Utah Trails

Tick off the state high point on this 3-day backcountry adventure.

Grand Staircase-Escalante’s Little Death Hollow takes you into one of the most remote corners of Utah.

Meditations on a special place in the desert southwest.

Coyote Gulch Trail, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, UT

An insider's guide to San Rafael Swell, UT

Routefinding in Canyonlands National Park can be a challenge, but the rewards are always worth it.

This collection of bright white sandstone spires isn't officially part of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument anymore, but it's as spectacular as ever.

Skip the beaten path and make the most of your visit to southwest Utah with these tips from a local.

Jeep Arch is less than 2 miles from Corona, but feels like it's a million miles from its crowds.

While the crowds hit Arches National Park, take a detour for a taste of sweet fall solitude.

Some months, Ted Alvarez spends more night in a tent than beneath a roof, but his mom had never backpacked. A mother-and-son road trip through all five of Utah’s national parks in one week would be the perfect way to make up for lost time—or court disaster.

Yes, 'springing forward' means it's dark an hour later. But that just means you've got more time to catch the sunrise from one of these four perfect lookouts.

San Rafael Swell, Utah

The federal government is considering changes to national monuments around the country. Hike these trails to get a ground-level view of what's at stake.

With two national parks and endless wilderness nearby, this may be America's best-situated adventure town.

Swimming holes, waterfalls, petroglyphs, and an idyllic campsite—all just a few miles deep in Dinosaur National Monument. BY ROSE CONRY

Go for solitude with a DIY holiday celebration outdoors (pack out your tinsel), or go luxe and enjoy one of these festive feasts before tackling some of the country’s finest trails.

Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah

Discover the forgotten lakes and boulder fields in, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, UT. Take Ruth Lake Trail and head off on a private adventure.

High Unitas Wilderness, Utah

By Drew Allred

Snag killer sunset views, escape to the Oquirrhs, and swim in the Uintahs with these easy-access picks for Salt Lake City's best local hikes.

Yes, you should visit Arches, but don't pass up stunning Corona Arch outside Moab. Bonus: You'll get views of the Colorado River and Bootlegger Canyon.

Take in breathtaking views, stunning rock formations, and historical ruins on this 5-night itinerary.

Explore redrock canyons and ancient ruins.

As the water level in this reservoir dropped by as much as 150 feet over a period of 5 years, the legendary canyons of Glen Canyon began to emerge for the first time in nearly 40 years.

This short hike threads through a hoodoo-filled climbing mecca with outrageous scenery and countless sidetrip options.

Climb up a steep canyon draped in a mix of fir and aspen forest to a craggy overlook of the Salt Lake Valley on this moderate 5.2-mile loop in the Mt. Olympus Wilderness.

This 5.3-mile out-and-back threads through a pristine alpine landscape with abundant streams, lakes, and wildlife on its way to a 10,650-foot peak in Wasatch National Forest.

Not for the weak-hearted, this 6.8-miler gains 4,200 feet up wooded hills, through a weathered canyon, and onto the flanks of Mt. Olympus where views are beyond spectacular.

Venture into the lost world of the ancient Fremont people where smoke-stained grottos and some of the finest petroglyphs around highlight this 4-mile journey.

This narrow sandstone wonderland is a gateway to unlimited off-the-grid backpacking near Navajo Mountain.

This steep 6.2-mile out-and-back leads to one of the most celebrated alpine scenes--Lake Blanche under the spires of Sundial Peak--in the Wasatch Range.

Get high in a hurry on this 9.8-mile out-and-back that gains 3,500 feet and takes in eagle-eye vistas of Salt Lake and the Wasatch Range.

Take an easy 4.4-mile walk--perfect for the whole family--through a stream-laced canyon to a picturesque rock bridge. Water shoes recommended.

This 27-mile, 5-day trek circumnavigates Navajo Mountain and leads to Rainbow Bridge, the largest natural bridge in the world.

String together two scenic canyons, several campsites, long vistas, and local landmarks like Rudy's Flats and Elephant Rock on this 9.2-miler.

This hike explores a network of canyon forks anchored by scenic and isolated camping and reliable water sources in central Ticaboo Creek.

Hike 6.1 miles into a redrock paradise full of wind-and-water sculptures that seem to defy gravity. You'll see seven amazing arches on this route.

Go from lush mountains to high desert via a red rock canyon on this 16.3-mile, mostly off-trail trek into Grand Staircase-Escalante. Go in spring or fall; pack extra water.

Run, bike, or hike 10.4 miles out and back along a 14,000-year-old lake shoreline to fresh air and broad vistas in Provo Canyon.

On this 6.6-mile hike, you'll climb the highest peak on the Great Salt Lake's Antelope Island, which is home to more than 600 bison.

This 8.5-mile out-and-back with an off-trail bonus traverses grassy ridgelines to a rocky summit overlooking the Wasatch Front.

