Smiling Cricket Canyon, also known as Poe Canyon and even L Canyon, was first descended by Mike Bogart and Jenny Hall in 1981 and called Poe Their bold descent went unrepeated and more or less unknown for almost 30 years In 2007, Jason Pease wandered the area looking for canyons and re-found Poe, naming it Smiling Cricket He descended it in the summer of 2008 with Mark Fleck Of the three canyons in the area Happy Dog, Laughing Baboon, and Smiling Cricket, Jason and Mark ended up in the biggest of the three He and M...

Mirror Lake, the namesake of the Mirror Lake Highway, is arguably one of the most popular and visited lakes in the Uinta Mountains The lake has both day use areas as well as 94 campsites reservable on recreationgov The popularity of the area is for a good reason, and I wouldn't let crowds deter you from stopping by The lake is located at just over 10,000 ft in elevation and has a glassy surface that reflects Bald Mountain and the other surrounding peaks in its clear waters On any given summer weekend, the shore wil...

Coyote Gulch is one of, if not thee, premier canyon in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument The canyon, emblematic of the beauty of the Escalante region, is often near the top of desert hikers and backpackers bucket lists This is a canyon that has astounding beauty and charm, with seemingly each bend of the canyon revealing a scene to marvel at Arches, waterfalls, cavernous alcoves, rock art, and a plethora of color make this an amazing journey Because of its iconic status, the canyon sees many visitors and ...

Near the Colorado-Utah border on I-70 in Rabbit Valley lies The Trail Through Time The 15-mile trail is a stone's throw from I-70, but transports visitors back to the time when dinosaurs roamed the area The trail is part of the active Mygatt-Moore dinosaur quarry that has been designated an Area of Critical Environmental Concern As the trail winds its way along the benches, it visits several sites where dinosaur fossils can be seen in the rock This is like most dinosaur exhibits in the wild I have visited in that t...

Willis is a MUCH closer drive wise, though not as scenic Zebra will be full of water I'd do Willis and maybe checkout Bull Valley since it is right down the road from Willis Alternatively, if you haven't done Kanarra Creek http://wwwroadtripryancom/go/t/utah/zion/kanarra-creek , it might be better as it is closer and in my opinion prettier than Willis or Zebra with more bang for your time Willis and Zebra are both pretty, but short

FloatersIt is difficult to determine the river level in the Chute You need to use the USGS website to see current conditions, but be advised that the gauge on the Muddy Creek is above several irrigation canals The most accurate reading can be found by viewing the Dirty Devil River gage near Hanksville, but this is a reading of both the Muddy and the Fremont rivers So if you get the Dirty Devil reading and subtract the Fremont from itvuala, you've got a pretty accurate idea of the Chute enjoy!http://utwaterusgsgov...

A flat water river adventure that has it all The float enjoys an impressively deep canyon, multiple hot springs along the way to soak the weary body in, plenty of side canyons to explore, and even an old gauging station from the 1920's There has to be a catch, right Sort of The Black Canyon of the Colorado is a fantastic flat water float, and is frequently done either in a single day, or even better, as a multi-day canoe or sea kayak trip So what's the catch To float from the top down requires putting in right belo...

Kanarra Creek has blossomed in recent years as a family friendly narrows hike, and with good reason The hike is short, easy, and has several stunning sections and waterfalls Though the hike can be done year around, there is much wading In winter and spring when the weather is cold and flows higher in the spring, neoprene socks would be required to keep feet from freezing In the heat of the summer, this provides a welcome respite from the heat A must do if your traveling by on Interstate 15 near the sleepy town of K...

Is Craner Peak the most dangerous mountain in Utah to hike!!! A bit sensational, but from my experience, quite possibly At a mere 2019 m, this is an easy peak to bag and probably of interest to most people only because it is close to the Wasatch Front, and #82 on Utah's list of 100 peaks by prominence The hike is unremarkable, and the summit a bit humdrum, though the views along the way of the Great Salt Lake and West Desert are pretty So what makes this one so dangerous Diane, Lucy and I hiked it one winter day, i...

Dog days of summer got you down Looking for a mellow way to beat the heat Tubing the Provo River is the perfect solution to a summertime heat wave The float is mellow and quite suitable for most A few minor riffles and one old railroad bridge are the only difficulties along the way, and most people walk around the railroad bridge The Provo is a much tamer float than the popular tube section of the Weber River and a good one to start with Expect a casual float of about 2 hours from the put-in to Vivian Park The wate...