Today commenced with the perfect example of what makes Trail Hero so special. With the Hero for a Day ride, allowing young children with special needs to have access to the brilliant world of powersports, which takes them deep into nature in a way they may otherwise couldn’t have. And paired with beautiful weather and quintessential southern Utah scenery, between crimson red earth and crystal blue skies, the ride didn’t feel like an option. It felt like therapy.

More important yet were the large number of participants who turned out to offer their time and vehicles to the cause. After a quick breakfast of burritos and orange juice from Lonny Boy’s Barbeque, the kids turned up and picked their rigs of choice. With a colorful range of options, and particular requests for “fast and loud” or “has a dog” fulfilled, the whole convoy set off for the trail to Top of the World for lunch.

The trail ride itself was led down the trail by David Adams, an off-road enthusiast who, himself, has a disability. He spent time talking with the group before setting off, explaining how he uses his jeep to be able to go out, have fun, and just be one of the guys on the trail. Joined by his dog Laredo, who made a show parading up and down the line of cars along the way, David was the jolly conductor of this unconventional 4×4 train.

With rich red dust and sandstone under the wheels, and a gorgeous clear morning sky, the ride offered plenty of awe-inspiring views and stop-offs for the kids to be kids – chasing each other around various pieces of the desert playground. Accompanied by amazing temperatures, and hordes of the four-legged friends charging alongside the column, the caravan continued onwards towards their lunch destination. At the top, there were even more sights to get lost in, as well as an assortment of sandwiches for midday nourishment.

Leaving the group to finish their ride and moving on to the next event of the day, the Trail Breaker Last Chance Qualifier attracts free spirits and adventures (and nut jobs) for a seemingly impossible task for only the most courageous of off-roaders. With obstacles looming over like sheer cliffs – in fact the course was built by literal vertical walls – drivers competed for their last opportunity to reach the next level before the official competition. The course consisted of four “gates” which mark the end of each recorded section. Then drivers attacked in every possible combination of line and orientation in the hopes of making it over the goliath obstacle.

In particular, the 3rd gate, and the perpendicular slot in which it resided, proved to be the biggest challenge of the day. With noticeable chunks of sandstone eroding away under the tires of crawlers, they struggled for the traction needed to scale such a biblical wall of rock. With supposedly insurmountable tasks at hand, driver by driver took their turn in 15-minute intervals to see if they had the “right stuff” for the day.

Competitors having their varying degrees of success, the barrier made for quite the dramatic scene. Observers sitting on the cliffs above cheered on each contender and made (loud) audible reactions to their accomplishments and failures alike. Perhaps none more notable than when a vehicle came tantalizingly close to conquering the last hump on the invincible escarpment shortly before rolling backwards – and luckily landing rubber-side-down as the audience on the heights cheered and leapt out of the way. The whole arena felt reminiscent of watching 1980’s rally highlights, with the fans’ engagement posing a crucial element to the event.

More action followed, this time with participation opened to the common man. At the Raceline Blindfolded Barrel Racing competition, participants navigated a three-barrel course entirely reliant on instructions from a co-driver. And the driving was exactly what one would expect. With a few standouts achieving remarkably fast laps around the barrels unscathed, others would suffer the wrath of the sand, with at least one roll-over, otherwise battling their inner instincts to doubt unchecked directions.

Watching the wide gamut of vehicles run the track, kicking up massive red dirt rooster tails as they quite literally set off blindly made for great entertainment. And with a set of Raceline Wheels on the line for the winner, competition was fierce, with two separate classes made for side-by-sides, and every other category boasting bigger, and slower, vessels. The spectacle wasn’t without casualties however, as every barrel in use got rather flattened at some point or another, and by the end, they began to more closely resemble traffic cones than their true form.

As the sun began to set, and a long day was winding down, it was time for Movie on the Rocks. With a showing of Indiana Jones awaiting, and a gorgeous sunset to preface the film, the movie-goers gathered around the sandy outcropping anxious to view the projection. But they weren’t without entertainment in the pause, as what felt more like a campout than a cinema, beers were cracked, hotdogs (courtesy of TNA Wieners) were consumed, conversations were had, and the stars set the mood.

Reminiscing on everything that unfolded, this Tuesday was the epitome of Trail Hero: it gave, it dashed, it gloried. And with Day One coming to a close, if this is any evidence, the fun will no doubt continue to ramp up throughout the week. If you don’t want to miss the fun, but you can’t be here in-person, follow along on our social channels: Instagram @UTVSportsMag or Facebook at UTV Sports.