West Rim Trail - Rated 6

West Rim

West Rim is one of the most popular trails offered for Trail Hero.  What makes it so popular is that if you are with a group that has a wide range of vehicles, from stock to wild, you will be able to tour together and find something that will challenge you.  There are many places where you can drive your stock rig up right next to the built rigs and watch them struggle to make the hardline.  You all will be amazed at the incredible 360-degree views of Sand Hollow, Zion Park, Pine Valley Reservoir, St. George, The Arizona Strip, and Hurricane Cliffs. 

The trail stages at the Hurricane Water Tanks, then heads over to the lower sand dunes by the golf course.  After going down and up the dunes, the course continues to the first slickrock obstacle, The Steps.  As the name implies, this is a set of ledges that will test your suspension and driving ability.  Like many of the obstacles on West Rim, there are easy, hard, and very hard lines.  Lunch is usually held at, appropriately enough, the "Lunch Room," an alcove surrounded on 3 sides by tall rock formations, and a nice viewpoint of Warner Valley and the Arizona Strip to the south.  From the Lunch Room, there is plenty of 4-wheeling left.  The "Rock Garden" is at the end of West Rim Trail.  From there, the return route is down Hurricane Sand Dunes.  

This popular trail tends to fill up fast. 

Scenery

Incredible 360-degree vistas of Sand Hollow Reservoir, Zion Park, Pine Valley Mountains (usually snow capped for Winter 4x4 Jamboree), Warner Valley, the Arizona Strip, Hurricane Cliffs, and Hurricane Sand dunes.

Surface

Sand dunes and sandy roads, then slickrock ledges and two-track rocky roads.

Trail Details

There a many obstacles on this 4-rated trail, with twice as many options just off the trail.  The trail starts with "The Steps" (slickrock ledges) and then to "The Funnel" (a rounded 30" step that requires stacking rocks for stock vehicles).  From there, the climb is up a couple more steps to the "West Rim Boulevard", which is a rocky road the feeds several other trails.  After turning down onto West Rim, the trail travels along the rim on an alternately rocky and sandy road that is on the rim.  You leave the rim to travel between a set of evenly spaced pinnacles, called the "Toll Booths" that tower above the trail and have a ledge that can challenge stock rigs.  

A pullout called the "Scenic Loop" has beautiful views of St. George and the airport, and can be a challenge for stock rigs on it's entry steps and a short climb out on dirt.  From there, the challenges are various, winding through a rock-walled labyrinth until you reach the Lunch Room.  Great views from here, surrounded by rock walls.  

There are several challenging obstacles after the Lunch Room, starting with "The Squeeze" that can leave a rock rash on wide vehicles.  The trail ends in an area called the "Rock Garden."  This area has many various obstacles surrounding an open natural courtyard, allowing spectators to walk from one show to the next.  After leaving the trail, the way back is down the Hurricane Sand Dunes, affording a chance to increase the pace and blow out the dust.

West Rim Trail

Staging and Departure Times and locations: https://www.thetrailhero.com/register
Trail: West Rim Trail
Rated: 6 with optional lines up to Buggy Obstacles