Two things really impressed me about Pahranagat National Wildlife Refuge, near Alamo, Nevada The first is that the refuge offers free camping, with small developed sites that each offer great shoreline access to Upper Pahranagat Lake I was surprised to find free developed camping less than an hour and a half from Las Vegas, and happy to be able to find a site on Thanksgiving day though the campground filled up by the end of the day The second thing I thought was really cool was how the refuge pays tribute to and in...

Tucked just south of the Utah State line, Little Black Mountain is a treasure of hundreds of petroglyphs nestled against the base of the basalt and sandstone peak The peak sits on a boundary To the north, butting up against the Utah/Arizona border is the bustling and expanding city of St George To the south is the vast mostly undeveloped desert of the Arizona Strip It is a bit striking to have a large concentration of rock art so close to a thriving and growing city BLM has created a trailhead with pit toilets, a p...

Ancient Art has to be one of the most unique summits around Easily recognized, it is often photographed This is a climb you must do if you are looking for a unique and breathtaking moderate climbing experience Though the Cutler Sandstone that makes up the route is not known for its stellar free climbing, this route has been done enough to be quite clean and solid That being said, this is a serious climb that requires trad climbing experience and judgment There have been some accidents on the route from inexperience...

Ah, Sandthrax! What do you write as an introduction to a canyon that needs no introduction Well, first off, a little about the history of the canyon Steve Allen descended it back in the day, calling it Dog Gone Then, in 2001, an ill-fated group Shane Burrows, Hank Moon, and Chris Raver tried to descend the canyon They were stopped by the climbing crux, spent the night engineering a route out the side using bolts and free climbing, and reached the rim just about the time Search and Rescue were going to reach them Th...

One of the more outlandish moderate routes around Moab, Happy Turk Hoodoo is an easy aid route up a photogenic ice cream cone shaped tower It is also known as the Golf Ball for obvious reasons This one is photogenic and fun! The route is essentially a bolt ladder, C1, though some trickery might be involved in clipping the first bolt as it is a bit high, and there is a little free climbing at the top Do this one before the tower eventually falls down in a year, 10 years, 1000 years, who knows

Ruth Lake is tough to recommend enough This is a fantastic short hike with little elevation gain, making it an excellent family hike or for almost anyone The lake is nestled in an alpine setting with cliffs that are popular with rock climbers high above the trail The alpine setting, cliffs to the south, and views of Hayden Peak to the east make for a breathtaking setting Because of the beauty, ease of access, and ease of the hike, this is also a very popular hike On a typical summer weekend, the parking lot will li...

If you are looking for a remote section of the Needles District to visit, Davis Canyon is a good choice The canyon is situated on the eastern boundary of the park, requiring a high-clearance four-wheel drive to visit On our visit, no one had signed into the register in a month, and we saw no recent signs of visitation The canyon itself is home to the Five Faces Panel, a stunning pictograph panel It also has several ruins and granaries to visit, including Log Ruin, a unique ruin that has a large structure built out ...

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...

High atop the Big Horn Mountains in northern Wyoming lies one of North America's most enigmatic and sacred indigenous sites: the Medicine Wheel This ancient structure, located at nearly 10,000 feet, consists of a central cairn connected to an outer ring by 28 radial stone spokes Measuring roughly 80 feet across, the Medicine Wheel has long fascinated archaeologists, historians, and spiritual seekers alike Though the exact age of the wheel is debated, carbon dating of nearby artifacts suggests it may be over 700 yea...

NOTE: Both Danger and Jukebox Caves are gated and locked You can visit the outside of them, and look in through the gate, but can't go inside without being on a tour The site is owned and managed by Utah State Parks as a monument, and tours are by arrangement with a third-party I can't speak highly enough for the guided tour! It was incredibly informative and by far the best way to visit and learn about the caves As of 2024, you can find information on future caves tours here: https://metcalfarchaeologycom/danger-c...