Canyoneering in Zion National Park is some of the most fun a person can have in Utah. But to explore these narrow slots you need to gain a few skills like rappelling, get special gear like dry suits, and practice canyoneering in smaller slots, like in Keyhole Canyon. Keyhole Canyon is a fun romp through…
Tag: Southern Utah
Backpacking Coyote Gulch
If you want life list hikes, Utah has them in spades. High on the list for me and a few friends had been Coyote Gulch in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. This riparian canyon boasts a natural bridge, huge alcoves, numerous arches and a stream that flows year round. Well, after many years of dreaming…
Boards, bikes and beer in the Henry Mountains
Spring in Southern Utah is the best time of year for outdoor adventure. Sure, winter is better for skiing, fall is arguably best for mountain biking and climbing, but spring is the only time you can do it all at once. We had one such trip of variety when we went backcountry skiing, mountain biking,…
Hiking Lower Calf Creek Falls
Hiking Lower Calf Creek Falls is almost a right of passage in Utah. Anyone can do it, so if you haven’t been to the falls or have skipped it on past trips to the Escalante area, now’s the time! A short but tough hike through an amazing riparian canyon leads to an impressive year-round waterfall….
Explore Peek-A-Boo, Spooky, and Brimstone Gulch Slot Canyons
When it comes to great canyoneering, we sure are spoiled here in Utah. The Colorado Plateau holds virtually a lifetime of canyons waiting to be explored, and slot canyons here are plentiful. Peek-A-Boo, Spooky, and Brimstone Gulch are three of the best little cracks in the Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. If you are looking…
Rafting Westwater Canyon
Utah has no shortage of excellent whitewater rafting runs, but few are as accessible as Westwater Canyon. Westwater is the first canyon the Colorado River flows through after it crosses the Utah border. It’s the quintessential desert river trip: beautiful scenery, challenging whitewater, abandoned outlaw hideouts, and absolute solitude. What’s more, the river has a…
Test Your Limits at the Grand to Grand Ultra
Running a marathon is no easy feat. Now multiply that by 6 and you’ve got the distance of the Grand to Grand Ultra, the first and only self supported stage footrace in North America. If the lure of covering 160 miles in 6 stages over 7 days isn’t enough, consider the terrain that this insane…
Mountain biking the Cassidy Trail in Red Canyon
The Cassidy Trail, located in Southern Utah’s Red Canyon, is well known as the place where the famous old-west outlaw Butch Cassidy hid out to escape the law after rustling cattle and robbing trains. But these days, the canyon that bears Cassidy’s name is a place of singletrack goodness where hiking, horseback riding, and most…
Camping at Red Canyon Campground
Red Canyon, located between the town of Panguitch and Bryce Canyon National Park, is a fantastic area for outdoor recreation set among stunning scenery. Unfortunately, most people simply drive through on their way to the more famous national park next door. Little do they know that there is so much to do in Red Canyon,…
Camping at Escalante Petrified Forest State Park
Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, located just one mile west of Escalante on Utah Highway 12, is the perfect campground to use as home base for outdoor recreation pursuits in Southern Utah. For many people, a good campsite with all the amenities is the key to having a comfortable extended trip, and this place as…