Mountain bikers and four-wheel-drive enthusiasts must stay on established roadways within the recreation area, but quite a few challenging dirt roads can be found both in the recreation area and on adjacent federal land. Get information from the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area office.
In the Hite area, the Orange Cliffs are particularly popular among mountain bikers. The 53-mile one-way Flint Trail connects Hite with Hans Flat in the far-northern section of the recreation area. It's rocky, with some sandy stretches and steep grades.
For a shorter ride, the Panorama Point/Cleopatra's Chair Trail follows recreation area routes 744, 774, and 775 for 10 miles (one-way) from Hans Flat to Cleopatra's Chair, providing a spectacular view into Canyonlands National Park. Camping in the Orange Cliffs area requires a permit, and strict regulations apply; contact the Hans Flat Ranger Station (tel. 435/259-2652).
The Escalante River canyons of the national recreation area are accessible by four-wheel-drive vehicle via the 57-mile one-way Hole-in-the-Rock Road, which leaves Utah 12 5 miles east of Escalante, traversing part of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Managed by the Bureau of Land Management (tel. 435/644-4600; ww.ut.blm.gov), the dirt and sometimes rocky road passes through Devil's Rock Garden, an area of unique rock formations, and offers a spectacular overlook of Lake Powell. Although four-wheel-drive is not always needed, the last 6 miles of the road require a high clearance vehicle. Regardless of what you're driving, you'll want to avoid the road in wet weather. Allow about 6 hours round-trip.
