Box Canyon Trail (Dinosaur National Monument, UT)

Box Canyon Trail, Dinosaur National Monument, June 2022 Two short and easy hikes take off from the parking area at the end of Cub Creek Road (Josie Morris Cabin) in the Utah portion of Dinosaur National Monument. The longer—and arguably better—is the Hog Canyon Trail. But there is a shorter alternative—Box Canyon—which wanders ¼ mile …

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Box Canyon Springs (Thousand Springs State Park, ID)

When approaching one of the many canyons of southwest Idaho, it is easy to have doubts: can such a feature even be possible amid all these flat plains? The crop fields of the Snake River Basin could pass, after all, for the vast lowlands of Kansas or Nebraska. Yet suddenly there it is: heading south …

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High Bridge Trail (Box Canyon Park, CO)

The High Bridge Trail is a more strenuous alternative to the lower Box Canyon Falls Trail, climbing 200 feet to a suspension bridge that spans Box Canyon and offers views northeast to Ouray, Colorado. On sunny summer days and weekends, it’s also likely to be jam-packed with visitors, making an early morning or late afternoon …

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Box Canyon Falls Trail (Box Canyon Park, CO)

Billed as “Ouray’s slot canyon,” Box Canyon Waterfall and Park is one of the most popular destinations in the area. Situated just outside southwest Colorado’s “Switzerland of America,” Box Canyon Falls is concealed in a dark, narrow gorge accessed only by a steel-reinforced walkway and staircase. Visit in spring, or after heavy rain, to see …

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Ouray Perimeter Trail (Uncompahgre National Forest, CO)

The Ouray Perimeter Trail, as the name suggests, forms a circuit around the picturesque town of Ouray in southwest Colorado. Far from being an easy city walk, however, this rugged track traverses high ledges, crosses deep canyons, and passes waterfalls and rocky outcrops in a half-day hike that offers vistas of Ouray from all sides. …

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Angel’s Palace Trail (Kodachrome Basin State Park, UT)

Like many places in Utah, the ragged badlands and towering spires of Kodachrome Basin State Park are best viewed and photographed in the late afternoon. At Kodachrome, the perfect spot to watch the evening sun wane over the basin (especially in winter) is along the Angel’s Palace Trail, a 1.3- to 1.5-mile hike that boasts …

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Grand Parade Trail (Kodachrome Basin State Park, UT)

Kodachrome Basin State Park’s Grand Parade Trail is a short, pleasant loop along a wide, sandy trail with minimal elevation gain—making this hike good for families with children. The distinctive geological feature of Kodachrome Basin is the park’s collection of 67 “sedimentary pipes”—mysterious stony spires thought to be most likely formed by underground water sources—and …

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