Devil's Canyon, though a stone's throw from Interstate 70, is one of the San Rafael Swells often overlooked gems I had ventured into the canyon early into my first wanderings in the Swell On that hot summer day, I only made it a couple of miles before the heat deterred me and I retreated The beauty of the canyon was something I had always wanted to re-visit, but kept putting off It was good to get back and finally spent some time there in 2024 This is a long, deep, and dramatic canyon with many side canyons to expl...

Close to Salt Lake City, with a short approach, makes Lisa Falls a great place to visit The hike is very popular with families, and a great place to hang out on a hot day The short hike should be accessible to most There are some excellent moderate climbs near the falls, as well as large boulders to hang out on and enjoy the view For the technically inclined, rappelling the waterfall on a hot day is guaranteed to cool you off and a lot of fun! Update Summer 2013 A big flood/rock slide hit the area in early July It ...

Established in 1965, Seedskadee Wildlife Refuge is an oasis in the otherwise bleak, high desert of Wyoming The 26,400 acre refuge provides a welcome break in the limitless sagebrush plains Visited as early as the 1300's by Native Americans, over 200 species of birds have been spotted here, not to mention many types of mammals and other wildlife that call the area home The area was used, more recently, by travelers moving west in the mid-1800's Some of the old wagon ruts are still visible in the area On even a short...

You don't hike Bluebell Knoll for the sheer challenge and exhilaration of summiting a lofty peak As its name implies, it is a knoll, not a peak and is barely higher than the surrounding landscape Bluebell Knoll is one of the easiest of the county high points in Utah The area around Bluebell Knoll, the Aquarius Plateau, however, is incredibly scenic It is also the highpoint for Wayne County, which is likely the reason most people visit Rising 6000' above the surrounding desert, the Aquarius Plateau is a stunningly h...

If you have driven the interstate east of Wendover on a sunny day, it is easy to see where the Floating Island gets its name The small mountain sits in the vast flats of the Great Salt Lake desert The flats, radiating sunlight, create a mirage of water around the mountain making it look very much like an island in the desert This solitary mountain has historical significance The Hastings Trail used by pioneers and prospectors heading to California between 1846 and 1850, passes on the north side of the Floating Isla...

What to say about Cobb Peak Lovely views for sure, but my least favorite of the half dozen or so peaks I have done in the Silver Island Mountains At a bit over 3 miles round trip with 2,200 feet of elevation gain to reach the summit, I expected this to be a very steep hike It is, but it is also very loose and requires a fair bit of route finding I generally pay close attention on my way up peaks and don't have a problem coming down, but somehow still managed to get cliffed out a couple of times on the return down t...

An outdoor dinosaur museum near Moab Yup, though don't expect large bones or tracks The Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trail is a valley north west of Moab that is home to a large number of dinosaur fossils The fossils date back 150 million years when the climate was tropical and supported the large animals The remains of the pre-historic animals were fossilized in the Morrison Formation rock layer, which has become exposed over time This is a short roadside attraction that fossil lovers and children will likely enjoy The fo...

Ever notice the striking pyramid looking peak to the south from Moab The one that looks like the highpoint of the La Sals Turns out that is NOT the highpoint, that is Mt Tukuhnikivatz Mt Peale, the highpoint of the range and of San Juan county is behind Tukuhnikivatz, and a mere 250' higher From most vantage points, Tukuhnikivatz looks taller, and to be fair, is likely the more striking of the two peaks Visiting the La Sal mountains is in contrast to the desert county near Moab On even the hottest days in Moab, the...

Between Peale and Waas, the two county high points in the La Sal mountains, Waas is by far my favorite Good camping at the trailhead, an old mining road that meanders up the majority of the hike to over 12,000', and stunning views make this a winner The biggest downside to the hike is the approach road that is slow going and a bit difficult Miners Basin, where the trailhead is located, has an interesting history In 1888, copper was discovered in the basin, and in 1898 a mining town was setup A relatively small numb...

Mount Superior, near Alta, offers a good intermediate or advanced hike to a lofty summit If you’re a climber, I would strongly recommend taking the south ridge up, which follows this route down For non-climbers, this is the easiest way to the summit The trail starts off easy enough on an old mining road, but once it leaves Cardiff Pass, it has many steep, loose, and exposed sections Nothing hard or too dangerous, but best done by those with a bit of experience under t...