Bryce National Park is beyond beautiful…read more The park has many walking trails along the rim as well as down in the canyon trails. Summer time can be a bit hot, average around 90* F. Bring plenty of fluids and be sure to have some healthy food before embarking on the trails Parking is very limited before 12pm. Utah is an hour ahead of NV and AZ. Be sure to pay attention. Park Rangers are available at all times. EMT are also on stand by. Take care and safety first. Stay 20ft back from the edge, no safety railings. Definitely worth every mile driven. The park is spectacular

What's not to love about touring around to visit national parks? Nothing! That's what…read more In 2020 I did a lot of road-tripping. I drove more than 8000 miles between August and October. One of the many places on my list to see was Bryce Canyon National Park. I wanted to see the red rock canyons and formations. The skies were blue. The temps were hot but thankfully the soft breeze cooled it down a little. There were groups of people taking the canyon trails down into the valley. We weren't feeling that adventurous and we had our American Akita with us so it was a no go. The views were exceptional. The rock formations were really cool. We drove in and out of several areas of the park to check out the park and red rock from different angles. It was pretty cool. The visitor center was informative too. Highly recommend!

Staying in Tropic UT for our Bryce Canyon National Park visit. Our Airbnb host recommended this…read moretrail to us and so glad they did. I don't think I'll enter Bryce Canyon any other way except through the Tropic Trail. The trailhead is accessed at the end of the dirt road in Tropic, UT. The elevation gain is very gentle on this trail. It is 3.5 miles out & back. This trail connects directly to the Navajo Loop and access to Peekaboo and Queens. It is a long walk but far less strenuous. You can enjoy the hike without having to hike out the top of the canyon. It is a great way to enter Bryce Canyon without the crowds. We hiked on Friday April 8th so the trail was dry and gravel trail. Fairly easy walk, very quiet and peaceful! It's sunny on some parts of the trail but there was shade on most of the Tropic Trail. I decided to walk a bit further to check out the switchbacks and the view of the amphitheater on the Navajo Loop trail, the trail adjacent to Thor's Hammer. Wall Street was closed off to hikers when we arrived at Navajo Loop so you cannot do the entire Navajo Loop. The best part about entering Bryce Canyon from Tropic Trail is that once you're done hiking, it is all downhill to your vehicle. Plus lots of decent places to eat and grab essentials in Tropic. Highly recommend!!

If you're short on time, definitely stop by Inspiration Point. It provides the best (in my opinion)…read morebirds-eye view of the hoodoos found within the Bryce Amphitheater without much driving. There's a small parking lot here, so it can get busy. There's a shuttle bus system in place and this is one of the stops, so you might have better luck parking outside the park and shuttling in, especially during peak season. The Rim Trail has a stop here, with the trail beginning in the south at Bryce Point 1.5 miles away. From Inspiration Point it is 0.7 miles to Sunset Point and also 1.2 miles to Sunrise Point. The trail is wonderful!

This is my second favorite view point behind Bryce view point. I think that sunrise/sunset and…read morefairyland view points are similar to this one tbh, but the location of this one does afford a slightly more expansive view than those others listed, including one of the best views of "the silent city," which is a cluster of tightly packed hoodoos. There's an info sign about the Native American story explaining that the hoodoos were thought to be people who were cursed; it's interesting to read about. And this viewpoint isn't that much farther than the sunrise/sunset view points too, but if you're so short on time or gas you can't make it further south to Bryce point, I would still say it's worth it to drive out to this spot.

Absolutely fabulous hike, although given its proximity to the parking lot, it's a pretty busy…read moretrail. It does thin out the further out you hike. I did the the Figure-8 Combination hike, which combines three amphitheater hikes, Queen's Garden, Navajo Loop, and the Peekaboo Loop. The NPS recommends to do the hike in a clockwise direction due to the elevation slope at the end of the hike, but I wanted to be contrarian haha. It wasn't bad! I liked how there were some tunnels going through some of the hoodoos, and there were various parts of the trail in the shade and in the sun just by going around the rock formations. Do note that there's no water or restrooms on the trail, and the trail starts with descent, so if you're uneasy about your fitness going up, stop early and just enjoy the views before hiking back up. Don't get stuck! It has very little shade, so it can be challenging for people.

Tough hike. Amazing views. Beautiful. Highly recommend. Hike is hard, but worth it. Don't forget to…read morestop and look at the view is all directions.

This review is for the Willis Creek Slot Canyon Trail. I've heard of them but never been to one,…read moreand we decided to stop here on the way home to our rental. To get to the trail head, you have to drive in on an unpaved five or so mile road which is scary at times. Make sure you have clearance for your car like the sign says before coming. Our Toyota 4Runner made it through without any problems. After what seems like an eternity because you can't go fast, we got to the head. There's a sign-in book for names, where you're from, and if you're a day or evening/overnight group. Now off to the Slot Canyon! This trail is marked as easy. It's mostly gravel rocks and little steps. My son the adventurous one wanted and did make his own excursion from what others surely have done before. Since it was late afternoon, we decided on a half hour in and then a turn around. The major slot canyon is pretty close to the start of the trail, and it's rather epic. The rocks are so smooth and it can be peaceful in there. I believe because of the remoteness of the canyon, it never seems to be crowded. I would recommend honking shoes, not sneakers, and appropriate clothing for the sun that will bear down on you. Bring lots of water. Watch out for the horse poop! If we weren't so exhausted after a long day, we probably would have hiked along the trail much longer than a half hour, but we definitely got the flavor we were looking for. Have you ever been to an amusement park like Disney where they create mountains and rocks? I can say I've been to the real deal and it's much better.

