Tucked near the ridge separating Millcreek and Big Cottonwood Canyons, Lake Desolation is an excellent destination with varied scenery along the way This is one of my favorites in Big Cottonwood Canyon, and generally much less crowded than Lake Blanche or some of the other very popular outings The hike climbs steeply through a forested drainage before splitting off the Dog Lake Trail Past the Dog Lake junction, the trail becomes very scenic, passing through high mountain meadows and thick aspen groves before finall...

Fantasy Canyon is a small roadside attraction of highly weathered rock formations in very strange shapes Though not a destination, this makes a great, short, roadside attraction before or after floating the White River It is only a few mile diversion from the Enron White River takeout This is also a great place for kids to play and explore Note: The Vernal area is experiencing tremendous growth in the oil industry The drive to the trailhead is dotted with an incredibly large number of oil wells and associated bligh...

One of the better, more accessible panels around, the Sego art panel is a must visit if passing through on I-70 This is one I recommend to friends and have visited many times over the years The canyon contains rock art from several peoples; Fremont, Ute and Barrier-style Barrier style are the oldest, dating back to 2000 BC, while the Ute style are the most recent, dating back to 1300-1600 AD Clearly this was an area frequently inhabited by ancient people for thousands of years The history and different panel styles...

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...

One of the most popular short attractions in the park, Weeping Rock is an impressive seep where the Navajo Sandstone layer and Kayenta layers intersect This sandstone layer intersection channels water along the top of the less porous Kayenta layer to where it seeps out of the canyon wall in an impressive hanging garden The hike is short, and suitable for most, making it an excellent family friendly attraction I've visited Weeping Rock several times over the years It is stunning year round, but during the winter it ...

Limber Pine is a coniferous tree that is symbolic of the Rocky Mountains The trees can grow tall, up to 40-50 feet, but tend to be twisted and gnarled Limber Pine was one of the major resources early settlers utilized when settling in the Rocky Mountains They used the abundant tree for cabins, fencing, mining timbers, firewood, etc I cannot imagine trying to build a cabin with such a gnarled and twisted lumber! The Limber Pine trail in Logan Canyon is a family friendly hike to visit one of these iconic old trees Th...

White Pine Lake is one of the crown jewels of Logan Canyon Starting from Tony Grove Lake, the trail winds through wildflower-filled meadows, dense forests of fir and aspen, and rolling alpine terrain before arriving at the shores of White Pine Lake At roughly 8,400 feet in elevation, the lake sits in a dramatic cirque basin surrounded by rugged cliffs The hike is about 8 miles round-trip with a steady but manageable elevation gain The length and difficulty make it a favorite for hikers of all skill levels, and it i...

Jolley Gulch is a pretty section of canyon that is just too darn short! The canyon consists of two beautiful rappels in about 300' of canyon length, then it opens up for a casual walk back to the trailhead Though the rappels are nice, the canyon is tough to recommend given its short length The canyon is generally dry or with ankle deep water at most, making it a good cooler season canyon Be sure to bring 15 m of webbing, hikers usually remove any webbing left at the first rappel since it is next to the East Rim tra...

The middle fork of Maidenwater is a great canyon to practice your natural anchor and/or down climbing skills The canyon can be downclimbed/up climbed by the highly skilled, but most will do 2 or 3 rappels This fork is much shorter and easier than the South Fork For the non-technical, parking at the road and hiking up the bottom as far as you are comfortable is a great outing to stretch your legs The section of the canyon just above the road is very good and easily accessed by the non-technical

Hidden within the sweeping sandstone canyons of the Grand Staircase–Escalante region, Fortymile Creek and Willow Gulch are a glimpse into some of southern Utah’s most beautiful—and less crowded—narrow canyons These remote tributaries of the Escalante River have towering Navajo Sandstone walls, tranquil pools, and a striking natural arch Unlike the more famous canyons in the area, Fortymile and Willow Gulch see many fewer visitors, giving a sense of solitude and discovery Whether you’re searching for Broken Bow Arch...