(Note: This is the first post in a series of three, highlighting four neighboring slot canyons—all within walking distance of the Dry Fork Trailhead in Utah’s Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. The other two posts feature nearby Brimstone Gulch and the Dry Fork Narrows.) In the American Southwest, slot canyons are, simply put, an addiction. So …
Month: April 2015
Silver Cascade Falls Trail (North Cheyenne Canyon Park, CO)
Less than 10 miles from the heart of Colorado Springs, it’s hard to beat the accessibility of central Colorado’s North Cheyenne Canyon Park (a.k.a. North Cheyenne Cañon Park). In fact, the 1,626-acre park is owned and managed by the city of Colorado Springs itself. The canyon cuts sharply into the evergreen-studded Front Range and boasts …
Continue reading Silver Cascade Falls Trail (North Cheyenne Canyon Park, CO)
East Canyon Trail (Castlewood Canyon State Park, CO)
The East Canyon Trail is the longest—and probably the least visited—trail in Colorado’s Castlewood Canyon State Park. The rugged path weaves east along slickrock rims from the Bridge Canyon Overlook, descends to the canyon bottom, and forms a short circuit around the East Canyon Preservation Area, which protects a variety of flora and fauna in …
Continue reading East Canyon Trail (Castlewood Canyon State Park, CO)
Dipsea Trail – Steep Ravine Trail Loop (Mount Tamalpais State Park, CA)
At 2,571 feet above sea level, California’s Mount Tamalpais (known affectionately by locals as “Mt. Tam”) offers splendid vistas of Marin Peninsula and the San Francisco Bay area, as well as Bolinas Bay and the Pacific Ocean to the west. Mount Tamalpais State Park—comprising far more than just the mountain’s three peaks—also boasts more than …
Continue reading Dipsea Trail – Steep Ravine Trail Loop (Mount Tamalpais State Park, CA)
Utah Highway 211 to Canyonlands National Park’s Needles District
Canyonlands National Park’s Needles District comprises more than a hundred square miles of spindly spires, dizzying canyons, and colossal views. It also boasts some of Utah’s best hiking and backpacking opportunities, including the Chesler Park Trail, the Big Spring – Squaw Canyon Loop, and the Confluence Overlook Trail. Yet visitors making the 1 ½-hour drive …
Continue reading Utah Highway 211 to Canyonlands National Park’s Needles District
The Castle Trail (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
Visible from just outside the Visitor Center, the cragged hunk of ochre-colored Wingate sandstone known as “the Castle” is one of Capitol Reef National Park’s iconic landmarks. The monument’s blocky façade—the only surface seen by the vast majority of visitors—disguises a far more rugged northern face, an eroded cluster of spindly fins and needles. An …
Continue reading The Castle Trail (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
Halls Creek Narrows via “airport route” (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
Hundreds of thousands flock to southwestern Utah’s Zion National Park each year to witness the famed Zion Narrows, where the majestic Virgin River has sculpted a 16-mile stretch of cavernous bends and twists seemingly unique in their beauty. Midway across the state, however, Capitol Reef National Park boasts a comparably spectacular alternative in the remote …
Continue reading Halls Creek Narrows via “airport route” (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
Confluence Overlook Trail (Canyonlands National Park, UT)
Utah’s Canyonlands National Park is sliced into three quadrants by the deep cuts of the Colorado River and the Green River: Island in the Sky, Needles, and The Maze. Yet due to the deep incisions formed by the two rivers, very few roadside overlooks, or even backcountry trails, offer a glimpse of either. An exception …
Continue reading Confluence Overlook Trail (Canyonlands National Park, UT)
Big Spring Canyon – Squaw Canyon Loop Trail (Canyonlands National Park, UT)
One of the principal advantages of hiking in Canyonlands National Park’s Needles District is the abundance of loop hikes. At 7.2 miles, the moderately strenuous Big Spring Canyon to Squaw Canyon loop is one of the shortest. While arguably not the most scintillating hike in the Needles (that distinction belongs to the jaw-dropping Chesler Park …
Continue reading Big Spring Canyon – Squaw Canyon Loop Trail (Canyonlands National Park, UT)
Sulphur Creek (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
The 5.5-mile ramble down Sulphur Creek Canyon in Capitol Reef National Park has been held dear by residents of Utah’s Wayne County for decades. Rising visitation to Capitol Reef—as well as the advent of the Internet—has led to a wider audience, and the popularity of this wet and beautiful hike has risen dramatically in recent …
Continue reading Sulphur Creek (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
Live and Let Hike 