This review is for Bartizan Arch Trail which was a ~5 miles round trip that took ~3 hours to…read morecomplete. This was a surprisingly unique and stunning hike near Cedar City, Utah. While most of southern Utah was over 90°F; the temperature in this area was easily ~30° lower! Within the first ~1 mile to Spectra Point were amazing views of the canyon. This reminds me of Bryce Canyon National Park except you can't walk into the canyon. For the most part, the declines start after Spectra Point towards Bartizan Arch. As a result, the inclines back out can feel a bit strenuous. The trail was on the exposed rims of the canyon as well as parts of the nearby forest. Furthermore, the trail was slightly rocky and becomes narrower near the arch. Watch your steps! For those looking for a shorter hike; I would recommend going up to Spectra Point which would be a ~1.9 mile roundtrip. In my opinion, the view at Ramparts Viewpoint wasn't too much of a difference compared to the view at Spectra Point Viewpoint. Parking lot and restrooms were next to the Cedar Breaks National Monument visitor center. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/C9IpeLT1i3g

This is a viewpoint on the backside of Bryce Canyon. It's mainly a lookout and a great place to get…read morea picture. Pretty drive but that is all there is. If you want more, go to Bryce Canyon!

This is a national park located in Utah about 2.5 hours drive from Moab. Stop in their Visitor…read moreCenter so you can get a trail map. They also have guides on hand that will help you plan your adventure and answer any questions. We chose to hike Hickman Bridge and Colab Canyon Trails. We also drove out to see Bentonite Hills. The trails were moderately difficult and we enjoyed the challenge. We had a capable vehicle so we were able to make the treck to Bentonite Hills. Capitol Reef Park is somewhat overshadowed by the big ones so be sure not to miss it!

Truly a hidden gem with mountains of stunning colors - ribbons of orange, white, grey running…read moreacross and sculpted by wind and water over millions of years. We went end of April and it was not too crowded. We started with Hickman's Bridge trail at 8:30 am after a short stop at the Visitor Center. We stayed at Capitol Reef Resort which gave us a nice handout summarizing the trails as well. For Hickman's Bridge, the small parking lot had a bathroom. It is rated as an easy-moderate trail. The trail was about 250-300 feet up switchbacks and stairs then an easier area before lots of rock scrambling to see the stone arch. Hiking poles were helpful navigating the ascent/descent and rocks until I went on all four's for some areas of tilted, uneven rocks. We almost missed seeing the bridge; we were so intent on trying to find footholds on the rocks and climbing. I think the left side of the loop would have been easier. Even though it is only 0.9 miles with a 400 elevation gain, it took us 1.5 hours round trip at my stopping to breath and carefully climbing/descending the rocks. Capitol Gorge Trail (2.3 miles, 80 ft elevation change) was more my speed being mostly flat and walking on small stones (hiking boots were helpful) through a canyon. (If it is going to rain; beware of flash flooding). The highlight was seeing faint petroglyphs and Mormon pilgrim signatures (from the 1800's) on parts of the rock walls. If you don't like climbing up rocks, I would say skip the optional hike up the mountain to see the water "tanks" or areas in the stone where the water collects. I saw some on the HIckman Trail and never finished that part since my thighs were getting too tired. My husband had difficulty finding the actual trail among the rocks and had to backtrack. The next day, my husband left at 6:45 am to do Navaho Knobs so he could be back by 11 am (we got a late checkout). Driving around the park, you can see the beauty without effort and the number of stunning rock formations and colors was truly something to behold.

This feels like a review in progress because the area is so large - but was pleasantly surprised by…read morehow much more I want to explore this region. We did Willis Creek Narrows and Lower Calf Creek Falls - both incredible. Now adding to the wish list for return trips. The drive along US 12 is just spectacular. Definitely recommend a high clearance vehicle with 4WD to access some of the more remote locations. Be prepared to adventure and bring what you need as this is not a manicured national park, but more a haven for those looking for an off-grid escape.

I didn't have a ton of time to explore here but simply driving by left quite an impression on me!…read moreWOW. I'm not exaggerating when I say I pulled off the road maybe every 50 feet because every new angle provided a new exciting view of this vast and beautiful stone monument. In general this is a HUGE monument to explore and I'm not sure you could even scratch the surface on a simple vacation, let alone during a road trip. I've since come to learn that this area was the last part of the lower 48 states to be cartographed and, according to the Bureau of Land Management, it spans five life-zones - from low-lying desert to coniferous forest, and paleontologists have unearthed countless dinosaur bones and fossils from within its canyons and deserts. Truly incredible stuff, here! But don't let the size and scope intimidate you. As I said, even driving by or taking a day or afternoon to explore is worth the journey. It's an incredible resource that we're lucky to have here in the US.

Very beautiful highway. This is one of those yelp freebies. You have to take this route anyways to…read moreget to Bryce Canyon, lol.

I have lived in Utah for over 45 years. I drove Scenic Highway 12 for the first time earlier this…read moresummer. Most incredible drive I have ever experienced in Utah. Changing landscape every few miles. Well worth the time and effort!!

I really loved this viewpoint that Bryce National Park. I would definitely recommend to anybody…read moretaking the scenic drive to stop here and takes some photos. This is a very different view where you can see more of the forest side with the canyon. From my experience, you don't see much of this view when you do the trails. There is a parking lot and I suggest visiting in the early morning or late afternoon. I visited around 3pm. There is probably about a 0.1 - 0.2 walk to the actually overlook which is all flat with railings. Paria View is a stopping point for you!

