creek – easy

3. Moab, Utah

Our third and one of our favorite offroading trails takes us to Moab, UT. If you were looking for an ATV adventure you found it, this area is famous for some of the best off-roading in the country. Moab offers something for everyone including unmatched scenery, slick rock, gigantic boulders, cliffs, water, and sand.

A trail that comes to mind when I think of Moab, UT is the high altitude ” Paiute ” ATV trail. This specific trail will take you between hardwood and pine forests, over meadows and mountains with views of enchanting blue skies, miles of red rock cliffs, and back down through valleys of the Sevier River. We can’t forget about the breathtaking wildlife such as elk, deer, and maybe even a moose!

If you’re thinking of visiting this location, keep in mind the terrain can be very unforgiving and requires intense mechanical and physical skills. But in the end, it’s worth the reward for many it’s considered to be the ultimate adventure destination.

Other offroading trails to explore

• Delicate Arch trail – moderate
• Carona and Bowtie Arch – easy
• Fins and Things – moderate
• Gemini Bridges – moderate
• Moab Rim – hard

4. San Juan Mountains, CO

Our fourth entry for offroading trails takes us to the San Juan Mountains, CO. The San Juan mountain forms the Southern Colorado Rockies and is thought by several to have the most varied scenery. It has many jagged volcanic summits, some of them even rise to more than 14,000 feet! Spanning the area you will have a birds-eye view of lakes, waterfalls, and streams.

We’re looking for trails though, right?

One of the most popular trails in Colorado is the ” Alpine Loop “. The Alpine Loop is a circular route navigating through the high elevation ” Engineer Pass ” and ” Cinnamon Pass “, it connects the towns of Lake City, Silverton, and Ouray.

If you’re thinking of visiting this location, keep in mind you will need a high clearance four-wheel-drive vehicle. The trail length is roughly estimated at 65 miles, which should take about 7 hours to complete the full loop.

Other offroading trails to explore

• Columbine Lake – hard
• Piedra River – easy
• Potato Lake via Spud Lake – moderate
• Piedra Falls – easy
• Ophir Pass Road – moderate

5. Wasilla, AK

Our fifth and final trail in this guide to offroading trails takes us to Wasilla, AK. Alaska is a lot more than just a cold place on our planet with awesome animals. It’s a huge state that has a lot of activities for the whole family, such as skiing, hiking, fishing, and of course many off-roading opportunities.

Bald Mountain is a popular trail destination because of the scenery. The trail stretches 22 miles through Bald Mountain and is mostly dirt with several wide mud pits for some dirty fun. There are also plenty of side trails to explore. This trail does have a surprise on one of its side trails, there is a memorial for a tanker that crashed into its mountain in 1956.

If you are an active offroader and you have never visited Alaska, you need to add it to your off-road bucket list.

Other offroading trails to explore

• Scout ridge – easy
• Lake Lucille Loop – easy
• Viewpoint – easy