Beautiful and special place. Watch out for horse poop up and down the creek. Hike is short and…read moreeasy. The drive up was sketchy, I wouldn't attempt in a 2 wheel drive. We drove an all wheel drive suv and made it. We loved it.

This is Escalante Natural Bridge within the heart of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument…read more It stands at 130 feet high and is located along a 2-mile trail each way just off Highway 12 in Escalante, Utah. To be more precise, the parking lot and trailhead sit 14 miles outside the small town of Escalante. I wasn't so impressed with this Escalante Natural Bridge. If you look up at it...it sort of blends in with the rest of the backdrop. It doesn't really stand out shining by itself high above the canyon floor. My best interpretation of how I witnessed it was like trying to find a hidden object within a colorful collage. And I don't mean to be so specific...but all I'm saying is that overall, the view didn't really "wow" me. I guess I had high expectations since everything in Utah seems to be wondrous...just after trekking all the way to arrive at it, the appearance fell flat. Let me explain the 4-mile roundtrip hike along this Escalante Natural Bridge Trail.... It was difficult. And I don't mean in terms of strenuous...the trail is all along flat ground. I'm talking about having to cross 4 different rivers/streams just to make it here! Yes, be prepared to either take your shoes off and walk barefoot (which I did) or come with water shoes or flip flops! And the water in the rivers (for me being 5 foot 10 inches) actually got up to my knees. I was a little scared traversing these sections. Biggest point of all is that I highly advise you to be mindful about the path of the trail. There are no signs, and you just have to follow footprints embedded in the sand. At times, trust the most logical pathway of the trail. I can't recall the number of moments I had to pause from hiking and backtrack because I took a wrong turn! The 2 miles each way were tough and I had to take my time going slowly. It felt as if the journey lasted 10 miles to get to this Escalante Natural Bridge! In total, I at least used half the day grinding the 4 total miles...grrr! This Escalante Natural Bridge is one of the big highlights for exploring Escalante NM and, there is a 5th stream you can cross to try and capture better/more accessible views looking up at the bridge. Overall, the appearance wasn't so rewarding in my opinion. I tried finding better vantage points but wasn't successful. Though...when I looked at pictures on the internet, I did find more scenic photos than the area I was standing in front of. For those adventurous ones out there hoping to discover better spots for what makes this Escalante Natural Bridge so special...then maybe you can go ahead at your leisure and climb more rocks or even continue further along the trail. I decided to call it quits and return to the trailhead. I accepted my journey's fate and was okay with leaving with the pictures I had taken. Oh well. Not everything can be perfect. I would like to quickly recommend another hike right nearby that was the ultimate best memory from my time in Grand Staircase Escalante. It's called Lower Calf Creek Falls. This was a 6-mile roundtrip trail that took me to Lower Calf Creek Waterfall...simply a stunning waterfall that is an absolute MUST DO! So majestic! I'd say Lower Calf Falls is maybe 3 miles down the road from here on UT - Highway 12. So, although this Escalante Natural Bridge was okay...it's worthwhile in that it can be paired together with Lower Calf Creek Falls. You might as well hike both of them since they're so close to each other. And then for those spontaneous travelers out there...you can actually camp out for the evening in Lower Calf Creek Campground...a terrific setting in nature. Just some final details about Escalante Natural Bridge.... I visited on a Saturday in late July of 2021, and I was virtually the only person hiking on this trail. It's pretty remote and quiet. You can use Google Maps to find the trailhead for not just here at Escalante Bridge, but for Lower Calf Creek Falls as well. In general, Grand Staircase Escalante NM is mostly navigated along dirt roads. It'd be very helpful if you had a 4x4 vehicle to drive to some of the hard-to-reach landmarks. For myself I only had a compact car, so I was limited in the amount of exploring I was able to do. Before coming here and to Lower Calf Creek...you can first stop in at the Escalante Interagency Visitor Center. Park rangers provide maps, and they'll offer any advice and itineraries for helping you plan out your days. Alright. This is Escalante Natural Bridge along a 2-mile pathway here in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument.

Nice little visitor center in Big Water, on the south side of the Monument. Very good scientific…read morereview of the Staircase.

