By featuring ATV-friendly towns, I intend to point people to some of the best places in the world to ride. To qualify as an ATV-friendly town, it needs to have –

1. Trails to ride directly from town, or close by.
2. Comfortable places to stay to extend trips for more time on the trails.
3. Dining. Eating out is a part of the fun. I say, “Eat, ride, eat, ride, repeat.”
4. Gas. You can’t ride many trails without gas.

Here are three towns situated on the edge of the Arapeen Trail System, one of Utah’s premier trail systems. Because the trails climb to over 10,000 feet, the Arapeen Trails are perfect for summer riding. Skyline Drive is at the top of this trail system and connects Spanish Fork Canyon to Salina Canyon, staying above 10,000 feet for most of the way.

Mount Pleasant

Trails: The Skyline trail is accessed up the canyon east of town. The Arapeen map suggests a 45-mile loop that starts at the point where the trail connects with the Skyline. The loop stays between 8,000 and 10,000 feet, making for a perfect summer ride. Traveling north to Highway 31, the trail follows the highway past Huntington Reservoir and then curves back south on the Miller Flat Road. At Potter’s Ponds, the trail turns west to connect with the Skyline and north to the junction back to town.

Lodging: I stayed at the Horseshoe Mountain Lodge when I took the trail up the canyon from Mount Pleasant, but there are trains to rent. Track89 is a series of six train cars and one caboose renovated into comfortable cabins. Find more information at https://track89.com.

Lynn R. Blamires, Special to the Daily Herald

Restaurants: Wheelers Drive-Inn serves burgers and shakes, and there are two pizza places in town – Cavalier Pizza and Main Street Pizza.

Ephraim

Trails: If you’ve got a thirst for adventure, the Arapeen Trail System is calling your name. Spanning over 600 miles and reaching elevations of 10,000 feet, it’s one of the most scenic and exhilarating high-mountain trail systems in Utah — and arguably the entire country. The adventure starts as you enter Ephriam Canyon with trails branching off on both sides of the road.

Lodging: The Willow Creek Inn is the place to stay in town. They serve a good breakfast that is included with your stay, and if you let them know you are on an ATV trip, they offer a 10% discount.

Restaurants: Good places to eat are easy to find in Ephraim. The Snow Dragon offers Chinese, Los Amigos is good for Mexican food, and the Roots 89 Road House was the winner of the Best in Sanpete County 2024 for Best Lunch, Best Overall Restaurant, and Best Restaurant Date Place. Ephraim is a college town, so it is worth looking up restaurants on the Internet before you go. I found a great burger at the bowling alley.

Manti

Trails: Manti offers one of the key access points to the Arapeen Trail System up Manti Canyon. A short distance up the canyon, you will find access to the Patton Trailhead, and just south of town, the challenging Sheep Trail will take you to the top of the trail system.

Lynn R. Blamires, Special to the Daily Herald

Lodging: Three motels are available in Manti: The Manti Country Village, the Temple View Lodge, and the Manti Motel. Breakfasts are not available at any of these options.

Restaurants: Millers Drive-Thru offers donuts and fast food. They also serve breakfast until 11 a.m. Charlee’s Comfort Kitchen is across the parking lot from The Manti Country Village. They offer a lunch and dinner menu.

Ride one town… or circle them all! Sanpete County’s ATV network radiates from Manti, Ephraim and Mount Pleasant. Accredited as Utah’s “OHV mecca,” this area delivers high-altitude vistas, varied terrain, and rider-friendly services at every stop. Gas is available in all three towns, but non-ethanol is only available in Ephraim and Mount Pleasant. When you go, take plenty of water, keep the rubber side down, and pick one of these towns from which to base the ATV adventure of a lifetime.

Lynn R. Blamires can be reached at quadmanone@gmail.com.