Tucked away in the high plains of central Wyoming, Legend Rock is one of the state's most remarkable archaeological sites Located northwest of Thermopolis, the site stretches along a sandstone cliff face adorned with hundreds of ancient petroglyphs These intricate carvings - some towering several feet in height - offer a window into the lives, beliefs, and artistic expressions of Native peoples who lived in the region long before written history Legend Rock is particularly well-known for its association with the Di...

Lower Harris Wash used to be quite popular The lower section of the canyon has an idyllic small stream meandering down to the Escalante river, cutting deep overhangs along the way The overhangs are reminiscent of the very popular Coyote Gulch, but maybe not quite as dramatic The canyon used to be one that ranchers ran cows in until the early 1990s when grazing was stopped Today, then canyon doesn't seem very popular It is quite overgrown and the easiest path is generally to hike in the stream bed proper A use trail...

Standing as one of the most iconic peaks in the Wasatch Range, Mount Timpanogos 11,752 ft is a rite-of-passage summit for Utah hikers The Timpooneke Trail, described here, is often considered the slightly friendlier approach Timpooneke was the first route I did to the summit years ago I thought it was beautiful, but when I did the Aspen Grove route years later, I thought it was much prettier After getting on the Timpooneke route again, I, personally, prefer the views of the Aspen Grove route more, but the gentlenes...

If your a peak bagger in Utah, you are likely well aware of Kings Peak At 13,528, is the highest peak in Utah, the highest peak in the Uinta Mountains, and the highest point in Duchesne County This is a stunning peak that requires a fair bit of effort to reach the summit of Though it can be done in a day, the 25-30 mile round trip is more than most people want to bite off, and is generally done as a 2-3 day backpack Because it is the Utah highpoint, it is also very heavily used There are often large groups at Dolla...

Donut Falls is an excellent and popular hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon This is a good one regardless of the season In the winter, it makes a great snowshoe and, in the summer, a hike On any given summer day, I would wager this makes the list of top 10 busiest hikes in the Wasatch In the winter, the hike is 35 miles from the locked gate on the highway In the summer, this hike can be as short as 14 miles round trip IF you can get a parking spot at the trailhead Unless you are very early, I would generally recommend wa...

The aptly named Hidden Falls, though close to the hustle and bustle of the Big Cottonwood Canyon road and Lake Blanche trailhead, feels off the beaten path and infrequently visited The hike to the falls is short, making it more of a roadside attraction than an actual hike In my opinion, this is an often overlooked or unknown gem The cool mist from the falls makes this the perfect family destination on a hot summer day The short distance is rocky enough that small children will likely enjoy the challenge

St George was founded in 1861 by the Mormon church, under the direction of Erastus Snow The settlement, initially, was meant to produce cotton As the early pioneers settled the area, they left their marks on the country both in the naming of places, as well as literal marks Snow Canyon is named after Erastus Snow This short trail visits an overhang near the main park road that has several pioneer names painted on the rock with axle grease from the late 1800s and early 1900s Though a short hike, I enjoyed the histor...

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...

The Stansbury Mountains seem often overlooked when compared to the much more heavily travelled mountains along the Wasatch Front Though not as dramatic, large, or expansive, the Stansbury Mountains hold a lot of charm in my opinion and, importantly to me, are a great place to find some solitude and space without crowds This hike visits the South and North Willow Lakes Many hikers do Deseret Peak, the Tooele County high point, as their first hike in the range and often don't return to the range to explore further Wi...

If you have ever driven this far out on the Hole-In-The-Rock Road, you have likely noticed Cave Point Like Sooner Rocks and Fiftymile Spring, Cave Point is an exposed area of Entrada Sandstone Entrada Sandstone is the layer that features prominently in Arches National Park Its soft structure weathers into rounded domes, potholes, arches, and deep overhangs Cave Point has obvious deep overhangs visible from the road, an...