A Family UTV Adventure in Sand Hollow, Utah
This post covers our family's first UTV rental with Mad Moose Rentals at Sand Hollow State Park in Hurricane, Utah: how booking works, what to expect when you arrive, and tips for doing it with kids. If you're planning a Southern Utah trip and wondering whether off-roading is only for adults or older kids, this one's for you.
This post is in partnership with Mad Moose Rentals. As always, every opinion and every happy tear is my own. Use code TPO10 for 10% off your rental.
What Is Sand Hollow?
Sand Hollow State Park is in Hurricane, Utah, about 20 minutes east of St. George. It's home to Sand Mountain, an off-highway vehicle (OHV) area of red sand dunes and rock formations made for exploring by UTV . The park is open 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. during daylight saving time and 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Picture rolling red dunes in every direction with mountains on the horizon. It's the kind of place that makes you stop and stare.
Before You Go: Booking and Requirements
Booking with Mad Moose is simple. After you reserve, you'll get an email with a link to sign your waivers and the important information for your day, so there's no paperwork scramble when you arrive.
Here's what families need to know before booking:
Minimum passenger height is 42 inches
The minimum age to drive is 18; however, if you have a minor as a passenger, the driver must be 25.
Helmets and goggles provided, worn the whole ride
Arrive 30 minutes before your booked time
Our kids cleared the height check at the moose cutout in the shop, which turned into its own fun photo op.
Use code TPO10 for 10% off your rental.
When You Arrive
We got to the Mad Moose shop 30 minutes before our booked time. Here's how check-in went:
1. Safety video. We watched a short safety video on the rules of the dunes and what to expect out there.
2. Gear fitting. Everyone got fitted for a helmet and goggles, kids included. Since we rented the 5-seater Polaris, goggles weren’t required because it could be fully enclosed with the windows. My twins still wanted the goggles though.
3. UTV crash course. We got a hands-on walkthrough of our UTV , from the controls to shifting gears.
4. Off you go. They pointed us toward Sand Hollow, told us to have fun, and that was it.
Out on the Dunes
We chose a self-guided rental, so we set our own pace and made it as adventurous as our crew wanted. If you'd rather have someone lead the way, Mad Moose also offers guided group tours.
It felt like a thrill ride the whole time. My kids had exactly one request: "Faster!"
The map has so many points to navigate to, but we picked just one: Top of the World. From up there we spotted a smooth, untouched sand dune, so we drove down to it for sledding and stumbled onto rock formations that gave us shade. We took our time at three locations which pretty much took up our 4-hour rental window.
Top of the World - We took in the view to find our sand sledding dunes.
Sand sledding - We rented the optional sand sled, and the kids slid down the dune, climbed back up and did it all over again.
Shade break - There were rock formations between our sledding dune and our next destination so we decided to stop cool off, climb and have a little dance party.
There was a big event happening that day, but we barely saw anyone. That's how massive this area is. Then came the moment that got me. Standing on the red rocks, looking at the 360-degree view with my family waving at me, I started crying. Happy tears. All I could say was, "How is this real life?"
Tips for Doing It with Kids
Beat the heat. We rode in the morning, and thank goodness: it still got toasty toward the end. Book a morning or late-afternoon slot if you can, especially during the hotter months.
Pack water and snacks. More than you think you'll need, especially for little ones.
Dress for sand. Closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and clothes you don't mind getting red. The sand gets everywhere.
Bring a face covering. A bandana or neck gaiter helps with dust kicked up by the tires for the non-windowed UTVs.
Secure your phone. A lanyard or zip pocket keeps it safe on bumpy stretches. You'll want photos at every stop.
Let the kids help navigate. The map has lots of points to drive to. Let the kids pick a stop and choose the next dune, and they become part of the adventure.
Make it a lesson. The red sand is worn-down sandstone, the same rock as the canyon walls in nearby Zion. In our homeschool, the world is our classroom, and this counted.
Why We'd Recommend Mad Moose
Mad Moose makes off-roading feel doable for families, even first-timers like us:
Easy start. Waivers by email meant check-in was quick.
Safety first. A safety video, fitted helmets and goggles for everyone, and a UTV walkthrough before we left.
Your pace. Self-guided rentals let you go as wild or as mellow as your kids can handle, with guided group tours as an option.
Kid-friendly. Passengers just need to clear the 42-inch height check.
We went in thinking UTVing might be for adults and older kids. We came home covered in red sand, and completely won over.
Going on new adventures as my kids grow, making memories we'll still be talking about when we're old: happy tears, every single one.
Quick Details
Rental company: Mad Moose Rentals
Address: Old Road, Hurricane, UT 84737
Website: madmooserentals.com
Where you ride: Sand Mountain OHV area, Sand Hollow State Park, Hurricane, UT
Discount: Code TPO10 for 10% off
Book your Mad Moose rental here