ATV Adventures: A tale of two ATV-friendly cities in Utah
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- Looking down from Skyline Drive on one of the many fishing holes in the Arapeen Trail System.
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- Slipper Arch in the San Rafael Swell.
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- Leaving Manning Meadow Reservoir on the Paiute ATV Trail System.
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- Lynn Blamires
The Utah ATV community is still growing at a healthy rate. According to Nick Faulkner at Young Powersports, 40% of the people buying machines are new to the sport, which also means new to Utah trails.
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:
- Trails to ride. Either a trailhead nearby or trails that can be ridden from town without trailering.
- Lodging. Riders traveling from any distance want to extend their stays to enjoy more time riding.
- Dining. Eating out is a part of the fun. I say, “Eat, ride, eat, ride, repeat.”
- Gas. You can’t ride many trails without gas.
With that list in mind, let’s look at two Utah towns I consider ATV-friendly.
Ferron
Located about 30 miles south of Price, Ferron has a population of 1,461. It sits between two great trail systems — the San Rafael Swell and the Arapeen trails. This makes Ferron a wonderful place for ATV adventures over an extended season from late March to mid-October. The sandstone canyons in the swell make an ideal place to ride in the spring and fall, while the high-mountain Arapeen trails offer cooler rides in the summer.
Ferron welcomes ATV riders with accommodations at the Big Mountain Lodge. Comfortable rooms are available in the lodge, or you can choose a restful stay in one of the rustic cabins. They have gas to keep your tanks full for the trail, including non-ethanol.
A well-stocked convenience store has snacks for the trail and a hot deli with offerings for breakfast and lunch. The Grub Box across the street offers a variety of burgers, fries, hot sandwiches, shakes and salads. The Bensons will open a food trailer for barbecue with all the fixings for larger groups.
The lodge has UTVs to rent if you need one. People on staff will help you with maps and suggested trails to ride to enhance your stay.
The Bensons have expanded the Lodge with new cabins at Emery. Emery has access to the Arapeen trails through Link Canyon. There is also a connection to the Paiute Trail System.
The Big Mountain Lodge in Ferron and Emery offers trails, lodging, dining and gas, and welcomes the ATV community. Visit the website at https://www.bigmountainlodgeutah.com.
Marysvale
Situated in the middle of the nation’s largest organized ATV trail system, Marysvale has a population of 454 people. The town has nine places to stay and several places to eat for your ATV adventure. Over 90% of their customers are from the ATV community.
You will find the oldest historic hotel in Utah here — Moore’s Old Pine Inn. Under new management, this hotel was built in 1882. The new owner has opened the original hotel, with three deluxe suites and four rooms with shared baths. The inn is famous for hosting Butch Cassidy and the Western writer Zane Grey.
In addition to the hotel, eight Old West cabins are available to add to your adventure. These include porches and an open area with a pavilion and fire pits. You can sit around a campfire and chew the fat with your friends. Watch for a more in-depth review of this Utah icon. Learn more at https://mooresoldpineinn.com.
Another place I like to stay is at the Rocky Ridge Resort. They feature comfortable cabins that make a multiple-day ride enjoyable. They also accommodate RV people. Their website is https://rockyridgeresort.com.
A new place at Big Rock Candy Mountain is the Caboose Village — 12 train cars custom-designed to offer some of the most unique lodging anywhere in Utah! With several cars to choose from, and more being remodeled, each train car has been beautifully refurbished and turned into a comfortable cabin overlooking the Sevier River. Find out more at https://www.bigrockcandymountain.com.
Marysvale has five restaurants that are open during the summer months. Tomatoes just moved north to a larger place called the Wooden Nickel. They have expanded to serve more people reasonably priced Italian fare. The Prospector is good for breakfast or lunch, while Hoover’s works well for lunch or an evening meal. The Big Rock Candy Mountain Restaurant opens at 11 a.m. and serves a smokehouse barbecue. The Coaches Dog House in Marysvale serves gourmet hot dogs and burgers with the trimmings.
Gas including non-ethanol is available in Marysvale. When you go, take plenty of water, keep the rubber side down and enjoy the amenities in these two ATV-friendly cities.
Contact Lynn R. Blamires at quadmanone@gmail.com.
