ATV Adventures: 2nd Annual Arapeen Tracked UTV ride – 1st jamboree of 2025
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- Riding in a winter wonderland on the Arapeen Tracked UTV Ride.
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- Jeremy at Young Powersports shows off a machine with snow tracks.
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- Jeremy at Young Powersports demonstrates the grip snow tracks have.
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- Riding in the mountains high above Ephraim in February’s snow.
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- Riding in a wonderland of snow above Ephraim in February.
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- Riding high up on the mountain on the Arapeen Tracked UTV Ride.
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- Lynn Blamires
The 2025 jamboree season is getting an early start with the Second Annual Arapeen Tracked UTV Ride. Kevin Christiansen with San Pete County Travel offered a new event last year as an experiment. Twelve riders responded to the invitation, which was enough to do it again this year.
To qualify for the ride, your machine must be equipped with a set of snow tracks. It also helps to have the cab enclosed with heating because it is cold at 9,900 feet in the winter in the Manti La-Sal Mountains. Like a snowmobile, snow tracks allow your UTV to float on the snow.
Snow tracks have extended the riding season to be year-round for ATV riders. I have friends who switch out their wheels for tracks to access their cabins during the winter. Another friend has a set of tracks for his Chevy Suburban to get around on the winter snow. For a fee, you can have tracks switched out and stored for the summer months by local dealers. A set of tracks runs between $5,000 to $7,000.
The Second Annual Tracked UTV Ride is set for Feb. 1 in Ephraim. It is set about three weeks before last year’s event to bring friends back for this unique experience while conditions are ideal.
Christiansen says, “This excursion will have participants driving through a snowy, enchanting landscape in tracked UTVs — making for an exciting, heart-pounding experience. This ride is not just about the thrill, it’s also about immersing oneself in the astounding natural beauty of Utah’s National Forest. Winter brings an entirely different, but no less awe-inspiring, look to the terrain, making the ride a visually stunning journey. Our knowledgeable guide will ensure your experience is both enjoyable and memorable. Snow-dusted trees and pristine, untouched landscapes offer countless photo opportunities.”
Ride sign-in is at 9 a.m. about 1.5 miles up Ephraim Canyon where there are two parking lots near the National Forest Boundary for staging. The ride starts at 9:30 on an exhilarating 25-mile ride up Ephraim Canyon on pristine trails expertly groomed by the state of Utah. Turning onto Willow Creek Road, the trail will connect with Trail No. 37 wandering through a landscape of aspen and conifer forests, summiting at the thrilling height of 9,900 feet.
After a lunch break, the ride will continue on Trail No. 42, which connects with the Left-Hand Fork Road and down New Canyon Road to the starting point. The ride is expected to end at about 3:30 p.m.
Registration is open for this winter wonderland ride at https://utvevents.weebly.com/winter-ride.html. Click on the active “Register Here” button. There is a $10 fee to register, but passengers ride free.
On the website are instructions to download the Avenza Maps app to your cellphone and what set of maps to open in the app. This will allow you to see where you are on the map.
You are on your own for lunch, which will be a stop on the trail at noon. This would be a good time to bring your lunch box oven for a hot lunch on the trail.
Riders are encouraged to arrive the night before to be ready for the 9 a.m. start time Saturday. Ephraim is an ATV-friendly town with lots of amenities. This is a place I enjoy arriving early for a ride. It is one of nine towns with access to the 600 miles of trail offered on the Arapeen Trail System. I call Ephraim a city because it has a Walmart.
Restaurants include Chinese at the Snow Dragon, Mexican at Los Amigos and barbecue at Roots 89 Roadhouse. Roy’s Pizza has an antique ambiance with delicious pizza and pasta. One time we came into town a little late and hungry. The only place we could find open was the Sno Cap Lanes — the bowling alley. I would go there again in a heartbeat — my burger and fries were remarkable.
The Willow Creek Inn is the place to stay. It has comfortable rooms and a hot breakfast. The Maverik has non-ethanol gas and is handy for picking up snacks for the trail.
Before you write off this ride because you don’t have a machine with snow tracks, there are places to rent UTVs equipped with tracks. This is a one-of-a-kind adventure you will want to try at least once. But be careful, you could get hooked. When you go, take plenty of water, keep the rubber side down and enjoy what the mountains offer in the winter.
Contact Lynn R. Blamires at quadmanone@gmail.com.
