Utah

Starting at 5350' in elevation, the hike to Hickman natural bridge is one of the best hikes in Capitol Reef National Park for families with small children. The hike is just under two miles round trip and doesn't include any steep or exposed sections. You'll begin your hike next to the Fremont Ri...

The trailhead is about 18 miles from the eastern entrance of Zion National Park, located in the small town of Orderville. In Orderville, the streets aren't marked too well, so follow the road that goes past the cemetery and the school, 100 East. When the road Ts, turn left. The road ends in a san...

You start this trail at the Orson Smith Park in Draper.  It joins with the Bonneville Shoreline Trail briefly before turning off onto the cherry creek logging trail.  It switchbacks for a long ways exposed on towards the valley.  It is fairly steep in places, but doable.  I had tennis shoes with ...

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...

While the trail to the top is mediocre, the views once you get there are absolutely stunning, making for an amazing hike. The hike begins at the Red Mountain Trailhead, north of Snow Canyon State Park. This trail is very rock and sandy, without much variety in landscape along the way. During the...

Upheaval Dome is a geologic structure whose origins have remained hotly debated for years. Some scientists say it is the site of a meteorite impact while others theorize it is nothing more than a naturally occurring salt dome. No matter what the true answer is, there is no question that this shor...

Silver Lake is one of the easiest, most accessible hikes in the Wasatch, located at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah, close to the ski resorts of Brighton and Solitude.The lake is accessible all year; with a boardwalk or a well-signed path circling the lake through spring to fall. In the wi...

As a pet owner, you probably know that bringing your pooch along on your National Park adventures can be a frustrating experience. Most of our Parks do not allow pets on trails, and for several good reasons, but if you bring your dog(s) with you to Moab country, you’ll be happy to know that there...

There are a few ways to get to the top of Buckley, but the funnest (and most strenuous) way to get up to Buckley is taking the trail up Slate Canyon. Slate Canyon has a parking lot and bathroom located at the base of the trail, and the trailhead is about ten minutes from the Provo Center Street e...

Smithsonian Butte Backcountry Byway is gorgeous 9.5 mile road that runs between Rockville near the entrance to Zion National Park and Apple Valley UT, and affords excellent places to camp & boondock *as long* as it is 0.5 miles from the road itself (and there are numerous turn offs). To get ...

This state park is not heavily visited and for a makes a great day trip from Zion National Park or Kanab, UT. Expect endless beautiful pink dunes and Utah's red rocks as your backdrop. Once you park, walk out onto the boardwalk and the short Nature Trail will head out just beyond the signs explai...

This hike is a perfect day activity from boating/houseboating/camping Lake Powell. We were houseboating by Gunsight/Cookie Jar Buttes and boated across the bay to Labyrinth Bay. We jumped out when the canyon became too narrow for the ski boat and swam the slot canyon.  Wear your life jacket. I ha...

Jeep arch is located up the very scenic Culvert Canyon just outside Moab, UT. When coming into Moab from the north turn right onto UT 279/Potash Road and drive about 10.2 miles along side the Colorado river. You will come up to a pull out area on the right side of the road, near a large culvert u...

The trailhead starts at Coyote Gulch Trailhead in the Grand Staircase - Escalante National Monument. There is actually no trail to the arches but they are pretty easy to find and even easier with a GPS. The coordinates are Sunrise Arch = 37.382214,-111.04838 and Sunset Arch = 37.38191,-111.048397...

Park at the main parking lot at Brighton Ski Resort and head up the hill (under the Majestic Lift is a good place to start). Hiking is generally easy, even with snow on the ground, due to compaction of the snowpack during the daytime. However, snowshoeing and skinning with skis can be a good alte...

Silver Lake is a wonderful place to go if you're in need of a quick adventure in the woods.  Located in the the Uinta National Forest, Silver Lake is relatively easy to get to via American Fork Canyon in Utah, however I do recommend driving a car with 4WD and can handle steep dirt roads with shar...