Stop #23: Offroad RV Resort, Torrey, UT
- Denisse Storti
- Dec 21, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Dec 27, 2023
From Moab we headed south west to the Hanksville area. Offroad RV Resort, a fairly new campground ran by owners Heidi and Stuart, served as our home base. Since they haven't been around for too long, this campground is still in it's early stages of development. There are no amenities, roads and sites are dirt based, and fire pits are merely holes in the ground with rocks on the perimeter. However, the owners were the nicest, the sunsets were amazing, and being in the middle of nowhere delivered beautiful starry nights. Also, from this location there was a lot to explore.
We started off visiting Moonscape Overlook, also known as Skyline View. We took UT-24 to Factory Butte Road which while a dirt road it's not in terrible condition so 4 WD is not needed to get there. The landscape looks pretty cool on the way there but nothing like the actual destination. True to its name, this area looks very much like the surface of the moon. Not only due to the grayish color of the surface, but the texture also gives otherworldly vibes.
Once we got there, we parked and got out to take in the views, take some pictures, and explore. You'll know you're there because the road ends with big drop offs on all sides. From this high point the views seem never-ending. The iconic spot you see in most pictures of a ledge leading to a rock where the bravest sit on is in plain sight and therefore impossible to miss. Paul went right for it while I caught it all on camera. Meanwhile, the kids played around with some rocks they found - thankfully these two can entertain themselves forever with a few rocks.
Following this spot, we continued exploring the area which is a heaven for off-roading fans. We did our best with our truck, taking it down some areas that made us feel like we were truly on the surface of the moon. We saw a lot of side by side vehicle tracks but didn't cross paths with any. Can only imagine it's a lot busier during other times of the year. Also, keep in mind that there are no restrooms in this area, so do plan accordingly.
Before leaving Factory Butte Road we came across a dry river bed and decided to stop to take a look. We ended up walking along on the river bed for a while, over puddles, and exploring the many cave like formations carved out by the water. It was an unexpected stop that turned out to be lots of fun.
Next, on a different day, we set out to find the Bentonite Hills which we had seen on an IG post and had at the top of our list of places to visit in Utah. The pictures showed a landscape made of hills with stripes in vibrant purples, reds, whites, and blues. While we found those images to have been substantially edited, it still proved to be quite the wondrous place. To get there we took UT-24 to Hartnet Cathedral Road which, drum roll, is also a dirt road, only this one also requires crossing a stream. We were in our truck but the stream was flowing pretty well so to be sure Paul got out and walked through most of it to confirm it wasn't too deep for us. His feet froze a bit (we didn't have our boots with us so he did this barefoot in order to keep his sneakers dry) but it was all done in the name of safety.
Once we got there, we had the place to ourselves for a while. Later on a couple arrived but after chatting for a bit we went on opposite directions and both had plenty of space for taking drone footage and pictures without getting in each other's way. We did go down onto the hills to walk around, however we came across an article later on that stated that this is not highly recommended as the surface is easily damaged and takes years to heal. There are no trails, so they do recommend sticking to washes and firm areas when walking around which we mostly did without knowing this information. On the way back we came across a couple on a low SUV who were pondering whether to cross the stream. Lucky for them we saved them a walk in the frigid waters and encouraged them to proceed with confidence. We stayed back till they were on the other side just in case they happened to have any issues but they crossed it easily.
Our next adventure took us to Capitol Reef National Park. Maybe an unpopular opinion but we found this park to be underwhelming and once we were done with our visit we all agreed the best part of our time there were the pies we got from Gifford House. As usual, we started off with a stop at the Visitor Center to get Junior Ranger booklets. From there we drove over to Gifford House to get a couple of pies which we had right away, before even eating our lunch. We bought one pumpkin and one cherry. They were both spectacular but the cherry was prob our favorite. We then did the Grand Wash Drive and the kids got out at one point to scream at the top of their lungs in order to hear their echos. Thankfully, there weren't others in sight so I don't think they annoyed anyone else but us. lol
We followed with the Scenic Drive which had some pretty views and ended with a 2.2mi hike to The Tanks on Capitol Gorge. This hike was nice and only required a bit of scrambling in one point closer to the Tanks. The Tanks reminded me of the Seven Sacred Pools in Sedona. Similar holes in the ground with water. Most of the hike is between the canyon walls and therefore shaded - we were a bit cold for that reason. We saw some historic inscriptions on the walls along the hike were neat but in the end the kids still referred to this park as Capitol Boring Reef. I however did want to return but only to buy a few more pies. :)
When camping at Bisti Badlands in New Mexico we met a young couple that had just been at Goblin Valley State Park and insisted we add it to our list. This place turned out to be a fun playground and one of the best places we saw while in this area. Once you arrive to the parking lot you immediately see Valley 1 below, an area full of goblins and hoodoos. While some only see sandstone formations, our kids saw castles, sci-fi movie sets, and cozy homes. What an awesome playground this was for them. They played pretend in every nook, cave, and cranny and loved every second of it. While there are three valleys, we only explored Valley 1 which is the one adjacent to the parking lot. Here there were tons of formations, hills to climb on, and a few caves to hike in. We took drone footage in this area as well, which you can do with a permit. They even have a platform next to the parking lot for folks to launch their drones.
After exploring Valley 1 for a while we returned to the parking lot to have our packed lunch under the gazebo. Here you'll also find picnic tables and restrooms. Once we had recharged, we went on to hike the Carmel Canyon loop trail. This is a fun 1.5mi trail that delivers on views of the Carmel Goblin formation, Molly's Castle outcrop, and the Three Sisters. The kids loved the short narrows along the hike and sliding down a few sand dunes.
After resting a few days, we ventured to Little Wild Horse Canyon. The walk towards the beginning of the slot canyon is not that long so before you know it you'll be among narrow canyon walls. This is not a technical hike and it was super fun for our kids. There was a bit of scrambling and some times the walls were so close we had to turn sideways to get through. We got there a bit late in the afternoon so we only hiked 3.5mi round trip in order to return to our car before it got dark but nonetheless, it was a beautiful and very fun hike for us all. We turned around at a clearing where we sat atop a small hill to rest and have some snacks. Paul found a cave he wanted to climb to for extra cardio.
On our last outing before leaving Hanksville we visited Painted Hills with some friends we all made at our campground. On the way there we drove by the Mars Research Center which you need to see from a distance and does not accept visitors. Painted Hills was a bit similar to the Bentonite Hills and since we were there till close to sunset I was able to capture what folks refer to as the 'blue hour' which I recommend seeing at any of these sites. Again, you will be on a dirt road to reach this area and there are some spots with deeper sand. On the way back we came across a young lady in a sedan who was stuck in one of these areas. Another truck had stopped in order to try to help her but they did not have a tow strap with them. Paul immediately took out his and got her out in a jiffy.
We've seen a lot of people share on social media that Hanksville is their favorite area in Utah and we see why. But we are not making this claim yet. There's more to see before we make up our minds.
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