Tusher Tunnel 4×4 trail, Moab, Utah

One of the trails we explored in our Polaris RZR on our recent Moab trip was Tusher Tunnel, a jaw-droppingly cool cave through 100 feet of sandstone. The sandy 4×4 trail to get there takes only an hour or so, but the destination was amazing.

Tusher Tunnel reminded me of Lava Tubes in Hawaii – dark, cavernous tunnels through rock tall enough to walk through. The difference here was that the other side of this tunnel opened up to a beautiful desert vista with striated sandstone and juniper trees decorating the landscape.

Charles A. Wells’ book Guide to Moab, UT Backroads & 4-Wheel Drive Trails gave detailed trail information, and I highly suggest anyone off-roading in the area pick up a copy. The five minute hike from the parking area to the tunnel was a little bit of a scramble, but the tunnel itself is flat and sandy. And dark and cool – and I’m not just talking about the temperature.

Getting there: Take Highway 191 North from Moab about 14 miles. Turn left on Mill Canyon Road just after mile marker 141.

Difficulty: Easy, but sandy. The dirt bikes that came with us had some trouble on the sandy terrain.

Time: 1.5 hours

Tips: I wish I had brought a flashlight for better Tusher Tunnel exploration.