The trails in Southern Utah are dry, open, and calling out for fun-loving ATV (all terrain vehicles) riders! Around Capitol Reef, we have some wonderful places for you to roll those four-wheelers through. A crisscrossing network of dirt roads zigs and zags throughout the desert areas and the mountains. You can start on the red dirt among the scents of sage and end up atop a mountain with commanding views of the endless scenery, surrounded by ponderosa pines.

Our absolute favorite place to send ATV riders is along a nearby mesa called the Velvet Ridge. Extending nine miles one way, this is great route that offers up spectacular views of the Torrey area, Boulder Mountain, and out over Capitol Reef National Park and the Henry Mountains. An easy drive right from our retail store, you can motor along the ATV trail, find a lunch spot with endless views, and cruise back the same way. There are little dips and hills on this route, making it easy for novices but with just enough thrills to put a smile on faces.

Not sure how skilled you are at operating a four wheeler? Never fear, we give you instruction right in the parking lot at our store, go over safety stuff, hand you well-fitting helmets, and send you on your way! We have single seaters, two-seaters, and a 6-seater Ranger that can accommodate your families or a pack of friends.

If you plan to visit during a holiday weekend, book your ATVs early–they tend to get snapped up well in advance.

How to Book This Trip
Call us: (435) 425-2010
Email us: info@backcountryoutfitters.com

follow us on Twitter!
like us on Facebook!

Horseback riding in southern Utah is a spectacular adventure! We started our outdoor excursion company with horses as the backbone of our vacation trips, and riding them is still one of the most popular activities for people visiting the Capitol Reef area.

Our 1/2 Day Horseback Ride

One of our best trips for seeing the area in depth is our half-day horse ride. In the spring, we head into Capitol Reef National Park, where the desert wildflowers are just beginning to bloom. Pleasant Creek Canyon is one of our favorite trails to ride with our horses.

It crosses the creek multiple times as we wind along between the towering canyon walls, keeping an eye out for shy bighorn sheep and ancient Fremont Indian petroglyphs on the walls. We stop for lunch near a wall of rock art, taking our time to explore the old depictions of bighorn sheep and more recent “cowboy graffiti” from the late 1800s.

This video of a Pleasant Creek Canyon horseback ride gives you a great idea of the stunning scenery you’ll experience on this equine adventure.

Who Will Most Enjoy This Trip

Families, couples, friends, corporate groups, church or youth groups, solo travelers joining in on a ride–really, the half day rides are a well-rounded introduction to the area for almost anyone! Absolutely no prior riding experience is required. Our lunch stop lets you shake out your muscles after being in the saddle for about an hour and a half.

What to Know About Pleasant Creek Canyon

1) On their 1872 expedition, explorer and one-armed Civil War veteran John Wesley Powell and his party were so grateful to reach the gentle water shaded by cottonwood trees that they named the stream “Pleasant Creek.”

2) Infamous outlaw Butch Cassidy likely rode his horses through this very canyon back in his stagecoach hold-up days.

3) The Capitol Reef Field Station just above the Pleasant Creek parking area is solar-powered and built to blend into its beautiful natural surroundings.

How to Book This Trip

Call us: (435) 425-2010

Email us: info@backcountryoutfitters.com

follow us on Twitter!

like us on Facebook!

Our first adventure trips of the season just went out and we are super stoked about 2012. This is already shaping up to be a great year for visiting southern Utah, so we hope you come to our beautiful area for a visit!

Some of our favorite things to do are horseback riding, hiking, 4×4 touring on the incredible back roads of Capitol Reef National Park, mountain biking, fly fishing, renting our ATVs, and of course having customers check out our fully-stocked retail store with camping and outdoor gear.

We’d also LOVE it if you’d “like” our Backcountry Outfitters Facebook page and/or follow us on our Twitter account, @UtahGuide! We really like making new friends and getting the word out about our upcoming adventures, special deals, and new gear in the store. Our goal this year is to have new friends from different countries all over the world come to play with us in Southern Utah.