Moon Rocks OHV Area combines open desert riding, hill climbs and technical granite rock crawling within a short drive of Reno, Nevada. We visited the area in November 2014 with our newly built long-travel 2015 Polaris RZR XP 1000 to explore the surrounding trails and put its Cognito Motorsports suspension, FOX internal-bypass shocks and 32-inch tires to the test.
Where Is Moon Rocks OHV Area?
Moon Rocks is located north of Reno and Sparks on the west side of Winnemucca Ranch Road. The riding area takes its name from the distinctive rounded granite formations near the primary staging area.
The Moon Rocks play area is part of the larger North Reno Recreation Area managed by the Bureau of Land Management’s Carson City District. The approximately 19,050-acre recreation area includes Moon Rocks, the Dogskin Mountains and portions of Hungry Valley.
Unlike a conventional trail system, Moon Rocks offers a mixture of open riding terrain, desert routes, hill climbs, motocross areas and natural rock-crawling obstacles. The surrounding network of roads and trails extends in several directions, so carrying an offline map or GPS is a good idea.
Taking the Long-Travel RZR XP 1000 to Moon Rocks
For this trip, I brought our new 2015 Polaris RZR XP 1000 project. The build was still underway, but TMW Off-Road had already transformed it with a custom cage, full doors and several performance upgrades.
Its primary components at the time included:
- Cognito Motorsports long-travel suspension
- FOX steel-bodied internal-bypass shocks
- 32-inch STI Roctane XD tires
- STI HD5 beadlock wheels
- Triple X suspension seats
- Rigid Industries LED lighting
- Polaris 4,500-pound winch
- Wolf Designs custom graphics
The finished RZR later became known as the Instigator, a versatile XP 1000 built for dunes, rocks and fast desert terrain.
Exploring the Desert Trails
Strong wind encouraged us to spend the first part of the day exploring the desert instead of immediately heading onto the exposed granite formations. There appeared to be nearly endless opportunities to connect roads and trails into different loops.
The terrain included numerous hill climbs that rewarded horsepower, along with long sections of whoops that provided a serious suspension test. Those whoops could become tiring at a slower pace, but they were exactly what we needed to evaluate the FOX internal-bypass shocks.
Rock Crawling on the Granite Formations
After exploring the surrounding desert, we returned to the granite formations for some rock crawling. Moon Rocks does not funnel drivers into a single marked crawling route. Instead, the formation presents a collection of natural obstacles where drivers can choose a line appropriate for their vehicles and experience levels.
The obstacles included deep crevasses, narrow fins, steep ledges, off-camber sections and abrupt rock faces. Some lines offered relatively straightforward climbs, while others carried a much greater risk of body or suspension damage.
Three of us tackled a climb near the staging area that required carefully straddling a deep crevasse. The line looked questionable from the bottom, but all three machines reached the top without damage.
We then persuaded the driver of a long-travel RZR XP 900 to attempt a much more difficult line so we could get a few photos. That attempt did not end as smoothly. The RZR became hung up on the formation, forcing us to use the winch on the XP 1000 to help lower it back down. A tie rod was broken in the process.
How the RZR XP 1000 Performed
The 32-inch STI Roctane tires worked extremely well on the granite. Their size improved ground clearance and helped the RZR bridge gaps, climb ledges and maintain traction through the more technical sections.
There was a tradeoff in the faster desert terrain. The heavier 32-inch tires were larger than necessary for the rough, whooped-out trails and added rotating mass. A 30-inch tire would have been a better choice for a day focused primarily on faster desert riding.
The FOX internal-bypass shocks were one of the standout components of the trip. They controlled the RZR impressively through the repeated whoops while the wider Cognito suspension added stability on rock faces and off-camber terrain.
Planning a UTV Trip to Moon Rocks
Moon Rocks remains an open OHV recreation area, but riders should verify current conditions and restrictions before traveling. The surrounding landscape includes both public and private property, along with ranch and utility roads. Obey posted signs, respect fences and remain aware of other riders.
Current BLM visitor information includes the following:
- OHV registration is required.
- Vehicles must have spark arresters or mufflers and working front and rear lights.
- The sound limit is 96 dB.
- There is no drinking water.
- Dispersed camping is generally permitted unless an area is marked closed.
- There are no designated campsites, although RVs and trailers commonly use staging areas along Bedell Road and Antelope Road.
- Vault or portable toilets may be available near staging areas.
- Shooting is prohibited in almost all portions of the recreation area.
- Seasonal fire restrictions may be in effect.
The area’s accessibility depends heavily on responsible use. Pack out all trash, avoid leaving broken vehicle parts or sharp debris and do not create unnecessary damage around the staging areas.
For directions, current regulations and official visitor information, consult the BLM Moon Rocks OHV Area page before your trip.
A Worthwhile Northern Nevada Riding Area
Our November 2014 visit showed why Moon Rocks has remained one of northern Nevada’s best-known OHV destinations. The main granite formation provides technical rock-crawling challenges close to the staging area, while the surrounding desert offers enough trails, hills and rough terrain to fill an entire day.
The trip also gave us an early indication of how capable our long-travel XP 1000 would become. The Cognito suspension, FOX shocks and 32-inch tires made it comfortable in rough desert terrain and impressively sure-footed on the rocks—even if the large tires were more than we needed for the faster portions of the ride.
Explore more destinations and firsthand trail stories in the UTVGuide.net Trip Reports archive.
