So you’re traveling along I-70 Eastbound in central/western Utah. The desert is pretty cool, even if there are big yellow signs warning you to stay alert and to pull over if you get drowsy. You see a sign for a…
Photos from Near the Nautilus
A few weeks ago, I posted a trip report for hiking to the Nautilus in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. In that post, I couldn’t possibly include all of the amazing photographs that I took, not of the Nautilus itself, but…
An Off-trail Hike up Coffin Peak
There’s nothing quite like climbing Coffin Peak in the Black Mountains of Death Valley to see the Funeral Mountains. That’s just too much of a single theme if you ask me! But it’s actually a fun off-trail trek, without too…
Exploring Round Valley Draw
I only did one real slot canyon in Utah last fall (that doesn’t count Resurrection Canyon and Wiregrass Canyon, which I did earlier in the trip, but which weren’t very slot-y). Round Valley Draw was introduced to me as being…
The Painted Desert’s Wilderness Loop
My top favorite trail I did in Petrified Forest National Park last fall was the Wilderness Route Loop through the Painted Desert. Actually, it’s not a trail at all; it’s loosely connected GPS coordinates that take you to some delightful…
Golden Stairs Trail to the Fins Trail to Lou’s Spring
A few days ago, I wrote about hiking down the Golden Stairs Trail and (almost) into the Maze District of Canyonlands National Park. After we had descended to the Dollhouse Road, we decided that we 1) hadn’t had enough adventure…
Golden Stairs Trail into the Maze District
It’s not easy to access the true Maze District of Canyonlands National Park. In fact, most of what is known as the “Maze District” is actually the Orange Cliffs District of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. This includes Hans Flat,…
Drive or Hike Hole in the Wall Road
If you’re looking for a non-traditional hike (or a nice, non-technical 4×4 ride) in the main part of Death Valley National Park, the Hole in the Wall Road is a good option! The scenery is beautiful, there are cool rock…
Grand Canyon Views at Jicarilla Point
I’m always on the lookout for cool new hikes in my favorite national parks. So I was super excited to read about hiking to Jicarilla Point, well west of Hermit’s Rest, on the rim of the Grand Canyon. It seemed…
Viewpoints and Short Trails in the Needles District
The Needles District of Canyonlands National Park is really only set up for hiking long distances. Chesler Park, Druid Arch, Wooden Shoe Canyon, Big Spring Canyon, and Peek-a-boo Trail all play this out fairly well. It’s also set up for…