Pritchett Canyon

Pritchett Canyon serves up some of the nastiest sandstone obstacles in Moab’s extensive collection of rock-crawling nightmares. This 8-mile technical gauntlet starts innocent enough before dropping into a narrow canyon where drivers thread the needle between towering red walls and navigate ledges that would challenge a mountain goat. The infamous Rock Pile at mile 4 stops most rigs dead—a chaotic jumble of house-sized boulders requiring multiple spotters and often winch assistance to navigate without body damage.

This is extreme-rated territory demanding heavily modified rigs with long-travel suspension, 37-inch tires minimum, and full armor protection. Most attempts take 6-8 hours with multiple recovery situations. Spring and fall offer ideal conditions when temperatures stay reasonable and afternoon storms are less frequent. No permits required, but bring multiple recovery straps, a winch, and at least one spotter who knows the line through the technical sections. Pritchett separates the hardcore wheelers from everyone else—completing it clean puts you in elite company among Moab’s toughest trails.