Discover a grand off-road experience on the way to Grand Canyon
Apr 3, 2024, 12:00 PM
Off road in southern Utah this year and get the grand experience of a lifetime! (Bar 10 Ranch)
(Bar 10 Ranch)
Editor’s note: This is an editorial piece. An editorial, like a news article, is based on fact but also shares opinions. The opinions expressed here are solely those of the author and are not associated with our newsroom.
SALT LAKE CITY — Springtime is my favorite time to visit southern Utah. It’s warm enough to shake the winter cobwebs off but not so hot that you can’t enjoy exploring southern Utah’s red rock wonders.
If that’s in your plans for 2024 I would also suggest getting off road and really immersing yourself in the beauty that can only be found in southern Utah.
A great way to do that is to enlist the help and expertise of ATV & Jeep Adventure Tours in Hurricane.
St. George’s first and longest-operating ATV tour company
Now in their 26th year, owner Jason Nelson told KSL Outdoors Radio they offer a variety of experiences.
“Everything from a three-hour tour to as long as four days,” Nelson told us. “From riding locally through the sand and playing in the red rock to a 200-mile roundtrip ride to the Grand Canyon.”
Bob Grove of our “Road Trippin” team tagged along on a recent trip to the Whitmore Canyon Overlook that goes through a little-known Grand Canyon National Monument to a spot in the canyon that holds some historical significance.
“This is the place where John Wesley Powell came out of the river because it’s the lowest lying spot. Where a big lava flow created a ditch, if you will, making it more possible to enter and exit the water,” Grove said.
Even today it’s the perfect beginning or ending for many river raft experiences on the Colorado River. It’s also home to the Big 10 Ranch where Jason and his riders stay when taking their longest adventure!
Big 10 Ranch, an off road southern Utah tradition
Located on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, the Big 10 has been home to five generations of the Heaton family. They’ve been running cattle and working this land since the 70s and it’s still a working ranch.
“It’s the perfect place to unplug and unwind with no cell service and no gas stations, you’re just out there immersed in it,” Nelson said.
Eight miles from the edge of the water, the Bar 10 offers a taste of western living that sadly is fading away: cooking their own beef, serving their own food, dutch-oven style, while also offering clean water and hot showers to visitors either arriving by raft or side by side.
As far as sleeping quarters go there is a lodge that’s set up dormitory style. But Bob Grove suggests opting for the Conestoga Wagons that come complete with AC, heat and electricity. These wagons are big enough to sleep an entire family! They feature a king-sized bed and two bunk beds that Jason describes as “glamping.”
It’s a “five-star stay but you’re out there hearing what’s going on in the night underneath the stars — a truly Glamping experience,” he said.
So whether is just an off road southern Utah day ride, or you’ve got something a bit more adventurous in your spring and summer plans, ATV & Jeep Adventures in Hurricane can help make those dreams a reality. Happy Glamping!
