I have been on a lot of back country roads in a career of working on remote oil drilling locations. Some things to check for:
Type of road: Some parts of the country are extensively traveled by gravel or dirt roads.
Gravel roads that are well used tend to be wider, have little or no vegetation growing out of any part of the road, including the crown, often have dust on any vegetation next to the road, kicked up by tires and covering the plants or rocks there.
A straight-up dirt (as opposed to graded gravel) two-track road is often a limited use access, and not well traveled. Opportunities to turn around may be limited, depending on terrain, and the road may not be maintained.
If all the trash in the ditches (not always a good indicator) looks old and not fresh, chances are the road is only traveled by very neat people, or the road isn't traveled much, most likely the latter. If you have a problem, you may be on your own.
The narrower the road, the more vegetation, the less dust on adjacent vegetation, generally, the less traveled the road. Look for signs of recent travel (tire tracks). The absence of these may indicate this is not the road you are looking for.
Roads which are just fine to travel when dry may be hellholes when wet. High shrink/swell clays like bentonite and Montmorillonite/Illite are fairly common in the west, especilly in 'badlands' terrain. When dry, you can drive on these surfaces all day long. When wet, the water swells the upper layers which can best be defined as 'slicker than cat crap'--imagine driving on thick, sticky pudding. While it is easy to get stuck, even staying on a road is problematical.
Four wheel drive just gets you stuck farther from civilization than two wheel drive. If it is a main road, unless you got caught in a blizzard, you should be able to get where you are going just fine in two wheel drive.
Sometimes, the best thing to do is to retrace your steps, go back to the main road and ask someone for directions.
Always have a survival kit (a 72 hour bug out bag)--it can make the difference between surviving with few problems and a life or death situation. While such gear is weather/climate/terrain specific, a good rule of thumb is at least a half gallon of water per person, some 'road food', and always a couple of ignition sources (lighters, matches). Being able to build a fire might not only give you the ability to signal someone, but you might get to drink warm snowmelt, even tea or coffee, instead of urine. At least a blanket or sleeping bag per person is a good idea, too, and clothing suitable for being out in the weather, whatever that is anticipated to be.
On a recent 300 mile trip, knowing a blizzard was anticipated to roll in not long after I got back, I had a gallon of water per person, camp stove, a sleeping bag and a blanket per person, 100 ft. paracord, two 8X10 tarps, a fairly extensive first-aid kit, basic hand tools, food for two days plus the survival rations in the bug out bag, assorted road snacks, an older square blade metal shovel, a few assorted knives, and a solid knowledge of the roads and anticipated hazards along the way. (A hand saw would have been good to have, too).
A note on Tarp and paracord: good for what ails you, can be as mundane as something to kneel on while changing a tire, as important as something to tie around a vehicle that rolled and came back onto its wheels without any windows intact, so the vehicle can still be used for shelter, or be made into a shelter on its own. A small tarp can be made into a stretcher or travois to transport injured people as well, if the need arises.
It is usually best to stay with the vehicle. This, however, does not always get you out of a bind. Someone has to know where you are going, when to expect you there, roughly speaking, or no one will know where you are, that you are missing or where to look for you.
Making yourself visible can be tough, especially in snow. Trudging out a message (SOS in snow or sand) that can be seen by air can be a good idea, keep the letters at least 20 ft. high, and as wide as you can get them. The more contrast you can get between letters and background, the more likely it will be seen.
Look around, check your back trail, especially when you make a turn, because it often looks different heading the other way. I've been wandering the boonies for the better part of six decades, and while I may have taken a 'scenic route' or two, never got stuck to the point I had to be rescued. I have never used GPS, either, in a vehicle or on foot, for my primary means of navigation.
