One of the good things about signing up for our Southern Utah trail rides is that you’ll get to experience different trails. This comes in handy especially if you’ve traveled to the southwest and want to get a feel for some off-roading trails in this part of the country.
At Dixie 4 Wheel Drive, we’d love to have more people join us on the trails. There’s nothing quite like the feeling you get from crawling over an obstacle or driving through the dunes. That’s why we hold regular off-roading education classes and trail ride events– to get more people to appreciate off-roading and to help them learn to do it the proper way.
When it comes to off-roading, practical classes work better than just sitting in a room. So to continue our series on off-road trail spotlights, we’d like to point out a nice, mildly challenging trail – Milt’s Mile Lite.
Overview of Milt’s Mile Lite
Milt’s Mile Lite shares a lot more than a name with the Milt’s Mile Trail. In fact, several sections of Milt’s Mile Lite are part of the original route followed by Milt’s Mile before it was redone. Additionally, the two trails share a couple of sections with Milt’s Mile Lite following along the edge of the other.
Milt’s Mile Lite is a moderate 6.2-mile trail that’s rated 4. While you can easily get by with 31’ tires, we recommend 33”-35” ones and good clearance to avoid snagging your undercarriage on some sections. Differential lockers, both front and rear, will also be helpful.
Obstacles and Scenery
Taking this trail will give you incredible views of the Hurricane Cliffs, the Sand Hollow Reservoir, the Pine Valley Mountains and Zion National Park. You’ll also catch glimpses of interesting rock formations from hoodoos to slot canyons along the way.
Most of the trail is slickrock so you should have adequate traction regardless of the season. There are some sand dunes towards the end of the trail which will have you putting your sand driving skills to the test.
You’ll come across some tough sections at the start of Milt’s Mile Lite that earn it the 4 rating but with focused skillful driving and competent spotting, you’ll get through. The trail starts and ends at the Hurricane Water Tanks staging area. From here you follow the north boundary fence, turn south into a sandy wash, and drive up a slickrock bowl where the fun starts.
Expect to encounter more slickrock climbs, ledgy roads and drop-down ledges that will test your driving as well as your spotter’s navigation skills. You’ll also take a bypass around “The Crack” obstacle which is part of the Milt’s Mile Trail.
Towards the end, you’ll pass by the base of some rock formations featuring an especially large hoodoo. This is a fantastic point to stop and take in the dramatic vistas.
We recommend Milt’s Mile Lite for anyone who wants to get familiar with off-roading in Sand Hollow State Park while discovering what their 4×4 is capable of. You won’t regret it!
