Rig check and tire pressure
Pick your build to see a starting pressure, bypass plan, and gear list for this trail.
A stock high-clearance 4x4 can complete the main trail, but not on street pressure. You need 4LO and you need to air down at the trailhead. More rubber on the rock means less wheelspin, fewer broken parts, and a calmer ride. Choose a build below.
Stock 4x4 with 4LO
Set cold, then recheck after the first obstacle. Air back up before pavement.
Take every bypass. A stock wheelbase and departure angle will drag the rear bumper in the deep V-notches. Skip Hell's Gate and The Escalator, and enjoy the main trail.
Portable compressor, tire gauge, front and rear tow hooks, kinetic recovery rope, at least a gallon of water per person, and a first-aid kit. Do not run all-season highway tires.
Pre-trail checklist
0 of 4 doneThe six named obstacles
Tap each one for the line, the spotter position, and the bypass.
The route is marked with white paint lines and small dinosaur footprints. If you see footprints, you are still on the main trail. Every hard obstacle has a signed or obvious bypass; taking it is part of the route design, not a failure.
The huge fin near the Sand Flats entrance was once the most photographed climb in Moab. It is now permanently closed to vehicles, fenced and signed. Treat it as a landmark and a photo stop.
The real Hell's Revenge trailhead is across the road on the east side. Use the staging area to air down and make a final check before you start.
A diagonal rock shelf puts one front wheel high and the opposite rear wheel low. The body leans far enough that it feels like a tip-over, though a correct line keeps all four tires planted.
Do not stab the brakes or steer sharply while the body is loaded on one side. Short-wheelbase two-doors transfer weight faster. A smooth bypass runs to the right; use it if anyone in the vehicle is uncomfortable.
The famous V-notch: drop into the bottom, then climb a narrow slot at roughly 35–40 degrees while the walls hold your tires on a single line. A few inches off and one side unloads.
You need a spotter outside the vehicle. The driver cannot see the front tires against the walls. The spotter stands where both sides are visible and signals forward, stop, and steering corrections. Keep steady throttle near the top; do not punch it when the sky opens up.
A marked bypass runs beside the notch. No built rig, no experienced spotter, no attempt — that is the rule.
A staircase of ledges with holes deep enough to swallow a 37-inch tire. It is the most mechanical-damage-prone line on the trail: axle shafts, driveshafts, and rear bumpers are the usual casualties.
Recommended for 35-inch-plus tires, front and rear lockers, and a winch. If a tire drops into a hole, do not bounce it out with throttle. Back up, reposition, or take the bypass.
Water and wind carved deep bowls into the sandstone — Car Hot Tub and Mickey's Hot Tub are the two everyone stops to watch. After rain they hold water, and the exit is a near-vertical wall.
These are pure spectacle lines. Park on flat ground, walk over, and watch built rigs try them. Nobody needs to drive into a tub to say they ran Hell's Revenge.
The best rest stop on the route. From the rim you look down on the Colorado River, across to the red walls of Arches National Park, and out to the La Sal Mountains.
There is no railing. Set the parking brake, shift to park, and keep children away from the edge. Loose sandstone breaks off without warning.
Slickrock technique and trail ethics
Dry sandstone grips like sandpaper. Wet sandstone does not.
Downhills: let 4LO do the braking
On long descents steeper than 30 degrees, do not ride the brakes. Heat fade or a locked wheel can slide the truck sideways. Shift into 4LO and first gear (or manual M1) before the drop and let engine braking hold the speed.
Crests: walk it before you drive it
At the top of a steep climb the windshield shows sky and nothing else. You cannot see whether the far side is flat, a turn, or a cliff. Stop, shift to park, and have a passenger walk over the crest before you commit.
Rain, snow, and thin sand
Navajo sandstone loses its grip fast when wet or covered with sand or ice. If Moab has a thunderstorm or flash-flood watch, cancel. The rock will still be there next week.
Stay on the marked line
The dark crust beside the trail is cryptobiotic soil; one tire track can take decades to recover. Do not spin tires on the rock to leave a mark, and do not widen a bypass to make it easier.
Permits, fees, and seasons
No lottery, no months-ahead reservation — but check the gate rules before you drive up.
Hell's Revenge is inside Sand Flats Recreation Area, managed by Grand County in partnership with the BLM, not the National Park Service. You pay at the entrance station or the self-serve envelope box when the booth is closed. A 7-day private-vehicle pass is $10; an annual pass is $25. Card payment is usually available at the booth.
The America the Beautiful annual pass does not apply here. This is a county recreation area, so plan on a separate Sand Flats fee.
March–May and September–November. Daytime temperatures usually sit in the 60s–80s °F, and the rock is dry. Easter week (Jeep Safari) is the busiest window of the year.
June–August afternoons regularly exceed 100 °F. Start at first light, finish the trail by late morning, and carry more water than you think you need.
Fees and closures change. Confirm current rules with Grand County before you go; this page is a planning aid, not a ticket.