This hike, a best-kept secret among locals, climbs 3,000 gritty feet to spring-fed conifers, aspens, and meadows in the Wasatch Range outside Provo.

This 8.4-mile out-and-back hooks around the steep, bare prow of Squaw Peak, then ascends its north slope to a summit with skybox views.

You'll climb a stiff 3,600 feet on this 7.8-mile loop, but gain extraordinary views of the high desert, Wasatch Mountains and Great Salt Lake.

This 7.6-miler loops under Mt. Timpanogos through a rugged canyon and high meadows to a smaller (just as gorgeous) summit in the Wasatch Range.

Take the city's light rail to this 4-mile lollipop loop and a high point above the Great Salt Lake and Wasatch foothills.

Pack your swimsuit for this 5.4-mile round-trip canyon hike leading to a series of steaming, turquoise-blue hot pools and a cascading waterfall.

This 14.6-mile dayhike serves up two Wasatch summits, some off-trail scrambles above an emerald-colored lake, and top-notch views.

Snowshoe or ski into a winter paradise on this 4.7-miler that loops past a mountain spring and finishes with a downhill sprint.

This classic dayhike runs up a narrow canyon then along a formidable knife-edge ridge to a giant monolith with mind-boggling redrock views.

Trace a rushing river in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest.

Utah's Range Creek hides the most intact Native American artifacts in the United States. Get there now--while you can still play archaeologist.

Enter the world of the Anasazi on a 16-mile canyon-country overnighter through Owl Creek and Fish Creek canyons.

Squeeze through colorful canyons on a 4.5-mile twisting desert dayhike.

Put your route-finding skills to the test on this 5-mile trek that ascends rock ledges, skirts slickrock pools, and traverses sandy-bottomed washes.

Traverse ribbons of riparian growth across southern Utah.

Cruise a forest of rock pinnacles en route to Tower Arch on this remote 3.5-mile lollipop loop in the little-visited northwest section of Arches National Park.

Peakbaggers love this 13.9-mile lollipop-loop which climbs past mountain lakes and rugged cirques to the second highest peak in the Wasatch.

Trace lava flows through wildflower meadows on this moderate 9.3-mile loop (famous for its singletrack mountain biking) around a subalpine lake.

This quick (and scenic) 0.3-mile jaunt loops around the base of Balanced Rock, a teetering sandstone rock formation in Arches National Park.

Climb a massive slickrock ribbon and stand beneath one of Arches National Park's most iconic landmarks on this 3.1-mile out-and-back.

Paving the way for a traffic-free park, this 1.8-mile trail connects the Zion Visitor's Center and Canyon Junction. Don't miss a foot-soak in the Virgin River on your way!

Scale Zion National Park's skyscraping sandstone walls and dip into a water-carved slot on this epic 8-mile out-and-back that climbs 2,148-feet to classic canyon views on Observation Point.

Cruise the northern reaches of Zion's monumental canyon on this 2-mile out-and-back that skirts the Virgin River, winds past hanging gardens, and touches the crimson-stained cliffs of the Narrows.

This easy, 1.5-mile dayhike skirts the canyon-carving Virgin River en route to an algae-tinted desert oasis and a dripping, 100-foot waterfall.

From cacti to cottonwood, this easy, 0.5-mile loop climbs nearly 100 feet to a hanging garden, a dripping rock, and a peek at Zion National Park's biodiversity.

Grab unparalleled views of the La Sal Mountains, Arches National Park, Spanish Valley, and the Colorado River on this 4.2-mile hike near downtown Moab.

Red rock cliffs are the backdrop for this 4.8-mile point-to-point that traverses part of a 62,000-acre wildlife preserve near St. George—keep an eye peeled for trailside tortoises!

A 15.6-mile hike-scramble-wade-swim through one of the finest river gorges on Earth.

Discover Utah's best-kept secret.

Start this burly, 14.5-mile one-way hike at 7,460-foot Lava Point and drop 3,150 feet to the Grotto. En route, tick off Zion’s greatest hits from the pine-studded sandstone basins of Phantom Valley to the dizzying drops on Angel’s Landing (miles six and 12). Camp at Potato Hollow and Cabin Springs.

Take two days to savor this 4.6-mile (one-way) climb that ends on the Pfeifferhorn, a rocky, 11,326-foot peak less than an hour from Salt Lake.

A quiet canyon with SLC views lies just outside a busy neighborhood street.

Explore off-trail to canyons brimming with ancient ruins.

Climb through the wildflower-peppered Alexander Basin en route to dazzling Salt Lake City panoramas from Gobblers Knob on this ferociously steep 5.5-miler.

Pack light and be prepared to climb on this 11.8-mile out-and-back serving up stunning alpine scenery and prime fishing at the secluded Amethyst Lake.

On this 20-mile overnighter, find seclusion and endless Uinta Mountain panoramas from one of Utah’s highest peaks.