Paria view is located off the same access road as Inspiration Point and Bryce Point. The other/…read morepoints look out at the amphitheater, whereas this view looks the opposite direction. As such, it is not as crowded as the other 2 viewpoints. Just a parking lot here. No services and no shuttle bus stop. In the field bordered by Paria View Road and the main road- one of the best spots to spot pronghorns and prairie dogs.

Would recommend making this a spot to visit. Get to see the tops of the ridges from an up close…read moreperspective without having to hike.

Another view point along the road to Rainbow Point. Also called Ponderosa Canyon. It's between Agua…read moreCanyo and Black Birch Canyon. Just a parking area. No services. Lots of Ponderosa Pines here. These trees are recognizable by there brown and black streaked bark. If you have the opportunity- go smell the bark. It has a luscious sweet smell of vanilla and butterscotch.

This a great place to stop by to view Bryce Canyon. None of my photos do this place justice. It's…read moredefinitely a place you must experience personally and come up with your own opinion. There is a $35 fee to enter Sunset Point.

Best place to start several hikes at Bryce National Park and see Wall Street, embark on the Peek a…read moreBoo Loop, visit the Queens Garden and go on the Navajo Loop. There were so many people because it is so easy to walk down the trail and see so many unique rock structures. There is a railing you can hold onto to go down the trail so it's not too bad if it's covered with snow. There are pretty big restrooms and it's stocked well. I'd suggest to arrive early to avoid the traffic of cars waiting to park. Beautiful place to enjoy the sunset without even having to hike if you're not up for it.

There is some very interesting history at Cove Fort and we really enjoyed our visit. And it is…read morefree! Elder & Sister Isom were friendly and informative tour guides -- they each provided details about Cove Fort's origins and subsequent happenings here while allowing us space to look around and read the interpretive plaques on our own. The tour started with a good, short film shown in a restored cabin across the road from the fort. Then we proceeded to the rock fort with its 18-foot walls and huge thick gates. All of the rooms inside have each been decorated as they would have been when this outpost was functioning in the mid-1800's. We had passed by this place on the freeway several times previously, but thought it would be a long drive to reach the historical spot. Not so! It's close to the off ramp on a well-paved road. Plenty of parking and clean restrooms help make a visit here a very positive experience.

There's a 14 minute video that gives a bit of how the "fort" came to be. I can see how it served a…read morepurpose for travelers passing through, especially if the weather was particularly bad. They had a scavenger hunt for the kids, too.

In theory, the ride offers unique views of the park. The reality is Bryce Canyon trails are steep…read moreand narrow resulting in one painfully long panic attack for me while my eyes were glued down on the trail, not the scenery. If you are an experienced rider and aren't afraid of heights, you'll be fine.

Bryce Canyon National Park exceeded our expectations, and Canyon Trail Rides played a huge role in…read moremaking it memorable! Their horseback ride was incredible and took us deep into the canyon for breathtaking views. We could touch the hoodoos we were so close. Our guide was Clay & he was awesome. Photos were taken at a switchback with a beautiful backdrop. They were 8x10 for $10. Thank you for a wonderful time.

Simply breathtaking! The Bryce Point overlook is not be missed. There are tons of wonderful vista…read morepoints within Bryce Canyon National Park, but Bryce Point provides a view like no other. With 360 degree panoramic views of the natural hoodoos at 8,300 feet of elevation, Bryce Point provides some of the best views that you'll be able to see within the park. I'm talking jaw dropping ladies and gents! The natural hoodoo amphitheater literally surrounds this very viewpoint. Bryce Point is also the starting and ending point for several popular hiking trails including the Rim Trail. This is very popular landmark as you can imagine, and it can get pretty busy. Despite this, there's plenty of parking and lots of space for to take pictures or just to simply enjoy the view. There's a paved walkway that will lead you all the way down to the vista point area. It gets SUPER windy down there! In the summertime, the wind feels perfect. But, I can imagine that it would be freezing during the spring and winter. Hold on to your hats and phones because it can definitely get blustery. Everything about Bryce Point is amazing. If you're making a visit out to Bryce Canyon, make sure to make a stop at Bryce Point before you leave.

Most southerly overlook of the four -- majestic views!…read more I don't recall setting foot and seeing the views from this rim the first time we came to Bryce Canyon [2012]. It took us a third try to be able to drive in, find parking and actually walk to the view point. Parking is controlled by the park rangers and when the parking spots are filled to its capacity they close off the entrance so no one can get in until some cars leave. The view point is just a short walk from the parking lot. Bryce Point is part of the Bryce Amphitheater which is the first three miles of the park. Naturally, people would crowd these spots first when entering the park since the most iconic and popular views are found along the rim. It was super windy here so hold on to your hats, personal belongings and your toupee! There are a couple of hiking trails found here but we were just up for the views and, indeed, they are spectacular. It is a popular spot to watch the sunrise. We saw amazing hoodoo formations and cliffs from the rim of the amphitheater. It was our last stop as we were getting exhausted from visits to the other view points earlier in the day but, if interested, these two trails can be found here at Bryce Point. These are definitely not our level as they are labeled "strenuous" 1] Peekaboo Loop [5-1/2 miles] - steep and most of the hike is spent below the rim. Estimate 3-4 hours at 1571 feet elevation. 2] Bryce Amphitheater Traverse [4.7 miles] - descend from Bryce Point and ascend to Sunrise Point. Estimate 3-4 hours at 1010 feet elevation. Review #1810