Top 10 Best Places to Go Off-Roading This Summer

Wrangler sales are climbing, both month-over-month and year-over-year. Causing consternation among its fan base, the brand is also preparing to revive the Cherokee nameplate.

It rides on the same underpinnings as the Dodge Dart, but Chrysler swears on the Rubicon Trail that its new small SUV will be off-road credible.

True, this is the same brand that calls its stodgy Compass a “trail rated” vehicle. Ignoring the foibles, some of the coolest off-road machines come with a Jeep badge.

Bearing that in mind, here’s AutoGuide’s list of the 10 best places in the U.S. to take your Jeep (or any other off-road capable machine) in no particular order.

Higher than the riff raff crowding into Colorado after amendment 64 passed late last year, Imogene pass is a popular off-roading destination for good reason.

The second most-elevated of any vehicle-accessible mountain pass in the state, you’ll reach 13,114 feet. That’s still 1,000 feet shy of Pikes Peak, but this is no paved road to the top.

There are places to stop for a picnic lunch, and the trail can be started in Telluride, where you can stock up on supplies. Four-wheel drive and skid plates are a must, but this is still a trail less-experienced off-roaders could champion.

Yes, it’s an obvious choice, but it’s a destination this list would be incomplete without. Some trails have been closed in recent years, but the area remains a must-visit destination for anyone interested in venturing off the paved path.

Utah’s landscapes are among the most beautiful in the country. Sandstone formations, picturesque landscapes and serious off-road challenges are all available regardless of whether you plan to take a truck, four-wheeler, rock crawler or mountain bike.

There’s a reason Jeep names one of its Wranglers after this trail. It’s tough. You’d better show up with something ready to crawl over big rock slabs.

If you’re properly equipped, the 20-mile trail offers a mix of difficult terrain and stunning views you won’t easily forget.

Avoid going during the Jeep Jamboree in August – it gets busy.

If you aren’t ready to take on the Rubicon, Cinder Hills in Arizona offers 13,500 acres of more inviting territory. Options range from single-track trails to open zones with space to accommodate anything from dirt bikes and quads to a Wrangler or FJ Cruiser.

Better still, it’s about 20 minutes outside Flagstaff and easily accessible from highway 98.

You don’t need a pass and the trail is both diverse and challenging. It runs a total of 9.1 miles, but there’s a forest service road that will let you exit halfway through if you prefer.

Be warned, the second half of the trail can get dicey. Experienced drivers who frequent this trail warn newbies to get our of their rigs to look at what’s ahead before it’s too late. Certain places along the trail make for an easy roll over.

Too tame, you say? Missing Ian Johnson’s (Xtreme 4X4) ridiculous hair-do, goatee and fabrication talent? Fear not, there are plenty of places for you on this list, and Truckhaven in California is one of them.

The area is known for having dry, lose soil — a great excuse to leak a few pounds from your tires and play around in the dirt.

Off-road enthusiasts gather for a weekend ever year here for the Tierra del Sol Desert Safari.

With so many places on this list falling to only a few states, it’s imperative to look outside the Colorado/Utah/California four-by-four haven.

They’re popular for a reason, but that doesn’t mean you can’t find incredible off-roading elsewhere.

Take the Silver Lake Dunes on the western shore of Michigan, for example. Mountain views are great, but there’s nothing quite like cresting Test Hill — named for being the biggest in the park — because you can see for miles. It doesn’t hurt that the sand is sandwiched between Lake Michigan and the relatively pond-sized body of water it’s named after.

Beware: your vehicle needs a dune flag to enter. Attaching it is up to you.

The subject of some controversy, searching for Gold Butte will return a wealth of information on the site including an environmental group hoping to bar the four-by-four crowd.

There’s really no arguing that driving an SUV through a landscape will have some kind of affect. Without dipping toes in any heated debates, Gold Butte is an intriguing destination that could be off limits in the future.

This is a great place for someone who owns a stock four-wheel drive to come test their toy. It features easy to moderate terrain in most areas. The majority of Johnson Valley is an open landscape.

That is, unless you’re taking on the infamous Hammer trails where serious off-roaders traverse rocky hills that might be challenging in hiking boots, let alone a vehicle.

Driving to the top of Pikes Peak will take you higher in pure elevation, but the road is paved and requires no more skill than a basic driver’s education course.

Argentine Pass, on the other hand, will deliver unforgettable views that few have access to. There are two ways to go over the trail: on foot or with a modified four-wheel drive vehicle in the summer.

It’s the highest vehicle-accessible pass in the state and one less traveled than some of the more widely-known locations on this list.

Discuss this story at Pirate4x4.com