If it weren't for its final obstacle, I am convinced the North Fork of Iron Wash would be deemed a Swell classic The canyon offers a short approach, short exit, and very nice narrow section The upper section, in particular, has many beautifully sculpted pools and small drops A rarity in the Swell, the canyon also tends to have crystal clear, clean water This canyon is a gem! The downside The end of the canyon has a serious obstacle to overcome, a 5 m deep keeper pothole It HAS been conquered via several pack tosses...

I think the Peekaboo Trail is a work of art The trail goes from Loop A at the campground to Peekaboo Trailhead in Salt Creek over about 54 miles one way The entire trail is excellent, but the section between Lost Canyon and Salt Creek, to my eye, is elegant, exposed, improbable, and spectacular One of the nicest sections of trail I've hiked Given the exposure, minor scrambling obstacles, and extensive cairn following, this is probably not a great choice for beginner hikers or those with a fear of heights I would re...

The South Fork of Maidenwater is a great canyon to practice your natural anchor and/or down climbing skills Although highly skilled individuals can descend the canyon with 1 or 2 rappels, many groups require 8 or more to surmount the numerous short drops The canyon can hold some pools, so be cautious if doing this one in cold weather I've shivered through one or two trips in the winter when water levels were much higher than I expected!

Wow! If you are a mountain biker or trail runner, the Wasatch Crest is a must-do! This stunning trail traverses the ridge separating Big Cottonwood Canyon from Park City, then continues above Millcreek Canyon before dropping to either the upper trailhead in Millcreek Canyon or Park City It is an excellent outing with ever-changing views A few notes: The trail is high elevation and often has at least some snow patches into the summer Summer and fall are the recommended times to visit Summer finds the trail covered i...

June 26, 20235:30 car to car, group of 2We found the start of the canyon easy, 20 minutes from the road to the rim, then just found a spot to rappel in. The first section of the canyon starts off with a super cool drop into the slot, then lots of fun off-width stemming. Not as narrow as the rest of the canyon but many more steeper drops. We found it pretty easygoing and a good warm-up for what's to come.The canyon opens up distinctly before the second section. The next section was much narrower...

Lewis Lodge is likely one of the best, if not the best Native American ruin on Cedar Mesa It certainly wins hands down for position First found in 1956 by Dick Lewis, the ruin contains a complex of 44 rooms and kivas The position certainly makes the habitat very easy to defend The ruins themselves date back the the thirteenth century, and are an amazing example of the architecture of the time WARNING: Visiting the ruins requires hiking on very exposed ledges This hike is NOT RECOMMENDED for kids, dogs, or people af...

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 are a dog owner in Salt Lake County and haven't taken your dog to Dog Lake, you’re missing out! This is one of the most popular outings for hikers with dogs along the Wasatch Front The lake, situated on the ridge between Big Cottonwood and Millcreek, is open to dogs, provided you visit from the Millcreek side If you don't have a dog or are dog-averse, you can visit from the Big Cottonwood side which is closed to dogs until near the lake On a given summer evening after work or summer/fall weekend, you may see...

Starting near the Sunglow Campground, this is a hike I would highly recommend The hike, just outside of Capitol Reef, allows dogs and offers similar scenery to the park If you're traveling in the area with a pet and looking to hike or just trying to get off the beaten path, this is a good choice The hike meanders up from the canyon bottom to big views amongst towering Wingate Sandstone walls Once on the mesa top, Boulder Mountain and Bicknell Bottoms offer a striking contrast to the desert sandstone Hikers return t...

If you are a hiker or are looking for the short version of Lisa Falls, see that trip here If you are a canyoneer with excellent route-finding skills and a hunger for bushwhacking, read on! This adventure extends the Lower Lisa Falls route by circling around to a higher section of the canyon and adds 4 rappels Though the rappels and upper canyon are quite stunning, the route-finding, loose dirt, and seemingly endless scru...