Stair Canyon is an isolated place in an already sparsely-visited area. The area known collectively as North Wash—between Hanksville, UT and the upper reaches of Lake Powell—is often frequented by the canyoneering types with their ropes and belays and fancy footwork, but there is very little advertised in the way of non-technical day hikes. This …
Tag: canyon
Natural Bridges Loop Trail, including Mesa Trail (Natural Bridges National Monument, UT)
The principal wonder of Natural Bridges National Monument in southeast Utah is this: nowhere else in North America—perhaps the world—can you see three of Earth’s largest natural bridges in one day’s hike. Yes, that’s natural bridges, not arches, mind you—the former are carved by continuously-flowing streams, while the latter rely on the erosional forces of …
Point 6,230′ (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
Visible from Highway 24, the monolith known only as Point 6,230’ is an impressive hunk of deep red Moenkopi rock rising above a snaking maze of crumbly canyons in western Capitol Reef National Park. Though not the highest of the rocky promontories in the area, the trek to the point can make for a nice …
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Golden Throne Trail and Golden Throne Canyon (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
The purpose of the Golden Throne Trail is to provide fine views of the trail’s namesake, a 7,042-foot sandstone dome that shines a deep yellow in the sun. However, visitors hoping to summit Golden Throne—or even to touch it—are likely to be disappointed: the 2-mile trek ends abruptly at a rock outcropping a good distance …
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Lower Calf Creek Falls Trail (Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, UT)
The half-day out-and-back to Lower Calf Creek Falls is the most popular hike in the Escalante Canyons area, and with good reason. Not only does the colorful and beautifully-framed 126-foot chute make for a blissful destination, but the journey itself is an experience: the trail meanders through a fantastic stretch of canyon, complete with varying …
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Upper Calf Creek Falls Trail (Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, UT)
Less frequented than its national park neighbors (e.g., Bryce Canyon, Zion, Capitol Reef), Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument (GSENM)—managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM)—is an enormous, 1.9-million-acre maze of cliffs, sinuous slots, and sandstone canyons in the heart of southern Utah. The park’s most popular spot in the Escalante Canyons area is undoubtedly Lower …
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Fremont Gorge Overlook Trail (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
It’s hard to choose a favorite among the multitude of fantastic hikes in Capitol Reef National Park, especially as there are a handful of front-country and backcountry trails I have yet to explore. Yet the subjective leader to date may be the stunning Fremont Gorge Overlook Trail, an underrated and oft-forgotten 4.6-mile out-and-back beginning just …
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Grand Wash Trail (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
Connecting Highway 24 and the Fremont River with the Scenic Drive, Grand Wash is one of only six drainages cutting east-west through the 100-mile Waterpocket Fold. It also happens to be one of the flattest and easiest hikes in Capitol Reef National Park. The scenic walk, a great option for children or those looking for …
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Bitter Spring Creek (Capitol Reef National Park, UT)
The route into Bitter Spring Creek Canyon is one of those if-you-have-done-everything-else hikes, buried in an isolated corner of Capitol Reef National Park. Yet the geology-minded will be rewarded with up-close views of the eroding layers of Mancos shale, while biologists will discover small groves of cottonwoods and perhaps a few canyon-dwelling creatures. In the …
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Castlewood Canyon East-to-West Hike (Castlewood Canyon State Park, CO)
It’s hard to say which part of central Colorado’s Castlewood Canyon State Park is better: the steep and narrow upper, eastern gorge – or the broader, deeper expanses of the western section. Why not try both? Hikers hoping to explore the canyon from end-to-end can embark on a roughly 6-mile, 3-hour figure-8 that combines five …
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Live and Let Hike 