The Best Day Hikes in America: Little Wild Horse- Bell Canyon Loop
San Rafael Swell, Utah
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Utah’s otherworldly redrock canyons may not only be best in the country, but the best on Earth. Fortunately, you don’t need to be a canyoneering pro to tackle some of the area’s top slots. Our favorite: nontechnical Little Wild Horse Canyon, where wind and water have sculpted smooth sandstone over centuries into frozen waves and gut-sucking narrows.
Do it as a loop, saving Little Wild Horse for the last leg. First, fork into the easier Bell Canyon near mile .5. Follow the 200-hundred-foot-tall sandstone walls 2.5 miles, occasionally scrambling over rock barriers, to its natural exit on a dirt road. Follow the path 1.5 miles northeast to a sign for Little Wild Horse. A 10-foot pour-off leads into the canyon, where Little Wild Horse’s narrows contort through the redrock for about a mile. The exit stretch is the tightest—no more than shoulder-width across. (Experienced hikers who want a sportier loop with more scrambling should check out nearby Ding and Dang Canyons.)
Distance 8 miles (loop) Trailhead 38.582888, -110.805087 Drive time 3:05 from Provo Season September to June Contact