Flaming Gorge wasn’t part of our original travel plans. Then again, by this point in our trip, very little was. After abandoning our three-week Idaho road trip because of snow and cold weather, Gail and I had adopted a new travel strategy: go wherever the snow isn’t. That strategy had already taken us through Wyoming…
When we pulled into the Kyhv Peak Trailhead just before 8:00 on a cool May morning, we weren’t sure what kind of day we were going to get. The temperature hovered in the low 40s, and a blanket of gray clouds covered the sky. Looking up toward the summit, I wondered if we’d spend the…
We don’t normally begin a hike at four o’clock in the afternoon. But this wasn’t a normal day. Just twelve hours earlier, we had pulled into Big Cottonwood Canyon around 3:00 a.m. and waited for Spruces Campground to open. By seven o’clock, we were choosing a campsite, setting up Alice, and settling into what would…
Quick Answer Desolation Lake is an 8.3-mile round-trip hike in Big Cottonwood Canyon that climbs nearly 2,000 feet to a scenic alpine lake sitting just below 9,500 feet. The trail is mostly forested with occasional mountain views along the way. In late spring, hikers may still find snow around the shoreline. Although the hike is…
We almost skipped Antelope Island State Park. As we made our way through northern Utah, we needed a place to spend the night and noticed the campground sitting out in the Great Salt Lake. Since we had never seen the lake before, the idea of camping beside the water with mountain views in every direction…
We weren’t originally planning to spend several days hiking around Logan Canyon, but after our Wind Cave hike earlier in the day, the dramatic cliffs across the canyon kept pulling at us. Locals call this section the Great Wall, and the Crimson Trail loop follows the top of those cliffs. The trail turned out to…
After spending a short time at Bear Lake, we headed into Logan Canyon to explore one of the area’s most popular hikes. Wind Cave Trail had been on our radar because it offered something a little different than the typical mountain viewpoint. Instead of hiking to a lake or summit, this trail leads to a…
Few slot canyon hikes in Utah are as instantly recognizable as Zebra Slot Canyon. Located in the Grand Staircase-Escalante region near Escalante, this short desert hike is known for its striped sandstone walls, narrow squeezes, and one of the most photogenic slot canyon corridors in the Southwest. If you’re wondering where Zebra Slot Canyon is,…
Buckskin Gulch wasn’t even on our original Utah plans. A local mentioned it to us while we were on the road, and that simple recommendation led to one of the most unforgettable hikes of the entire trip. From the moment we stepped into the narrow canyon walls, we knew this was going to be something…
Delicate Arch is the most iconic landmark in Arches National Park, and for good reason. Standing alone against the Utah sky, this freestanding sandstone arch has become a symbol of the American Southwest. For most, it’s a bucket-list destination for hikers from around the world. Seeing it in photos is one thing; hiking the trail…
Lower Calf Creek Falls is one of those rare desert hikes that delivers from start to finish. A flowing creek, towering canyon walls, and a dramatic 126-foot waterfall are tucked deep inside Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument. The 6-mile round-trip hike is mostly flat and approachable, though the wide-open canyon and limited shade make it best…
Few hikes in Utah deliver as much pure fun as the Peekaboo and Spooky Slot Canyon loop in Grand Staircase–Escalante. These two sandstone slots twist, squeeze, curve, and climb through some of the most playful terrain in the desert. If you’re looking for an adventure that mixes challenge with unforgettable beauty, this is one of…
When we rolled into Escalante on our fall road trip, we were looking for a campground that was central to all the hikes and scenic backroads we planned to explore. Escalante Petrified Forest State Park turned out to be the perfect choice — quiet, beautiful, and close to everything on our list. Because we visited…
