Natural Bridges is probably my favorite National Monument in Utah It is famous for its three large natural bridges: Sipapu Bridge, Kachina Bridge, and Owachomo Bridge All three bridges are viewable from view points along the scenic drive I would strongly recommend at least making the short hikes down to visit each bridge up close Doing one or several of the out and backs to a bridge is a good, family-friendly excursion Even better, is to do a loop hike visiting 2 or all 3 bridges on the same hike and makes for an a...

A local favorite for exercise, the Serpents Trail is a trail with much history in Colorado National Monument John Otto was one of the earliest promoters of Colorado National Monument, and the monument's custodian from 1911-9127 He left is mark on many areas of the monument, including the design of the Serpents Trail His enthusiasm for the area drove him to try to improve access for visitors The Serpents Trail with its 16 switchbacks, often called “the crookedest road in the world”, was part of the main road in the ...

Tucked away in a quiet corner of Dinosaur National Monument, the Jones Hole Trail is one of the most scenic hikes I have done in the monument Beginning near the Jones Hole National Fish Hatchery, this lush canyon feels like an oasis in the rugged, high-desert landscape A crystal-clear stream runs the length of the hike, shaded by cottonwoods and flanked by sheer cliffs, creating a striking contrast of greenery against red rock and limestone cliffs This is a hike both Diane and I had wanted to do for years, and we w...

The Tortoise Trail in Snow Canyon State Park is a scenic and accessible path that offers visitors a unique opportunity to experience the park's stunning red rock landscapes while learning about the native desert tortoise population This relatively easy, well-maintained trail stretches for about 1/3 of a mile round-trip and is suitable for almost all As you walk along the trail, you'll be surrounded by towering sandstone cliffs, ancient lava flows, and diverse desert vegetation, creating a picturesque and tranquil e...

Miner's Park, nestled in the scenic Bullion Canyon just west of Marysvale, Utah, serves as a preserved gateway to the region’s frantic gold and silver rush of the late 19th century The area became a focal point of activity in the late 1860s and 1870s when prospectors discovered rich veins of precious metals in the Tushar Mountains This led to the establishment of Bullion City, which at its peak in the 1880s, boasted hundreds of residents, a post office, and several mills Activity waned, and by 1938 the last mill cl...

Yuba Lake State Park is popular with anglers, boaters, and many ATV enthusiasts visiting to ride the trails that surround the lake There are few opportunities for hiking at Yuba Lake, aside from wandering along the seashore There is a social trail above Painted Rocks that has great views of the lake At low waters, it is possible to walk out to the base of Painted Rocks and visit a pictograph panel The panel, on the south face of Painted Rocks, is quite stunning The difficult to access location of the panel has help...

Lost Park holds a special place in my heart On our first trip through with Mike and Brian, Cristina found a half dead squirrel mid-way through the last section and proceeded to carry it out, trying to warm and revive the little guy I am not sure if he made it, but last we saw of him, in the sun at the bottom of the last rappel He seemed better off than when we found him almost frozen in the bottom of the slot an hour earlier That was interesting, but even more interesting was the hike out Lagging a bit back from th...

Goosenecks State Park is one of those places that really has to be experienced I've seen some amazing pictures of the Goosenecks, but none have come close to actually standing on the rim and peering down 1000 feet to the San Juan River This is a great family friendly attraction Note: There is camping at the park, and I recommend it, though it is primitive No water is available Fire rings, picnic tables, and vault toilets are the only amenities Star gazing in this area is excellent, as there is little light pollutio...

No Thoroughfare Canyon, combined with Devil's Kitchen, was our families favorite afternoon in Colorado National Monument Lower No Thoroughfare Canyon, described here, is a lovely, easy, and scenic hike along a small stream The canyon, in a black schist and migmatitic pegmatite rock, is in striking contrast to the reds and whites seen elsewhere in the monument The water makes this reasonable on fairly warm days Most hike at least to a large pool at the bottom of a small falls Motivated hikers can continue just a bit...

Though lacking the stunning vistas and loads of activities found at most of Utah’s park and monuments, the Golden Spike National Monument is a good place to spend a half-day for history buffs, train enthusiasts, and anyone looking for a different kind of adventure The Monument is a bit of out of the way from most places, but makes a good full day outing when combined with a visit to the Spiral Jetty or the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge Bring a picnic lunch; there are no services at the Monument