The following is a partial trail guide: Potter’s Ponds, 34 miles long, out of Fairview; elevation, 10,643 feeet; Fred’s Flat, 16 miles, Ephraim, 9,074 feet; Patton Trail Loop, 23 miles, Manti, 10,207 feet; Palisade Loop, 40 miles, Sterling, 10,745 feet; Beaver Creek Loop, 33 miles, Mayfiled, 10,111feet; and Log-Maple Canyon, 25 miles, Fountain Green. 9,176 feet.

Arapeen OHV Trail Information:

The Arapeen ATV Trail System in Central Utah, located just two hours south of Salt Lake on U.S. Highway 89, is a great family trail with plenty of advanced sections for experienced riders.

The Sanpete Valley has 10 major canyons to explore near the towns of Fairview, Ephraim and Manti. You can ride up one canyon, travel along the “Skyline”, and come down another.

The Utah Arapeen ATV Trail System is a great place to ride a four-wheeler if you want to avoid the crowded canyons closer to the city. Exciting ATV trails can be found up every canyon in Sanpete. Although only 350 miles of trail have been designated as the Arapeen Trail System, there are more than 1,000 miles of forest trail in the area. UTV’s (side-by-sides) are allowed on nearly all trails in the Sanpete area.

The ATV trail system ascends from 6,000 to 10,000 feet (1,829 to 3,048 meters) through aspen and pine forests of the Manti-LaSal National Forest and includes the “Skyline Drive” and trails branching off from it.

Skyline Drive is a mountain road that winds for 87 miles along the spine of the Wasatch Plateau and is perhaps one of the highest roads in the nation. From the Skyline you can often see both sides of the mountain.

Some routes are passable only by ATVs, UTVs, or Dirt Bikes; others can be traveled in a high-clearance four-wheel drive vehicle. The National Forest is also a great place to camp, fish, hunt, and rock climb.

All ATV and OHV trails are open to hikers, bikers and horseback riders. On the ride look for deer, elk and other mountain wildlife. Be sure not to miss the colorful summer wildflowers!

Primitive backcountry camping is allowed so find a nice location in a grove of trees and set up camp.

The road to Log Canyon is located approximately 1.7 miles north of Fountain Green City on Highway 132. Maple Canyon is located northwest of Moroni City. Look for road signs to Maple Canyon on the west end of Moroni or on the south end of Fountain Green.

To ATV the Big Hollow area, head east in Fountain Green on 100 North. The Water Hollow ATV trail leaves Highway 132 approximately 3.5 miles north of Fountain Green. The Big Hollow/Water Hollow loop is a low altitude ride (6,300-7,400 feet) that can be done when snow covers higher elevations.

To drive an ATV on public lands in Utah drivers must be at least eight-years-of-age. Riders between the age of eight and 15 must obtain an OHV Education Certificate issued by the Utah State Parks and Recreation or comparable from their home state. Riders 16 years of age or older must have either a drivers license or an approved education certificate.

All riders younger than 18, riding on a public highway not limited to OHV use, must be under the direct supervision of someone 18 years of age or older. Supervisors must be within 300 feet, have visual contact, and be able to advise or assist the rider.

A properly fastened helmet having a DOT approved safety rating is required for all OHV operators and passengers under the age of 18. Travel only on designated roads and trails. Do no travel cross-country.

It is illegal for anyone to operate an OHV in a way that damages the environment, including, air, land, water, watershed, plant, or animal life.

People can ride an ATV right from a motel up the canyon on city streets. There are two rules to follow: First, keep speed to 15 MPH or less, no riding down Main Street. It is illegal to ride on a state highway unless the machine is street legal. Also, all roads owned, maintained, or operated by Sanpete County are open to general off-highway vehicle use.

Do out-of-state riders need a non-resident OHV Permit?

Owners of OHVs, brought into Utah by non-residents, may need a non-resident permit for their machine. Many states offer reciprocity, meaning there is a mutual agreement between states not to charge non-residents fees.

Utah has reciprocity with most western states, with the exception of Colorado, Nevada and Wyoming. To see if someone needs a permit, visit the Utah State Parks web page. Permits can be purchased locally at Maverik Country Store, 89 North Main, Ephraim, (435) 283-6057; or Palisade State Park, 2200 Palisade Road, Sterling, (435) 835-6676.