Canyonlands National Park
This stunning wilderness can be found in south-eastern Utah, near the town of Moab. Natural erosion has created an undulating landscape, with lava-coloured bluffs meeting sparsely grassed flatland. The park is divided into four geological districts. The Island in the Sky is a sandstone mesa rising 304 metres above its surrounds; it’s the easiest district to get to. The Needles, named for its towering rocket ship-shaped spires, is popular with hikers and 4WD aficionados; visitors can camp overnight. The least accessible area of Canyonland is The Maze. It’s remote, and suits self-sufficient campers, who will require a permit. The Rivers (Colorado and Green) is the last district, popular with kayakers and whitewater rafters. Permits are required for packrafting and flat and whitewater trips or you can book an adventure with a commercial guide.
Photograph: Visit The USA
Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon is home to 59 mammal species, 175 bird species, 11 reptile species and more than 60 species of butterflies. Commonly seen within this cornucopia are prairie dogs that pop up like Whac-A-Mole escapees, mule deer and whip-smart peregrine falcons. Bryce Canyon has the world’s largest collection of Hoodoos, red rock pillars that go head-to-head with trees in number, and the alpine forest delivers a steal-your-breath-away contrast between emerald-green forestry and carrot-coloured monoliths. Traipse the interconnected footpaths or, better yet, horse ride the Peek-A-Boo Loop Trail with Canyon Trail Rides to luxuriate in the depths of Bryce Canyon’s pristine pinyon forest.
Photograph: Visit The USA
Capitol Reef National Park
This underrated south-central Utah national park offers the best of desert hiking with a side of petroglyphs. It also houses the Waterpocket Fold, a warp in the Earth’s crust that formed between 50 and 70m years ago; that’s not something you see every day, now, is it? Covering more than 98,000 hectares, the park has plenty of glorious space for the Navajo sandstone from which it got the Capitol Reef name. A feature of the park is a dome-shaped Navajo sandstone formation that resembles the Capitol dome, which sits atop the US Capitol building in Washington DC, where Congress sits. Parallel impassable ridges were referred to as “reefs” by early settlers. The original inhabitants, the Fremont people, lived here as early as AD300 and etched figures into the stone. Since there are no translations available, these images depicting lore and history remain mysteries.
Photograph: Visit The USA
Dead Horse Point State Park
If sunsets and cycling are your thing, this is where you want to be. The Intrepid Trail System offers eight routes covering 27km of singletrack mountain biking bliss. Riders on the more challenging routes, such as Prickly Pair and Twisted Tree, can expect elevation changes and lots of fast-paced slick mountain rock, while those craving less adrenaline might prefer Intrepid or Raven Roll, semi-sandy and more forgiving.
Photograph: Austen Diamond Photography, courtesy of Utah Office of Tourism
Trail of the Ancients near Bluff, Utah
The Trail of the Ancients is a designated National Scenic Byway, one of 184 recognised byways that are notable for their scenic, cultural and other intrinsic qualities. The Trail of the Ancients travels through the Four Corners States of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico and Arizona. Near Bluff, Utah, you’re in the country of the Ancestral Pueblo people, known for their sophisticated homes of stone and mud tucked into cliff recesses. Bluff, a central point of the byway, fosters a vigorous arts community and welcoming hospitality.
Photograph: Matt Morgan, courtesy of Utah Office of Tourism
Goosenecks State Park
This is the scenic vista you came to Utah for, 300 metres above the serpentine (goosenecking) San Juan River. In geological parlance, it’s termed a rare entrenched meander. The stars take centre stage here, as the park offers a front-row seat to Hercules Cluster M13, the Andromeda Galaxy, and the Sagittarius Star Clouds. The park’s remoteness, desert location and altitude are all factors in its designation as an International Dark Sky Park. For campers, this is a no-frills park with few facilities, bar picnic tables and an observation shelter for refuge from the sun, but come nightfall, you’ll appreciate why that’s a positive.
Photograph: Michael Kunde Photo courtesy of Utah Office of Tourism
Springdale and Zion National Park
The fetching little town of Springdale is ground zero for red rock hiking through Zion. Its population is less than 600, and you’ll prize the laid-back goodwill among basecamp brethren. Stock up on supplies and have a drink and a feed in the shadow of Zion’s relentless panorama. Pop by the park’s visitor centre for a ranger talk and to get the scoop on hiking, wildlife, and of course, your national park stamp. If you visit between March and November, free shuttles run between Springdale and Zion Canyon, with multiple pick-up points inside and outside the park.
Photograph: Visit The USA
Coyote Gulch
Down in this steep and narrow ravine, trekkers trace the canyon that twists into red rock country and joins the Escalante River. Located inside the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, the walk is a long one at about 19km return, and perhaps best combined with an overnight backcountry camp. If you do camp, you’ll need a (free) permit from the visitors’ centre. Bring appropriate supplies and camping gear, starting with water, hiking poles, solid footwear and food, including a snack or two. As a reward, you’ll enjoy soaring natural arches, an oasis of desert wetland and a reminder of our ability to experience the natural world as it was meant to be experienced.
Photograph: Visit The USA
