Route Descriptions
The eight routes on the map above have been chosen to indicate the variety and scope of the many four wheel drive routes in the Moab area. Whether you choose one of these, or some of the many other available routes, please remember to STAY ON THE ROUTE, preserving the scenery for those who will follow you. Chicken Corners, Gemini Bridges, Poison Spider, Metal Masher (Arth’s Rim), Hell’s Revenge, Sevenmile Rim and Fins and Things are suitable for four wheel drive vehicles, dirt bikes and ATV’s. Only licensed vehicles may drive the Shafer/Long Canyon Loop. 

 "Rules of the Routes”
Whatever your form of motorized recreation – full sized four wheel drive vehicle, dirt bike or ATV – make it your goal to always stay on the route. In much of the Moab Field Office, motorized travel is limited to existing or designated routes. Remember, hundreds of thousands of people come to see the scenery and enjoy the backcountry by vehicle. They do not come to see YOUR tracks. Keep your vehicle on the route – if the route is too difficult for you, please turn around and find another one, rather than trying to go around obstacles. The Moab Field Office has routes to suit every type of vehicle and every skill level of driver.

ATV’s and Dirt Bikes
All Terrain Vehicles and dirt bikes are welcome on any of the four wheel drive routes in Grand and San Juan counties. (Non-licensed vehicles, which include all ATV’s and some dirt bikes, may not travel on paved roads.) While there are no trails specifically designed for ATV’s or dirt bikes, many of the old jeep routes make very challenging and enjoyable outings.

ATV’s and dirt bikes are governed by laws and rules promulgated by the State of Utah. Among these rules are:

• Children under the age of 8 are NOT allowed to operate off-highway vehicles
• Children from the ages of 8 – 16 must possess an OHV education certificate
• All drivers and passengers under 18 years of age must wear a helmet
• OHV’s must display a current OHV registration sticker
• All OHV’s must have a spark arrester
  

Click here for the complete set of Utah Off-Highway Vehicles Laws and Rules

Trail Marking
The primitive nature of 4 wheel drive trails makes them hard to mark and keep marked. There are many unmapped junctions which can be confusing. Storms can alter roads and remove tracks, and vandals can spoil the markings. Even if you think the route may be marked, it is wise to carry a map or guidebook which describes the route you are trying to follow.

Route Difficulty
Rating the difficulty of four wheel drive routes is almost impossible. Not only do vehicles vary in their capability, but the experience of the driver is also a factor. The easiest of the trails described below (Shafer/Long Canyon Loop) is barely out of the two-wheel-drive class. The most difficult (Poison Spider) requires first-rate off-road equipment. The other routes are well within the capabilities of stock four-wheel-drive vehicles.

Precautions
As with many activities, 4 wheel driving, ATV’ing and dirt biking fills its enthusiasts with the notion that more risk equals more fun. Be aware that difficult 4 wheel drive trails entail some risk of damage for the vehicle and occupants. Novices are advised to develop experience on easier trails first and to seek advice for reducing risks on difficult terrain.

Getting lost or having a vehicle stuck or disabled is a special risk in this desert country. Although the routes described here are not very remote compared to some, the safest procedure is to travel with more than one vehicle. Next best is to be sure someone knows where you are going and when your return can be considered overdue. It is essential to have a good supply of water, and one should never attempt to walk for help in the hot months without carrying plenty of water. Other sensible equipment is also important, including sun protection, adequate clothing for cool nights, first-aid supplies, insect repellent, a spare tire, and mechanical equipment to keep the vehicle mobile.

Courtesy
All of the routes described here are on public lands--some state parcels--but mostly on federally owned land administered by the BLM under a policy of promoting multiple uses. While we enjoy use of the roads built mostly by mining interests, we often find that we are sharing with ranchers who lease the land for grazing. That is why you'll find fences throughout the area. A prime courtesy for our fellow users, therefore, is to leave each gate open or closed, as we find it.

Other users of the roads--miners, ranchers, riders of pedaled or powered cycles, and hikers--should find the routes as clean as you would like to see them. Unfortunately, the courteous people always clean up after the discourteous, so please carry out more than you carried in.

The occasional muddy conditions found in this area should not be considered part of the four-wheeling challenge. These roads can be severely damaged by use when they are muddy, while it takes only a little patience—usually about one dry day--to avoid the problem. If you are not convinced by courtesy considerations, be advised that a heavy shower can make many of these roads impassable, and even dangerous.

You may see vehicle tracks off the trails made by irresponsible travelers. These off road tracks are the worse form of garbage and destruction. Our desert plants have learned to grow in pace with the little moisture they receive, and they are slow to recover from a tire track. No one has yet claimed to have traveled all of the established routes in the area, so there should be no need to go off of them. Staying on the route is not only a matter of courtesy and consideration, it is the law. Off road travel is a citable offense, and citations will be issued. Please remind your fellow drivers and riders to preserve the scenery you all came here to see by staying on the route.

Visit the Canyonlands Natural History Association website to purchase maps and books of the area.