Have you seen the Milkyway in a certified Dark Sky Park? Would you like to visit Bryce Canyon when no one else is there? Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, and Goblin Valley are all certified Dark Sky parks which means they are some of the best places in the world to see the stars. These landscapes are unbelievably different from each other and each also has a different feeling when the stars come out.  Prepare to be amazed at the vibrant colors of Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef and intrigued by the otherworldly formations in Goblin Valley State Park.

Bryce Canyon is an amphitheater of rock spires which form twisting canyons among the hoodoos.  At an elevation of over 7,600 feet (2300 m) the rim of the canyon looks down on a stunning valley of orange, pink, and white rock formations speckled with green pine trees. There are several main viewpoints easily accessible from parking areas and a leisurely rim walk allowing guests to enjoy the views.  Those who can complete a moderate level hike of 3 miles can enjoy the Queens Garden & Navajo Loop trail and will be rewarded with an unforgettable experience.

Capitol Reef National Park is an overlooked gem among the many extraordinary destinations in southern Utah.  Rural highway 24 is the primary route for travelers visiting Utah’s national parks and it cuts through the middle of Capitol Reef providing the hurried visitor the feeling that they have seen the park. With no reason to deviate from the main route most tourists miss their chance to experience one of the most well preserved national parks in the west.  Capitol Reef provides opportunity to do some dirt road touring which leads to where many don’t dare to go.  These dirt roads provide access to the Grand Wash, Capitol Gorge, the Temple of the Sun and Moon, Glass Mountain, the Bentonite Hills, and views of miles upon miles of untouched landscapes.

Goblin Valley State Park is a quirky landscape scattered with bizarre rock formations called hoodoos.  The unearthly rocks laid out in a maze are often compared to the planet Mars.  The haphazard formations spark the imagination in childlike wonder while you make your own path through the mysterious hoodoos.  Here visitors can explore at their leisure for miles, scrambling on rocks while they discover some out-of-this-world terrain.  A few established trails lead to distant points of interest but there is no right or wrong way to navigate the park.