Blanding, Utah

Bears Ears National Monument is a truly special place. We voyaged willingly on a journey of discovery into the roots of who we are as human beings, and we were not disappointed: the ruins accessible in the canyons brought tears to our eyes. While Bears Ears used to receive just 9,000 visitors ann...

One of the many wonderful hidden gems in Utah (so just tell you close friends about it).Kane Gulch is located four miles south of the Highway 95/Highway 261 junction. At the Kane Gulch ranger station you will be able to use restrooms, overnight park your vehicle, pick up permits, and purchase are...

The Needles District of Canyonlands receives 6 times as many backpackers as its more popular neighbor across the Colorado River, Island in the Sky. The Needles has an excellent trail network that is incredibly diverse, featuring amazing rock features as well as grassy meadows and savannahs.  Whil...

Natural Bridges National Monument is one of Utah's many geologic wonders. While this monument is primarily known for its bridges, it also has an impressive collection of cliff dwellings known as Horse Collar Ruin. The dwellings have passed the test of time after being abandoned by native people m...

Hovenweep National Monument consists of 5 separate units which were once Ancestral Puebloan communities. The main trail, Little Ruin Canyon, starts from the Visitor Center and is the only unit that has paved access. Don't let the dirt-clay roads keep you from the other units though, they are not ...

The dirt road loop is relatively smooth and can be driven on by just about any car, campervan, or RV. However, check the weather beforehand because some areas can become flooded after rain and will be a difficult mud crossing. It can be driven in either direction. One entrance is off Highway 163,...

In the days of Utah's Wild West gold rush (circa 1890s), a man named Henry Honaker decided to build a supply route from the San Juan River to the cliffs tops, roughly 1200 feet, above. The roughly hewn trail that Henry built; aptly named the ‘Honaker Trail’ was to act as a supply route for the go...

Muley Point on the southern end of the Cedar Mesa is one of the finest camping (and car camping) sites in North America, towering some 2400' above the San Juan River Canyon (and The Goosenecks State Park) looking south directly into the northern mouth of Monument Valley. It is a breathtakingly be...

Located near the southern border of the state, Goosenecks State Park is a small slice of Grand Canyon views in Utah. The park overlooks the meanders of the San Juan River, and canyons that have eroded over the millennia. This park is great for anyone hoping to learn about geology, get far away fr...

For a small entrance fee of $5, you have the chance to photograph a beautiful canyon view without having to hike miles and days to get to it. Enjoy this rare luxury! There is a pavilion with a picnic table for dinner while you wait for the sunset, and there are also bathrooms if you need them. ...

The Cave Spring Trail within Canyonlands National Park takes visitors past some well preserved pictographs and a cowboy camp complete with many original artifacts, all located in bluff "caves" below the overhanging cliffs of a low mesa.  The path later climbs to the top via a pair of wooden ladde...

Trail Description This adventure starts at Squaw Flat Trailhead A in the Needles District of the Canyonlands. Get there early to claim a parking spot, as there are several trails in the area, and you will want to see the colors change in the rock formations as the sun rises in front of you on you...

A large part of the grandeur of Canyonlands National Park is the vast barren vista at Island in the Sky, but no visit to Canyonlands would be complete without the intimate and immersive desert experience that the Needles District offers. Drive two hours southwest of Moab away from cell phone rece...

The first draw of this adventure is the roadtrip to the trailhead itself. Set out pre-dawn from Moab, UT and head 77 miles south and west to the Needles District Visitors Centre on Utah 211. En route you'll pass Newspaper Rock, a treasured collection of pictographs well worth the detour if you're...

Important Note: Druid Arch is located on the eastern side of Canyonlands National Park in the Needles District. It is not located at the main entrance to the park. Stop by the Needles Visitor Center and pick up a map. Your starting point, Elephant Hill Trailhead is then located 6.3 miles west of ...

This world class hiking route circumnavigates Chesler Park by way of open meadows, slots, subterranean alcoves, stairways and slick rock.Begin at the Elephant Hill Trailhead and head south following signage for the Joint Trail / Chesler Park along the way. Once you arrive at Chesler Park turn lef...