Swell Road

The Swell Road cuts right through the heart of Utah’s San Rafael Swell, a 100-mile maze of sandstone domes, slot canyons, and mining ruins that most people drive past on I-70. This isn’t a single trail but a network of dirt roads and two-tracks that connect forgotten uranium camps like Tomsich Butte and Temple Mountain, where you can still see the concrete foundations and rusted machinery from the 1950s boom. The main route follows old mining roads through places like Chute Canyon and across Little Grand Canyon, where the views make you forget you’re only 30 minutes from the interstate.

Most of it’s easy driving for any high-clearance vehicle, but some spurs get technical with loose rock and steep grades. Spring and fall are best — summer heat is brutal and winter snow closes the high country. No permits needed, but water and fuel are your responsibility. This is dispersed camping at its finest, with endless spots to set up camp under some of the darkest skies in the Lower 48.