This is a must stop if you are planning a trip out west to hike, bike, horseback ride, or just…read moreenjoy the scenery at one of our nation's stunning national parks. We stopped at the Visitor Center to learn about the protected prairie dogs that reside in the park. This was a special focus that day. They had tables where you can learn about the varieties of prairie dogs in the US as well as why the ones in the park are endangered. We then got to use their provided binoculars to view some of the prairie dogs that live near the visitor center. The highlight of our day was taking a horseback ride. Definitely look into this as an added activity during your visit!

I am so glad I got to see the one of a kind, incredible landscape of hoodoos (largest concentration…read morein the world) at Bryce. I wasn't prepared for the how large the area was. We first visited Capitol Reef, then Bryce, then Zion. I am glad we did it in that order. I will share my favorite hike, whether I thought the Queen's Garden Trail was worth It and a must-do. The park is 6,600 - 9,000 ft above sea level, so be prepared for less oxygen by walking on a inclined treadmill or hills and colder weather. We spent one day arriving around 8 am to get a parking space. I greatly enjoyed the Sunrise Point to Sunset Point Rim Trail (easy trail)- great for non-hikers, flat, paved and different view of the hoodoos. It is about 1 mile and wheel chair friendly. Midway is a sign to the Bryce lodge. That provides a nice stop for lunch. We had good hamburgers. We did the Queen's Garden trail which descends farther down into the hoodoos, you walk past a few down. It is more gradual than the Navajo Loop and easier of the two. It is 1.8 miles round trip and can take an hour each way depending on how well you do climbs coming up especially at 8,000 - 9,000 ft with less oxygen. I saw a man pushing a wheelchair with his mother down the Queen's Garden Trail. I wouldn't want to be in that chair without a seatbelt and just in case the man's hands slips. I hope he made his way up pushing that chair, since I imagine that was super hard up the steep inclines. I don't enjoy hiking or hills, so for me, it wasn't worth the effort walking back up Queen's Garden Trail and I had been training on a treadmill with a 13 degree incline for a few weeks; I turned around before I made it to the bottom. Looking down at Navajo Loop later, although steeper, I think it would have taken me more into the hoodoo level. My husband did the Figure 8 loop which is both trails. He said after Queen's Garden, there was a boring area then several up and down the hills below before you got to the Navajo Loop. The Wall St section was closed, so look for warnings before you go. A must do is to drive to Rainbow point at 9,115 ft and then stop on the way back. If you are pressed for time, the best stops were: - Natural Bridge - Biggest, tallest natural bridge I have ever seen. - Inspiration Point - 8,100 ft - the columns and rows of hoodoos was beautiful - Bryce Point (must do) - you can see both Sunset and Sunrise points and have the most panoramic view If you have time, stop in the Visitor Center with a small gift shop and watch the short film on how the hoodoos are formed. Bryce Canyon is a unique, bucket list kind of experience and whether you are a non-hiker who loves nature or enjoy challenges of hills and hiking, there is something for everyone.

Sweet town. Complete with a Main Street, busy rigs and open scenic areas…read more This Covid period, I love how the town posted flags on the street lights with the pictures of their 2020 graduates. This is what being in a tight knit smaller town is all about. Of course, lots of outdoorsy things to do around the area.

A very quaint town that definitely has it appeal. It seems like a throw back into time that we…read moreenjoyed spending time grabbing a bite to eat, filling up with gas, and driving around to take in the historical building and it's charm. Perfectly located near the entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park.

This was a fun and kid friendly hike. The scenery is beautiful. We loved walking along the river…read moreand looking for fun rocks. Parking lot is a little small but they have overflow parking.

Very nice walk and waterfall to boot. Worth stopping and seeing…read more The walk is relaxing and not difficult.

What a beautiful short easy hike located in Duck creek village in Utah. The views on this hike are…read moreso pretty and serene. It also looks across toward Zion National park. The hike will lead you along the canyon rim to a beautiful waterfall. There is a nice platform above the waterfall to take some nice scenic pictures. The hike only takes about an hour round trip. Plenty of parking at the parking lot and they also have restrooms as well. Steep drop offs along this hike so please be careful with little children.

I really enjoyed this trail. It is the perfect distance to do with kids and older members of the…read morefamily. It was not too hard of a hike and very scenic. The waterfall at the end was beautiful. The trail on the weekend that we went, was a bit crowded at the end where the waterfall was but nothing too crazy. There were plenty opportunities to photos.

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!