Peek-a-boo is tight, fun and fairly easy with amazing colors and really interesting rock…read moreformations. Spooky is a lot harder. We had a guide, Gary, from Roam outdoor adventures and glad we did. His help in navigating how to get down from spots through the rocks/boulders that can be rather daunting and dangerous. Though the slots aren't really long, navigating through them is not a quick pass through. They take time. The site could use some signs to get people to start at the right side. Some start at the wrong end and there is no place in these slots for anyone to pass by you. It can get really hot in the summer so 2 liters of water is recommended along with snacks. The ruts in the road can be passed by in a regular car but you will wind up with loose bolts. The road is partially paved there and dirt the rest of the way. Very dusty. Excellent experience. No fee required but donations at the parking lot and restrooms appreciated. Please pack out what you packed in and leave no trace. Some have started writing on the walls of these areas and it's not only awful to have to see but ruins these old sights for everyone. Very disappointing.

Let me set the record straight, slot canyons are my jam! I will go anywhere there is an opportunity…read moreto walk, shimmy, or rappel into a slot canyon. I just think they are the most interesting Mother Nature created places to explore. We came here on a July 4th holiday with some friends of my husbands. The road out here can be rough in spots and does require a 4X4 to get out here, but we made it safely to the canyon. These slot canyons are located within the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in the beautiful state of Utah. This land is run by the BLM. Talk about beautiful! The canyon walls with their orange/red colored Navajo sandstone just envelopes you as you walk through this slot canyons. So many twists and turns with lots of crevices to peer or climb into. Be sure to pack plenty of water, sunscreen, good trail shoes (not Skechers HA! HA!), a hat and a small pack so you can move through the slot canyons comfortably. Both of these canyons are so worth the drive and the time. Most of all remember to Leave No Trace. Happy Adventuring!

So my son has been itching to ride ATVs for the longest time. Due to his not having a license or…read morecosts, we just were not able to pull it off. He got to do it finally at scout camp, and has been wanting to go again now that he is of age and has a license. While here on vacation, American ATV Rentals fit our needs and the almost full day trip was quite the experience. Owners David and Tina were most professional and helpful with every step of our excursion. We had a lot of choices to make. First was what kind of vehicles were we going to use. They had the ATVs, 2 and 4-seaters, and some were meant for those over 200lbs which we all needed (slight extra charge for that). We also had to decide what length of "tour" we wanted. We had three drivers and four people, so we went with a two-seater and two ATVs all with the upgraded suspension for the weight. We then chose the 4 hour tour which for most should be the right amount of time for the 44 or so mile loop or back and forth from just about the midpoint. The course was explained and different points of interest and also points of reference to not get lost. I'm glad my wife was our guide on this trip! Next was the safety equipment. We were all provided with helmets and goggles all of which fit well and snug over glasses without any problems. They also provide gloves. All must be worn 100% of the time you're riding or else. They also will provide backpacks and bungee cords. They sell water if needed. We then went outside and got acquainted with our vehicles. How to start them, put in gear, brakes, and rules of the road. We were then on our way! David brought us to a point, gave a more detailed explanation of the course and what to look for. Only at the time we left did our "4-hour tour" time start. We were expected at the end to top off all gas tanks (high grade fuel only) and come back to the business. The trip along so many different views and geological points was awesome. And then almost right at the start I rolled my machine on the side. The gas tank cover came off and I was spilling fuel. Thankfully I wasn't seriously hurt and got up quickly to put it back on four wheels. It drove just fine and I didn't have a flat. I just had some brush burn and a small cut on my elbow. The other negative was just past the 3/4 mark. My son's ATV just stopped and would not move in gear. It revved up but would not engage in gear forward or backward. We ended up pulling out the tow strap on the two-seater and towed it in neutral the final few miles. I had to apologize to my kid for all the dust. You are allowed to stop anywhere for pictures and if you want a souvenir you can take it as you're not in the State park. We did not see any others on our whole route...just some cows. We finally made it to the gas station almost next door to the ATV business, topped off the tanks, and made it back. I was pleased as punch that the ATV I rolled made it back. My wife and I changed at the midpoint so I drove and eventually towed the broken ATV in the two seater, and my wife drove the rolled ATV. Once back (about 25 minutes late due to the issues) I explained our problems on the trip and David was understanding. I did have to pay a 20% depreciation cost for the damage I caused to the ATV. We weren't charged for the issue with the other ATV. This was within the contract we signed and waivers. It was less than I expected, and we just made it work. Overall, my whole family had a great time driving even with the issues we experienced. Some pointers I highly recommend: wear long sleeves, pants, and boots (not sneakers). You will get very dusty. Bring a lot of water and maybe snacks or sandwiches. Remember, however, time stopped does not extend your tour time. The sun beats down and you will get sunburned. There's very little shaded areas. We were told when we asked that the routes we took were classified as mostly beginner to some intermediate level driving. 25mph maximum based on Utah laws, but you're not doing that on these trails. My family and I highly recommend American ATV Rentals for a fun time. It's not cheap, but it was worth the experience! $1000 for the two ATVs and two seater for a four hour tour, safety review, map review, and you have to gas them up before returning them with premium fuel. I also paid a bonus $175 for the 20% of depreciation costs of the damaged parts. Oh well. The shower once we got home and two Tylenol was awesome.