Some of these 4×4 trails are just “plain" fun, while others are “white knuckle, seat of your pants, hold on for dear life" fun.
Rentals Abound
Travel to southwest Colorado and you can hardly walk down the street without running into a jeep rental outfit. Towns in the Colorado mountains like Telluride, Silverton, Ouray, and Lake City have any number of businesses willing, with a bit of a deposit, to rent you whatever you desire. I have used Colorado West Jeep Rentals and Tours in Ouray in the past and was outfitted with a brand new jeep and great advice on where to go and not to go. Rentals abound in Moab, Utah, and anywhere else there are mountains or trails to negotiate. Be sure to understand what trails are off-limits according to your rental agreement.
Engineer Pass, Colorado
Engineer Pass, Colorado
Running from Silverton to Lake City in the gorgeous San Juan Mountains, this is a popular ride with jeep rentals available at either end. Engineer Pass has a summit elevation of 12,800 feet and can get pretty hairy. I once considered trying it in my Hyundai but was persuaded against it by the locals who said I was crazy and the Wife who says repeatedly I am an “Idiot."
You definitely want to rent a jeep on this one and that’s what most folks do. This is part of the famous Alpine Loop and though some of it is negotiable by 2-wheel cars, Engineer Pass is not. Dotted with mines and plenty of points of historical interest along the way, this is a great way to spend the day going from Lake City to Silverton for lunch or vice-versa.
Black Bear Pass, Colorado
Black Bear Pass is 13 miles long, takes an estimated 2-3 hours to negotiate, and is said by some to be the scariest of all. Most jeep rental companies won’t let you do this ride with their jeeps but if you won’t tell, neither will I. You can try it but you better not break down or need assistance or they will know and charge you accordingly.
The trail starts outside of Ouray near the summit of Red Mountain Pass on Hwy 550 and goes toward Telluride, which is the way you must go as this is a one-way ride. The scenery is spectacular as you pass right by the Bridal Veil Falls and descend into Telluride. By the way, some say Telluride stands for “To-Hell-You-Ride" which should tell you something about what to expect when 4-wheeling in this area.
Moab, Utah
Moab, Utah
While this area has become a mecca for mountain bikers, 4x4s ruled long before the fat tire crowd came along. With trail names such as Hell’s Revenge, Metal Masher, The Pickle, and Cliffhanger, there should be enough scary rides for anyone. One area called The Moab Rim begins just downriver from town and has features with names like Devil’s Crack and the Z-Turn. One 4×4 outfitter called Cruise Moab claims “We do not run this trail if it is raining, due to the possibility of slipping off a very high ridge and falling to your death." Good thing it doesn’t rain much in the desert.
North Yungas, Bolivia
North Yungas Road, Bolivia
This road deserves to be mentioned in any story on dangerous trails. Posted on YouTube for years, most folks have probably seen pictures if not video of this one. While it may not trash your jeep, it will give you a heart attack. The road leads from La Paz to Corici, Bolivia. The Inter-American Development Bank named it the “World’s most dangerous road" in 1995. Some estimates have put the death toll at 200-300 travelers a year which makes it way scarier than Black Bear Pass.