Tons of waterfalls + slot canyon hiking through a freezing river = one of the most epic trails I've…read moreever done! It's like a mini version of The Narrows in Zion. The Kanarra Falls trail is quite an adventure - it's a water hike with some dramatic scenery and intense rock scrambling depending on how far in you go. If you only go to the ladder, I'd say it's a moderate trail. But if you go all the way to the last falls, it's more strenuous. I hiked it in late spring and the water was a balmy 38°F! I did some research and planned ahead to wear thick neoprene socks - But even with my thermal socks, the water was so cold my lower legs were numb for about 60-70% of the trail which made this moderate/strenuous hike even more challenging! So I highly recommend the socks if you're hiking outside of the late summer season bc that water is COLD! And you'll be walking in water depths anywhere from your ankles up to your mid-shins for about 75-80% of the trail. Getting to the first large falls by the ladder isn't terribly difficult and you'll still see several smaller falls along the way. The first part is along a well maintained dirt trail with a few small water crossings before you have to get down into the riverbed. So for those wanting to stop at the top of the ladder, it's still a fantastic and much less strenuous hike. But there are about 3-4 gorgeous falls and slot canyons past that leading up to the last falls that I really would've regretted not seeing. The rock scrambling can get quite difficult- especially for a short person (I'm 5'2"). At one point I had to hoist myself up over some very tall boulders using just my arms and had to do a bit of a chimney crawl up another boulder and a narrow slot wall so be prepared and know your abilities bc I struggled to get back down LOL! I used one of my poles for most of the hike bc the riverbed is very rocky and slippery. I also wore an old pair of my fave Salomon waterproof(ish) hiking shoes with really solid tread - definitely helped. I imagine in the hot weather you'd be fine in some sort of water shoe with no socks but not in winter/spring. Reservations for this hike are required year-round as they limit the number permitted daily to preserve the environment here since this is such a popular trail. It was easy to reserve my spot online and I recommend doing it as far in advance as possible bc spots go fast - especially in the summer. There's plenty of paved parking at the trailhead with nice bathrooms. There are also more bathrooms along the trail right before the first water crossing. It's easy to find - google maps takes you right to the parking area. AllTrails says the trail is 3.6 miles with 656 feet elevation gain but I did just over 5 miles total with 1100+ feet elevation gain by going past the ladder at the first falls - totally worth it - Definitely in my top 5 trails of all time!

This is an amazing slot canyon hike and is very popular so requires a permit. The permit is only…read more$15 but they only sell 200 a day so some planning is required to visit this location. Not a long trail, only about 4 miles round-trip with very little elevation gain, but Very beautiful mountains and rocks and the slot Canyon is just fantastic!! If you're in the area or passing by, I highly recommend checking it out, an amazing small piece of the Utah's vast scenery...

On our way to Bryce Canyon we had to pass by the Dixie national forest…read more Dixie National Forest straddles the divide between the Great Basin and the Colorado River in southern Utah. Scenery ranges from desert canyon gorges of amber, rose, and sienna to high mountain forests, plateaus, and alpine lakes. The forest is a part of the world-renowned, with beautiful red rocks back drops scenery. Just amazing

The Dixie National Forest is known for their red rock canyons and high mountain plateaus - you can…read moretake the 89 or the 12 scenic routes on your way to or from Bryce Canyon and check this national forest out. A great place to camp, hike, fish, horseback ride, and even ski or use the snowmobile in the wintertime. We didn't see any wildlife while passing through, but I've heard that you're bound to see golden eagles, antelopes, prairie dogs, wild turkeys, and even pronghorn sheep! If you are driving, note that some of the roads are narrow! +red rock canyons +high mountain plateaus +narrow roads

Visit Oct 4, 2025 afternoon. Did the train. $2 each. Nice ride. It's diesel…read more Park is wonderful. We saw the volcano go off and it had steam and sound from dinosaurs. Fantastic park play structures. But please fix the second zip line. It's most popular attraction and many kids want yo line up to do the zipline. One is there but inoperable.

I am not much of a playground connoisseur, but I must say this is the coolest and most impressive…read moreone I've ever been to! I was hanging out with my nephews for the holiday so we went to thunder Junction, there is no entry fee, but you'd think you were entering an amusement park. Lots of things to see and do and play with, mostly playground type things, but also some neater stuff like these splash pad water area, and the small train. Highly recommend this for the kiddos if you're in St. George or just passing by.

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.

It was a beautiful park donated by mothers and kids in 2021. At the moment, though, it's closed…read morehopefully for remodeling. It's the end of 2024 currently

This park is beautiful especially in the snow. It is next to a school where kids were playing and…read moremy dog was running around like he was a kid. There's a bike trail, gorgeous playground and many picnic tables. Small parking lot