For a hundred centuries, grains of sand measuring a mere 2 mm in diameter were swept one by one down the Sevier River into ancient Lake Bonneville. As the lake receded around 8,000 BC, prevailing winds carried these bits of silica across the parched desert, depositing a hundred billion of them on the lee side of a rocky escarpment. Fast forward to the third millennium AD, and you have Little Sahara State Park. Crescent bowls, precipitous mountains, and miles of rolling dunes cover the park. And the best part? Little Sahara is managed by the BLM. Camping is cheap, and there are tons of motorized opportunities available.
We'd heard of it, but never visited. So we fueled up, turned our truck toward Delta, Utah (the jump-off point for Little Sahara), and finally rolled in at about 1 a.m. to a scene reminiscent of a strange sci-fi movie. We were much too far north of fireflies, but what appeared to be a swarm of the illuminated little buggers turned out to be dozens of quads, bikes, and buggies screaming up a monolithic precipice in the distance - Sand Mountain. Wading through a sea of motorhomes, toy haulers, and bonfires, we secured a patch of real estate at the edge of the dunes and settled in with a cold one to watch the show.
If you are into wheelstanding, nitrous buggies, and alcohol-burning quads, then the area surrounding Sand Mountain is your place. A continual stream of riders lined up to drag race to the top. When the sun went down and the bonfires started ... well, let's just say the Little Sahara has a happy hour that will rival anything out there. There's no speed limit (except near camp) and no helmet law (unless you are under 18), but antenna flags are required, and glass containers and firearms are prohibited in the park. If you can afford the fuel to get there, then Little Sahara, at only $10 per night, is a bargain at any price. Leaf through the next couple pages for some awesome action in the Little Sahara. Or, check it out on the web at www.utah.com/playgrounds/little_sahara.htm.
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Sand Mountain, a straight shot of 671 feet, is the main attraction for many riders, and th
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Adrenalin and the smell of alcohol-fueled quads and two-strokes flow freely as a steady st
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While the dunes are open to everyone, there were only a few 4x4s willing to belly-up to th
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Every type of sand toy we could imagine was carving turns on Sand Mountain: Quads, buggies
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We couldn't figure this guy out either, but we guess it got him enough attention to get in
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Did anyone tell these guys that stock trucks will never make it to the top of Sand Mountai
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Sporting a Chevy 427, Allison five-speed, King coilovers, and BTR beadlocks, this was one
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The vendor area has a carnival midway feel, selling everything from tees and flags to race
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Every once in a while you will run into a few yahoos who choose to not wear helmets. Seein
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If you want to avoid big crowds and have a more tranquil experience, camp at the Jericho,
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Identity crisis!