Another one of the gems of Grand Gulch, Sheiks is often visited as a loop hike with Bullet Canyon The loop is long, however, and those wishing for a shorter day hike may consider just visiting Sheiks as an out and back hike that makes for a reasonable 8 or so mile day Those looking for an even shorter outing may just want to visit Yellow House Ruin Yellow House Ruin is more or less a roadside attraction and takes 30-60 minutes roundtrip Near the junction of Sheiks and...

The Cistern and Ramp Canyons loop is one of the San Rafael Swell classics The route visits two very different canyons Cistern Canyon is easy walking and fairly wide while Ramp contains several obstacles, and some amazingly well-sculpted canyon floors and solutions pocketed walls The hike along the reef connecting the two is the icing on the cake, giving great views of this unique landscape Ascending Ramp Canyon comes with a price The crux obstacle requires unprotected lower 5th class climbing Although not hard 52 -...

Arch Canyon Ruin is a family friendly roadside attraction Most vehicles can drive within 100 feet of the ruin, others may need to walk the last 1/4 mile The ruin itself is somewhat vandalized, but still an interesting visit The views in all directions for the ruin are magnificent This is a good stop if in the area, or passing through On my first visit, I stopped at the first ruins Good, but not great After, I had several people e-mail me that better ruins were to be seen, just up the canyon Alas, I finally got back...

South Indian Canyon offers one of the best pictograph panels I know of in southwestern Utah This short hike offers stunning views into two forks of South Indian Canyon and a large panel set in a stunning alcove overlooking the canyon This is a hike most will be capable of doing, though there are a couple of rugged spots requiring high steps and a touch of scrambling Don't believe the sign at the trailhead, the TOTAL distance is only about 08 miles, 04 miles each way Sounds great, right It is, though the access road...

Valley of Faces is the name locals have given to a small canyon just south of the White River Narrows The canyon cuts through a layer of volcanic rock, likely basalt The walls of the canyon are made of up of a mix of vertical pillars and pocketed walls that look like, well, faces! This is an outing that can be visited in a couple of ways The road through the canyon is a graded dirt road suitable for most 2wd drive vehicles On our trip, it surprised me at how good the road was It was easily passable by most vehicles...

A continuation of the Lamoille Lake hike, Liberty Lake offers a bit of a gateway to the heart of the Ruby Mountains A day hike is worth doing, but if you have time, I would highly recommend staying a night or two at Liberty Lake and using it as a springboard to Favre Lake, Wines Peak, and Furlong Lake as day hikes from a base camp at Liberty Lake Note: Liberty Lake itself offers only a few primitive campsites and is relatively confined You may need to continue on to Favre Lake during busy times to find better campi...

The La Verkin Creek trail offers a stunning, and long day hike to the Kolob Arch viewpoint Until the early 21st century, Kolob Arch was believed to be the worlds largest free standing arch At 2874 feet, the arch is now considered the second longest spanning arch in the world, behind Landscape Arch in Arches National Park Reaching the viewpoint is a long hike, about 14 miles and 1000' of gain, and not a day hike to take lightly Much of the hike will be in full sun, bring at least 3 quarts and start early in hot time...

No matter how much time I spend in the San Rafael Swell, I always feel like there is so much more to see! This is the case with Joe Hole I was passing through the Swell and searching for a place to wander I hadn't wandered before Joe Hole, with its easy access right off the Green River Cutoff road, fit the bill nicely I hadn't heard anything about this obscure and, at least as far as the map went, not very interesting looking canyon but decided to check it out anyway It turns out Joe Hole is a gem of a hike A short...

Navajo Knobs is one of my favorite hikes in Capitol Reef If you are a hiker, see the Rim Overlook and Navajo Knobs Trail for more information on the hike The route described here is my attempt at turning the out-and-back Navajo Knobs hike into a loop and is a technical route requiring one rappel If you have ever done the Navajo Knobs hike, you may have stared down from the end of the trail at the colorful canyon below and wondered about it This route hikes the usual N...

Medieval Chamber is a short route just outside of Moab Although not very long, it is renowned for its last rappel, which can be done as a simul rap off an arch The last rappel, Morning Glory Arch, is very popular with tourists, so expect a crowd awaiting your dramatic entrance from above There are several possible exits: the full route down Grandstaff Canyon, a loop UP Grandstaff Canyon, or a spicy and fun climbers only exit If you have two cars, down Grandstaff is my recommendation as it is scenic and a really nic...