The Grand Gulch area, located within the Bears Ears region of Utah, holds one of the richest concentrations of ancestral sites in the American Southwest Towering canyon walls and alcoves have thousands of years of human history preserved in cliff dwellings, rock art, and pottery shards This is a place I had wanted to visit for years When I finally visited, I found it to be one of the most incredible places I've visited on the Colorado Plateau The hike described here is a brief introduction to Grand Gulch: hiking do...

The Torrey Creek Rock Art site near Dubois is part of a cultural landscape that has been used by Indigenous peoples for thousands of years The petroglyphs found here are believed to have been created by ancestors of the Shoshone people, possibly dating back as far as 1,000 to 2,000 years These images are not just random markings; they carry deep spiritual, ceremonial, and practical significance, often depicting animals, human figures, hunting scenes, and abstract or symbolic patterns This area of Wyoming was a seas...

Mount Irish is one of the rock art areas that Lincoln County and the BLM both publish information on Tucked up near the 8,743 ft high Mt Irish, the site is among boulder outcroppings and washes It is a large site If you are interested in rock art, it is easy to spend a day or even more wandering around looking for rock art in the boulders On my visit, I felt like I had just scratched the surface, yet still saw many fantastic glyphs and panels Pay attention to the road directions For a BLM promoted site, the route t...

Sorry you had a bad trip Heavy rains change conditions, and there have been some big storms this year The stream crossing is generally passable by most vehicles There were several low clearance passenger cars at the pass both times I have been there As I state many times on this site: Conditions in the outdoors can, and frequently do change Like life, danger may lurk around any corner This information is provided free of any warranty or liability Be careful, be prepared, and use good judgmentI strive to describe ro...

Conditions Note: Flash floods in 2019 have changed the canyon a bit Expect two swims, one below the second waterfall, and one below the third! Not a problem on hot days, but could be unwelcome on cool days Sulphur Creek is not an "official" Captiol Reef trail, but is an official route It is one of the more stunning hikes in the park for those interested in geology This hike has the distinction of hiking through the oldest rock in the park This hike involves qiute a bit of wading If doing it in early spring or late ...

Burch Hollow, though it has an official forest trail up it, is seldom visited when compared to the many other trails in Millcreek Canyon Burch Hollow itself is not particularly scenic or outstanding, though the views at the ridge that marks the end of the hike are quite good How do you make a 1 1/2-star hike into a 2 1/2 or 3-star hike Well, make it a loop with a bit of ridge hiking of course! I would not recommend Burch Hollow on its own, but it does make a nice loop when going up Elbow Fork, crossing the ridge, a...

Ring Arch doesn't have an official trail to it, and is less visited compared to more famous arches like Delicate Arch or Landscape Arch Accessing Ring Arch requires a bit of a hike and is a good adventure for those looking for less trodden paths within the park This is a really nice outing to get away from the crowds Though there is not an official trail, it has a very well-worn social trail, so navigation is fairly straightforward The arch is quite stunning and there is a small rock art panel that can be visited a...

Though not an official hiking trail, this is one that sees a lot of traffic and for good reason A short jaunt from the parking area lands the intrepid hiker in what feels like the deep Zion backcountry Towering walls and vibrant colors make this a charming hike that is suitable for most The colors come out, in particular, during the evening sunset when the walls pop with color and texture A highly recommended short hike if your in this are of Zion National Park

Red Pine Lake, situated just below tree line, is a very popular hike in Little Cottonwood Canyon On a summer weekend, the trailhead parking lot can fill up well before 9AM! The hike is popular for good reason It makes a good 1/2 day affair to very stunning scenery Though a bit steep in spots and about 7 miles, the hike is family friendly On our last visit, we saw everyone from toddler being carried to well I wouldn't want to guess at their age, but certainly "of advanced age" Though many groups stop at the end...

The Pfeifferhorn, or Little Matterhorn as it used to be known by, is the fifth-highest peak in the Wasatch Range and one of the more stunning and dramatic non-technical hikes in the area Charles Pfeiffer's ashes were spread on the peak in 1939, and many started referring to it as the Pfeifferhorn In 2013, it was made official and the name to be changed on maps The summit reaches a breath taking 11,362 feet This is a dramatic hike featuring almost 4000' of elevation gain, steep slopes, knife edge ridges, and big vie...