I was surprised to find that Great Basin National Park has pictographs Given the nearby Baker Archaeological Site, I guess this shouldn't have been surprising The sites, known as Upper and Lower Pictograph Caves, are small quite stunning The rock art is at the entrance to deep overhangs/caves You can visit and view the rock art from a distance but are NOT allowed to go in the overhangs or get close to the panels The panels are a gallery of red-pigment pictographs, anthropomorphic figures, native wildlife, and intri...

MMI is a classic Arches National Park canyon It has a bit more meat than some of the other, shorter canyons in the park and packs a lot of beauty in a little package Several rappels, combined with huge alcoves and a few arches make this a must do in the Moab area The route offers two options The first, a shorter route, that does not require a car shuttle but does require some exposed lower 5th class slab climbing The second, a slightly longer option with no climbing that does need a car shuttle Either way you do it...

Not Tierdrop, so named because it is the neighbor of Tierdrop, is a mellow canyon in Arches The canyon provides a big rappel, a couple of shorter rappels, interesting anchors, and phenomenal views Not Tierdrop is a great casual canyoneering afternoon if you're in the Moab area Unfortunately due to some bolts being removed a few years ago, this canyon is a little harder to do than before Not recommended for absolute beginners

Tierdrop is a mellow canyon in Arches Although not really a slot, the canyon provides amazing views, and an opportunity for big rappels, interesting anchors, and phenomenal views Tierdrop Canyon is a great casual canyoneering afternoon if you are in the Moab area One big caution, the canyon requires expert natural anchor skills Tierdrop drops steeply down an Entrada Sandstone bowl, with few possibilities for anchors

Tucked beneath the massive 2,000-foot north face of Wheeler Peak, the Glacier Trail visits one of the most dramatic alpine cirques in the Great Basin This was, by far, my favorite hike in the park The scenery is excellent from the start, but once in the valley heading up to the glacier, it is incredible! The route is a bit under 5 miles round-trip We started relatively early on our visit and had the trail mostly to ourselves until the hike out Though rocky and at high elevation, our 9-year-old loved it, and we saw ...

If you are looking for maximum high-country scenery with a moderate effort, the Alpine Lakes Trail is difficult to beat With only about 450 feet of elevation gain, it's one of the best family-friendly options for experiencing the park’s high-altitude backcountry without requiring too much effort We visited this loop on our return from the Glacier Trail If you are doing the Glacier Trail as well, it is easy to combine both The two lakes, are tucked below the cliffs of Wheeler Peak and picturesque It is a beautiful t...

Connecting the Wheeler Peak Campground to the Upper Lehman Creek Campground, the Lehman Creek Trail has a little over 2,000 feet of elevation change between the two trailheads The trail passes through dramatically changing ecosystems - moving from pinyon-juniper woodlands and lush riparian creek bottoms filled with water birch into dense stands of quaking aspens, Douglas firs, and subalpine pines Shuttle Recommended: As an out-and-back hike, I wouldn't recommend this trail If you can have someone drop you off at th...

Mossy Cave and the waterfall near the cave makes an excellent roadside attraction on the east side of Bryce Canyon National Park It is popular A short hike leads to a photographer's paradise The ease and length of this outing make it a good family friendly stop to stretch legs while passing near Bryce History from the NPS Sign: "Bringing Water to the Desert By 1874 members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints had begun to settle in the Paria Valley east of Bryce Canyon Arid conditions gave rise to a p...

Located right at the end of the paved Wheeler Peak Scenic Drive around 10,000 feet in elevation, the Sky Island Forest Trail is one of the most accessible and peaceful ways to experience the high alpine country This 04-mile loop weaves through a dense subalpine forest of limber pine, white fir, and quaking aspens Because it uses a combination of smooth, heavy-duty rubber matting and raised wooden boardwalks over trickling streams, the trail is fully ADA-accessible with virtually zero elevation gain—making it ideal ...

The Pickle is one of the easiest, if not the easiest, desert tower summit to reach near Arches It provides a commanding view of the Arches entrance and is a great adventure Although not recommended for the lacklustre bolt ladder, or few slab moves at the top, the view and unique summit make this a very worthwhile The summit should be reachable for most climbers that have a little aid climbing experience Note: The route is closed: April 1-Aug 31 for raptor nesting