Upper Spring Canyon (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)

Spring Canyon—a winding gorge that cuts roughly east-west through Capitol Reef National Park—is traditionally segmented into two parts: a lengthy upper section beginning outside the park’s western boundary and a shorter, narrower lower portion that spits out at the Fremont River. Visitors with limited time should prioritize Lower Spring Canyon, which boasts some of the …

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Durfey Canyon / Boy Scouts Trail (Fishlake National Forest, UT)

There is so little information on the web about this scenic yet obscure hike outside Bicknell, Utah that even its name is in doubt. According to National Geographic’s 1995 “Trails Illustrated” map of the area, it is called the “Durfey Canyon Trail,” though it is unclear whether a “Durfey Canyon” even exists. Meanwhile, one website …

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Cooks Mesa and Meeks Mesa (Fishlake National Forest, UT)

There is perhaps no better word to describe the hike to the top of Meeks Mesa than epic. Though the 2.2-mile trail lies just outside the western boundary of Capitol Reef National Park (it is on Fishlake National Forest land), it is arguably equally as, if not more, scenic—and the strenuous climb of more than …

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