Leaving roads behind

jeep cherokee offroad

Then came the fun part. Also, the terrifying part.

It turns out, the Cherokee is available in a "Trail Rated" version called the Trail Hawk. And by "Trail," they don't mean the a dirt road you can walk over in your sneakers. They mean the kind of stuff you crawl over on your hands and knees.

It's a special feeling when the Jeep Wrangler Rubicon leading you through a boulder-strewn off-road course has to veer off, sending you on alone because it can't handle what's coming next. Fortunately, guides on foot were there to tell me which directions to point the wheels as the Cherokee crept through crevices with jagged rocks threatening to tear the door handles off.

First published September 30, 2013: 7:35 AM ET

Partner Offers




Most Popular