Experience Utah
We sat down with Chris Tolman, Vice President of UTV Utah, to learn why people love to ride utility terrain vehicles, and maybe even get a few tips for some great off-roading in Utah.
DID YOU DISCOVER YOUR LOVE OF UTV RIDING AS AN ADULT, OR WAS IT SOMETHING YOU GREW UP WITH?
I actually grew up on a dirt bike in Southern California. As an adult, I moved to Utah to pursue an MBA at the U and when I finished my degree, I decided to reward myself with a UTV. Up until then, I had never ridden a UTV in my life.
WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO GET A UTV INSTEAD OF ANOTHER DIRT BIKE?
Because when you wreck on a bike, it hurts! I knew that off-roading was something I wanted to do with my family and since I had two young children, I was really drawn to how much safer UTVs are than dirt bikes. So I did some research, and when I became confident that it was something I felt safe doing with my wife and kids, I bought my first UTV.
WHAT MAKES UTAH SUCH A POPULAR DESTINATION FOR OFF-ROADING?
Well, the sheer variety of riding we have in Utah is unparalleled. From dunes, to rock climbing, to high-speed trials, you really can find anything you want to do.
SO WHERE CAN SOMEONE FIND GREAT PLACES TO OFF-ROAD?
Where to start? There’s Moab, of course—which is world-famous, for good reason. Moab has so many great trails, like Fins & Things, Gemini Bridges, Moab Rim, and on and on. But not as many people know about the great trails in other places in Utah, like the Paiute Trail, in Marysvale, or any of the fantastic trails in Vernal, like Moonshine Arch and Doc’s Beach. For people looking for somewhere to ride that’s closer to Salt Lake, I recommend Little Moab, in Utah Valley, which is a great area to ride with a few different choices of terrain, as well as Five Mile Pass. The truth is, you really can’t go wrong. Just remember to be safe, be respectful—to each other and to Mother Nature—and be prepared to have a great time.
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK
One of the top national parks in the nation, Arches is a 73,234-acre wonderland of eroded sandstone fins, towers, ribs, gargoyles, hoodoos, and balanced rocks that also includes the largest proliferation of arches on the planet.
BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK
Home to dozens of species of mammals and birds, Bryce Canyon is an endless plateau of distinctive red rock pillars and hoodoos, carved by water and wind over millions of years.
CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK
Formed by Utah’s Green and Colorado rivers, Canyonlands is 527 square miles of towering mesas and deep canyons, filled with incredible pinnacles, cliffs, spires, and one of the West’s most photographed landforms, Mesa Arch.
CAPITOL REEF NATIONAL PARK
It’s difficult to rival Capitol Reef’s sense of expansiveness, with over 100 miles of broad, sweeping vistas, and a seemingly endless landscape of twisted rocks under a desert sky.
ZION NATIONAL PARK
Zion is a wilderness preserved; home to the Narrows, Canyon Overlook, Emerald Pools, a petrified forest, a desert swamp, springs and waterfalls, hanging gardens, wildflowers, wildlife, and the iconic Kolob Arch. For more information on all these amazing parks, check outvisitutah.com.
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