Pine Lake Trail - Exploring the Best ATV Trail in Utah

Exploring the 5 Best ATV Trails in Utah (2024)

Utah is one of the best places in the world for off-roading enthusiasts. From vast, sweeping dunes to narrow rocky trails, there is no shortage of ATV trails in Utah for you to explore.

Exploring the 5 Best ATV Trails in Utah

If you love driving an ATV/UTV, here are some of the best trails in Utah to explore.

1. Skyline Drive Trail (Arapeen OHV Trail System)

Located just two hours south of Salt Lake in the heart of the Manti-La Sal Forest, the Arapeen trail system consists of hundreds of trails that vary in their challenge level as well as the scenic views. The most famous ATV trail amongst the Arapeen trail system is the Skyline Drive trail. This is a path that follows a mountain top and leads to one of the most gorgeous summits. The trail takes you through a dreamy landscape. The route is only open from late summer to late fall.

Apart from being one of the best ATV trails in Utah, this area is ideal for hiking, camping, fishing, and enjoying the beautiful mountain flowers and aspens. Some of the key features of this trail are as follows:

Difficulty: Medium
Path type: Two way
Mileage: 27 miles
Elevation: 4350-9100 feet
Nearby Campgrounds: Open camping and Manti-La Sal National Forest campgrounds

2. Pine Lake Trail

Sitting very near to Panguitch is the famous Pine Lake Trail. This scenic loop trail winds through the beautiful national forest. There are many lookout points here where you can stop and take in the view. It is usually recommended that you park and camp at the Pine Lake campground. There is a trail here that leads directly to the dirtbike and four-wheeling path. Parking is available right outside the campground. You have to pay $15 in fees for using the campsite. If you have more than one vehicle, you will need to pay extra.

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The key features of this ATV trail are as follows:

Difficulty: Easy
Path type: Two way (mostly)
Mileage: 21-mile loop
Elevation: 7500-10,200 feet
Nearby Campgrounds: Pine Lake campground

3. Silver Lake Flat (American Fork Canyon)

Located just 25 minutes north of Provo, very near to American Fork, there are hundreds of beautiful, scenic trails that weave through the canyon amidst its thick forests and provide breathtaking views. However, while driving your ATV here as you weave through the picturesque landscape of the canyon, you have to be careful of the cliff edges and drop-offs. The best part of this ATV trail in Utah is that it is located quite close to the towns. So you don’t have to travel too far to reach Silver Lake Flat.

The Silver Lake Flat follows the mountain streams as you ride through the forest, exploring the wilderness in all its untouched glory. There are two minor ATV trails that make up the Silver Lake Flat. These are the Major Evans Trail and the Milkmaid Trail. The major Evans Trail is the more challenging one, with its steep inclines and switchbacks.

Here are the key features of the trail:

Difficulty: Medium Path type: Two way
Mileage: 15 mile
Elevation: 7500-9500 feet
Nearby Campgrounds: Granite Flat Campground

4. White Wash Sand Dunes

The White Wash Sand Dunes are located in Moab, and they are one of the many popular ATV riding sites in Moab. As you ride your ATV here, you get to zoom past the cottonwood trees and race alongside the red cliffs that can be found to the east of the dunes. There are many miles of dirt roads located nearby for more riding options.

Here are some of the key features of the trail:

Difficulty: Medium
Path type: Open area
Mileage: Open area for riding
Elevation: 4000-4400 feet
Nearby Campgrounds: An open camping ground is there at the Dunes, but there are no services. If you want services, you can head to the Green River State Park camping.

5. Yankee Meadows Trail (Bryce Canyon)

The famous Bryce Canyon National Park is one of the top attractions of Utah. Located in southern Utah, this is a beautiful park that has many trails for hiking and exploring. While the national park itself does not allow you to drive ATVs inside the park, but you can zoom around in your ATV in the backwood trails here.

Known as the Yankee meadows Trail, there are some shallow water crossings and even passes along the lake. If you want to get some of the best views of the canyon and check out some of the best sights, you can even schedule a ride around with some of the guided ATV tours that take place here. Tours typically run from the end of March all the way through October.

Some of the key features of this ATV trail include: