This whole area is kind of confusing as the entrances are small and not well marked. I stopped by…read moremultiple visitor centers to see how I could get to the dinosaur track site, and the map I was provided took me down a bumpy dirt road that took a long time to navigate as I was in a sedan - and then when I let the site I found that there's another entrance off the highway that is much more direct and right off the highway. Anyways, it took a while to find the tracks as they're pretty eroded and not protected at all. There are multiple signs saying to not park on the tracks as it's right off the road and I could see that people might park on it mistakenly thinking it was a parking area. I would not recommend visiting the tracksite since it's pretty underwhelming. Visiting the Butler Wash Ruins was a much better experience, although you have to keep an eye out for the entrance off the highway as it's not well marked. It takes you to a parking lot and the trail goes from dirt/gravel to a slickrock area that is well marked with cairns.

Blanding is a great base from which to explore the area. Not too far away, going southwest on…read moreHighway 95 toward Natural Bridges Monument, are the Butler Wash Ruins dating from about AD 1200. From the parking area, it's a short walk to the overlook from which you can see the cliff dwellings on the other side of a narrow canyon. While you can't get close to the dwellings (unless you're a bit of gecko), you can explore the slick rock area and find a small arch on the other side of the dwellings. (It's not visible from the overlook area.) I've been here a few times and have spent a few hours each time exploring the area. However, most visitors will probably take a few snapshots and be on their way.

This week's adventure took us through the Island in the Sky district of Canyonlands National Park,…read moreand every stop seemed to top the last. Stop #1: Island in the Sky Visitor Center Started the day with incredible views overlooking the famous Shafer Trail, with its dramatic switchbacks winding down the canyon walls. It's an amazing introduction to the park's vast landscape. Stop #2: Aztec Butte A short hike led us to ancient Puebloan granaries tucked into the sandstone cliffs. Standing where people lived and stored food hundreds of years ago adds a whole new layer to the scenery. Stop #3: Upheaval Dome One of Canyonlands' biggest mysteries! Scientists still debate whether this enormous crater-like formation was created by a meteorite impact or the collapse of an underground salt dome. Whatever its origin, it's a fascinating place to explore. Canyonlands is massive, rugged, and absolutely unforgettable. Every overlook makes you feel tiny in the best possible way.

As part of our quest to visit all 63 U.S. national parks, we set off on a six week road trip. I…read morehave a personal rule: I only count a national park as "visited" if I actually spend time there, hike or walk through it, and truly experience it. On this trip, we visited 14 national parks, and Canyonlands National Park was another fascinating stop in our Utah adventure. Canyonlands is a park of enormous scale. It is hard to truly understand the size of this landscape until you are standing at the viewpoints looking out over endless canyons, mesas, and cliffs carved by the Colorado and Green Rivers over millions of years. The views are dramatic and humbling. Located close to Moab, Canyonlands has a very different atmosphere from some of the quieter parks we visited. Moab itself is like an outdoor playground, especially for people who love off-road adventures, mountain biking, dirt bikes, four-wheel drives, and exploring the backcountry. That energy definitely carries into the park. Of all the parks we visited on this trip, Canyonlands was probably the busiest and, personally, not one of my favorites. That does not mean it was not beautiful. It absolutely was. It just has a different feeling. Much of Canyonlands is experienced from above, looking down into the incredible maze of canyons below. Getting into the deeper parts of the canyon system requires more time, preparation, and often specialized equipment, especially if you want to explore beyond the main viewpoints. Since we only had two days, we focused on hiking and exploring the more accessible areas. I enjoyed several beautiful trails, including the hike to Mesa Arch, one of the park's most iconic viewpoints. Seeing the arch framing the vast canyon landscape beyond it was spectacular. We also explored other overlooks and trails where the views seemed to go on forever. One challenge for us was accessibility. My husband has mobility limitations, and Canyonlands does not offer as many easy, accessible trails or paved perimeter paths compared with some other national parks. Many of the experiences are geared more toward people who want longer hikes, rugged trails, or backcountry adventures. That said, Canyonlands is still an impressive place. The sheer size, the geology, and the views are unforgettable. Standing above those massive canyons gives you a sense of the incredible forces that shaped this land over millions of years. For visitors who love hiking, off-road exploration, backpacking, or seeing landscapes from dramatic viewpoints, Canyonlands is definitely worth visiting. For us, it was not the emotional favorite of the trip, but it was still an important piece of the incredible diversity we experienced across America's national parks.

Impressive hike to go to the Morning Glory Natural bridge through Grandstaff canyon. 4.5 miles…read moreround trip. Only to be careful is poison oak. I'm very sensitive to it, so I was extra cautious not to touch any plants and had long sleeve and long pants. The natural bridge was very cool. The canyon is gorgeous. Worth the visit for sure.

Great early morning hike. Truly beautiful nature! Watch out for the poison ivy although it wasn't a…read moreproblem for us.

We took this as a side trip and we really should have given this more time. If you are thinking of…read morecoming here, I recommend looking at all the activities offered to see how much is here to do so you won't feel as though you missed out on some of what makes this park FUN! As for us, we ran around the valley, played hide and seek, marveled at how these "goblins" were made and just had a great adventure with the time we had.

A triumph of both western topography and federalism. This is one of those awesome parks that would…read morein some ways be less special if it were "upgraded" to a national park. It's great the way it is. Just a few notes: -- the campsite is just amazing; you are nestled in among caves and washes, and your kids can merrily wander off "to the kids cave" or climb up onto a crest and watch the sunset or the rhythm of the campsite. They do have a shared bathroom with running water, which keeps the place just civilized enough for moderately experienced car campers. -- at the same time, this place is really remote. If you realize at campside that your propane stove doesn't work, you would have to drive an hour each way to Green River to get more. Instead, you will just have to figure out how to boil coffee and macaroni and cheese over a campfire. -- the stars. The city lights are far far far away, and the desert sky is clear, so you can see so so many stars. And if you sit and stare at them you see more. The only place I have ever seen so many stars in my life is standing on the side of the road outside Marfa, TX. -- two decades ago this was one of the first camping trips of my life, and it remains a special place in my heart.

Great hike. Impressive towers and cool to see those towers in close distance. Around 4.5 miles with…read more750 feet elevation change. Easy trails. A day before the hike we camped at BLM site at the trailhead which was convenient. $20. In the end of December only us hiking there. Solitude was nice.

Top Rated Hike in Moab! This trail is a gem. I felt it was a moderate hike overall... maybe even…read moreeasy for experienced hikers. Parking is free, mostly dog-friendly, and outside of the National Parks. We did this 5 mile hike on a partly cloudy morning in June 2024. We got to the trailhead around 7am and took our time heading up to the Lookout. It sprinkled a little about a half hour in, so we found a cave like overhang to take a break. This trail is mostly uphill on the way in, and has at least two, very steep sections, rock stairs, one ladder, and you have to be sure not to lose the trail as some sections are not easily identifiable. We took about an hour and half going in, spent about 30 minutes at the lookout, and powered through the hour back in partial sun. It was the perfect length hike for me, with the right incline. Like any trail in Moab, be sure to bring lots of water and dress for the climate.

Seriously one of my favorite place on earth. Beautiful red rock canyons and solitude. The…read morehighlight for me is the "reef". A sandstone feature that shoots up out of the earth. You drive right through it on I-70. There're are endless camping spots. From the established spots like Goblin Valley and The San Rafael River. But the true gems are the little spots that you will find down a bumpy dirt road. Grab a map or check Google earth. There's tons of area to explore. Summers can be brutally hot, so I recommend the spring and fall. Also come prepared. Unless you are near 70 there's not much for cell service. Enjoy your public lands!

Fantastic rest stop with beautiful views of the San Rafael Swell right off the 70…read more Ample parking for cars and even saw a couple semi trucks resting. Interesting informational pieces explaining the area. Great place to stretch your legs and get some sun on this long stretch of highway.

This is a great hike. Longbow Arch is impressive! Not only the arch. This hike includes very big…read morepetroglyph panel! Also dinosaur track can be seen. Short hike with not much elevation gain. Much less crowded compared to Corona Arch in the same area. Recommended.

This hike is a hidden gem within the Moab area. The hike begins as rocky and incoproates steep…read moreinclines (but no equipment required). Then, the hike becomes desert-like; flat and sandy. Then, the hike becomes jungle-like; humid and full of trees until you reach the arch. We saw no one on the way up and only a few people on the way back (in mid-afternoon). If you want to avoid the massive crowds at other hikes, check out this trail!

Don't miss this one! When we first arrived in Fruita, Colorado. The Colorado National Monument was…read morenot on our list of things to visit. We would of totally missed it if it hadn't been for some people we met at a restaurant. Colorado National Monument is not a National Park; it is a National Monument managed by the National Park Service. It's name doesn't portray the beauty and magnitude of this gorgeous park. It is a 23 mile drive and is often called the mini-grand canyon. The towering red rock monoliths and the Canyon views were absolutely incredible.

What bliss this is…read more Colorado National Monument is basically the smaller in scale sandstone-stacked cousin of the Grand Canyon, but without all the horrific traffic and crowds upon crowds, especially at the start of summer. This place has miles of views with gorgeous towering cliffs, dramatic canyons and many trails for walking and hiking. You can also see the Grand Mesa (the world's largest flat-topped mountain) and the Book Cliffs from the monument. And it has that Grand Canyon feeling when you look at its depth -- as though you are looking directly into a painting. Along about a 20-mile highway (with an east and west entrance) you can enjoy the full views. There are plenty of places to pull over and park to take a look or to plan for a hike. And be very, very careful. The main drive is very deeply beloved by cyclists, so be sure to drive slow and keep eyes on the road. Do not miss Independence Monument. This is a glorious rock spire. also, the Kissing Couple is adorable. The Coke Ovens are these beautifully shaped domes -- some of my favorites in the area. Also, be aware of wildlife. I did not get lucky, but there are regular sights of bighorn sheep, coyotes, red-tailed hawks, eagles and many other animals. I did see a pretty spectacular aerial fight between a hawk and a raven during a recent visit, though. Also, be sure to check out the visitor center on the west side. It has some natural history exhibits and a gift shop. There is also the Saddlehorn Campground, which is very well maintained and has a good number of spots, but not all with sprawling city or canyon views. All told, there are three loops with nearly 80 sites. Some are small and best for a pair and others that are good for a couple of tents on one site. Overall, bring lots of water and snacks, because it is dry and sometimes feels desert like. And do not over rely on cell service, as there are a number of dead zones.

Cassidy arch is one of the most popular hikes in CRNP and for good reason! It's a very memorable…read morehike. Kind of nebulous at one point in the first 1/3 of it when you reach this kinda rocky/brushy clearing (I lost a good 30 min wandering around in that area trying to find the actual trail) but once you figure that out it's easy to follow the rest of the trail. The views along the way are lovely and of course the vista at the end is stunning!! I had no issues with parking, there was plenty at the trail head on a week day in April. Just come prepared for finicky weather; I got lucky that it was just cloudy and only misted for like 10 min before stopping but it definitely could rain/get cold quickly.

This review is for Cassidy Arch Trail which was a ~3.1 miles round trip that took ~2 hours to…read morecomplete. Steady inclines mostly near the beginning. Follow the rock cairns for the last stretch to the arch. Amazing views throughout the hike! Required to drive ~1 mile on dirt road to reach the trailhead. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/4rdkNmKmd5M

One of my favorite most memorable little hikes in the world -- you can do this as an 8 mile loop,…read moreor just wander into the slot canyon to the right for a while and then turn around when you lose steam. Either way, you find yourself walking along the bottom of a slot canyon, occasionally scrambling over rocks or cramming yourself in narrow slots. This is worth the trip to the San Rafael Swell, otherwise one of the most remote places I know of the continental U.S.

This review is for Little Wild Horse Canyon & Bell Canyon Loop which was a ~8.1 miles round trip…read morethat took ~4 hours to complete. Started the loop by going clockwise. Quite a bit of rock scrambling and a couple sketchy descents closer to Little Wild Horse Canyon. In addition, there were a few spots in Little Wild Horse Canyon that were extremely narrow and tight to maneuver. Trail was mostly flat and sandy. Overall, Stunning views of the slot canyons! Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/0aHmkQKQ2vI