Looking for a casual family float trip Ruby / Horsethief provides a very mellow 25-mile float with one rapid, generally considered class II This is a good trip for beginners or families Aside from the one rapid, and short section of turbulent water, the other 24 miles is very easy and relaxing The scenery is second to none, with ample opportunity for side hikes The flow should be BELOW 30,000 CFS for rafts For those in a canoe, less than 20,000 CFS if experienced, less than 10,000 CFS if inexperienced For family tr...

The Gulch, not to be confused with Grand Gulch on Cedar Mesa, is one of the area jewels It is officially designated a National Outstanding Natural Area, and easy to see why The Gulch itself is long, running both north of the Burr Trail, and south from the trailhead about 12 miles to the Escalante River The length makes it good choice for a backpack, though those wishing a shorter trip can easily day hike part way down and back The area has abundant evidence of Native American habitation, as well as relics from the ...

Arch Canyon has to be one of the best beginner friendly canyoneering adventures in the Saint George area Good anchors, relatively short, with some impressive rappels and nice though short narrow sections, this is a good one I highly recommend The rappels start small and get bigger, culminating in a 60 m rappel near Johnson Arch Expect to have an audience for the final rappel on any busy weekend! The canyon is in the Snow Canyon State Park, and requires a permit To protect nesting birds, it is closed from March 15th...

If you have drive between Price and I-70 on highway 6, you have likely noticed Mount Elliot The peak is a high point on Book Cliffs near the ghost town of Woodside The summit is particularly stunning at sunset Though tantalizingly close to the highway, reaching the peak is a bit of an adventure A Bit of History: If you look at maps, a dirt road snakes its way up from the highway to within 1/2 mile or so of the summit of Mount Elliot From near the summit, the road then snakes around a couple of canyons and heads eas...

A stone's throw from Salt Lake City, City Creek canyon feels a world away The pioneers, when they settled Salt Lake, used water from City Creek to irrigate their fields, and help develop the budding city The canyon is still used as part of the city’s water supply today, with a water treatment plant situated several miles up the canyon Historical fun fact, the upper reaches of the canyon have both a mining history, and a bootlegging history City Creek Canyon is one of my favorite quick outings in the city The gentle...

The Fielding Garr Ranch was settled in 1848, a mere year after the Mormon pioneers first came to the Wasatch Front The ranch, on the southeastern side of Antelope Island, is one of the oldest ranches in the Western United States and is at Garr Springs, one of the largest springs on Antelope Island Fielding Garr, for whom the ranch is named, was the man that started it He was a widower with nine children that was instructed to start the ranch by the LDS church The ranch became part of the newly designated Antelope I...

McDonald Creek, part of the McInnis Canyon National Conservation Area, is a lovely hike that meanders down to the Colorado River This is a fairly diverse hike, starting up in the open flats and slowly working down through sandstone layers before reaching the Colorado River in the picturesque Ruby Canyon En route, a very short slot and a couple of rock art sites, adding cherries to the top of an already great hike Note: The area around McDonald Creek has grown immensely in popularity in the last few years, leading t...

The Box in Escalante is the name of the canyon Pine Creek descends through on its way to join the Escalante River and, in my opinion, one of the best short backpacks in the area Unlike many Escalante hikes, this one descends from high forest to the desert that Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument is famous for The hike follows Pine Creek for its length, making it suitable in warmer temps when the drier regions of Escalante would be too hot to hike The 10-ish mile through hike is very do-able in a day 5-7 hou...

The Bonanza Flat Loop Trial Trail has a few things going against it The trail is only open three months of the year, parking can be a nightmare, and as a hiker you have to contend with a constant stream of mountain bikers So what makes this trail so popular The answer was clear when I went in late September—the amazing fall colors! If you are patient and want to see some stunning aspen in all their yellow and orange, this is a hike worth doing Logistics There is limited parking at Bonanza Flat and it isn’t uncommon...

In the southeastern corner of the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park lies Horse Canyon, a remote and rugged corridor where the deep-red sandstone of the high desert meets the traces of ancient civilizations This is a place a friend recommended to me years ago When I finally visited, I found it strikingly beautiful The geology and colors are stunning, but add in the rock art and ruins, and it is a remarkably special place Unlike the more accessible paved overlooks of the park, Horse Canyon is a backcountr...