Hells Revenge Moab:Trail Guide & Hummer Tours

Getting to Hell's Revenge

Trailhead Access: From US Highway 191 in Moab, turn east on 300 South. Follow it to 400 East, turn right, then continue east on Mill Creek Drive to Sand Flats Road. The Hell's Revenge trailhead is approximately one mile past the Sand Flats Recreation Area entrance station.

PARK HOURS & PASSES

• $5 7-day motorcycles and bicycles
• $10 7-day pass cars and trucks
• $25/annual pass (Sand Flats Recreation Area)
• Open 24 hours
  

Trailhead Access

From US Highway 191 in Moab, turn east on 300 South. Follow it to 400 East, turn right, then continue east on Mill Creek Drive to Sand Flats Road.

The Hell's Revenge trailhead is approximately one mile past the Sand Flats Recreation Area entrance station. The entrance station collects day-use fees — $10 for a 7 day pass per vehicle.

Best Time to Go

Spring and fall are when Hell's Revenge is at its best. March through May offers mild temperatures (50s–70s°F), excellent light for photography, and wildflowers at the lower elevations.

September through November brings the same comfortable range after the summer heat breaks.

Summer is a different. Exposed slickrock in July and August absorbs and radiates heat significantly beyond air temperature. It's not impossible, but it requires an early start and serious hydration. Temperatures frequently reach over 100 degrees Fahrenheit daily.

What to Bring

Water (plan for at least a liter per person per hour in warm weather), sun protection, closed-toe shoes with grip, snacks. Cell service is limited to nonexistent in Sand Flats.

Vehicle Requirements for Self-Driver

Hell's Revenge requires a capable 4x4 with low-range gearing, genuine high clearance, and ideally front and rear lockers. Tall tires (30" minimum, 35" recommended) help on the steeper obstacles. This is not a trail for lifted trucks without lockers, and certainly not for stock SUVs or AWD vehicles. If you have to ask whether your vehicle can handle it, the honest answer is probably no or you need to stick to the main trail and skip every optional obstacle.

The Slickrock Plateau Itself

In a place as famous for its views as Moab, the slickrock on Hell's Revenge is still a sight. Rolling domes, fossilized dune crests, and a surface that changes color from cream to rust to deep red depending on the hour. It's a landscape that looks more alien the longer you look at it.

The La Sal Mountains

Moab's snow-capped backdrop, rising to over 12,000 feet. They look close enough to touch from the slickrock plateau, especially in the morning light when the contrast between red rock and white peak is at its sharpest.

Arches National Park

The park's iconic formations are visible to the north from the higher points on the trail. Seeing them from the outside, from a vantage most park visitors never reach, is one of those moments that reframes what you already knew.

The Colorado River Canyon

The river cuts its deep groove to the west, and from the right perches on Hell's Revenge you can look down into the canyon and trace the water's path through the red rock. In the afternoon, the light on the canyon walls shifts from orange to deep crimson.

The Moab Valley

The town sits below you, surrounded by mesas and towers. There's something clarifying about seeing where you came from and how far the landscape stretches beyond it.

The Slickrock Plateau Itself

In a place as famous for its views as Moab, the slickrock on Hell's Revenge is still a sight. Rolling domes, fossilized dune crests, and a surface that changes color from cream to rust to deep red depending on the hour. It's a landscape that looks more alien the longer you look at it.

Hell's Gate

The trail's opening statement. A steep climb over a bulge of sandstone with significant exposure on the downhill side. It's the obstacle that sets the tone for everything that follows — and the one that makes most first-timers grip the door handle on the way up.

The Escalator

A series of stair-stepped slickrock climbs, each one flowing into the next through a series of V-notches and tilted faces. The Escalator is where line selection matters most — the correct path twists to avoid the steep canyon drop below. Easily bypassed, but worth doing if your vehicle is up for it.

Rubble Trouble

A transition zone of broken rock and ledges that breaks up the long slickrock sections. Less dramatic than the named climbs but unforgiving on a vehicle with low clearance. A reminder that this is still a serious trail even when the headline obstacles are behind you.

The Hot Tubs (Carwash, Mickey's Hot Tub, Devil's Hot Tub)

Three natural sandstone bowls in the slickrock that collect rainwater and look like drive-through rock pools. The Carwash is the first and shallowest. Mickey's Hot Tub is the crowd favorite. Devil's Hot Tub is the widest, deepest, and steepest of the three — with walls steep enough that a misjudged approach can leave a vehicle perched on the rim. In wet seasons, these fill with water. In dry months, they're still a spectacle.

Tip Over Challenge

The final named obstacle and the one that earns its name. A severe off-camber crossing that creates a real tilt on the vehicle — enough that passengers who've been calm all day tend to get quiet again. There's a bypass for those who want it. Most people who made it this far take the challenge.