Cathedral Valley Loop is an off-road tour of northern portions of Capitol Reef National Park. This scenic driving tour showcases panoramic viewpoints, dramatic diversity in landscapes, historical remnants, geologic oddities, and more. This 57 mile (92 km) expedition quickly encounters a river ford crossing and leads on through the bentonite hills to Lower South Desert…
Mormon pioneers began to settle in what is now Capitol Reef National Park in the early 1880’s. Nestled next to the Fremont River they enjoyed a prolonged farming season and planted a variety of fruit trees. The settlement was called Fruita, where a small group of large families lived. A National Monument was established in…
Hickman Bridge is one of Capitol Reef National Park’s most popular attractions. With an impressive 133 foot (40 m) span and standing 125 feet tall, this arch is a must see when visiting this quiet park. The trail begins at the bank of the Fremont River and climbs gradually until reaching switchbacks leading up the…
The Colorado River Scenic Byway, or Highway 128, begins just north of Moab, Utah, on the eastern edge of the Colorado River. The road follows the river northeast for roughly 30 miles (48 km) as it carves its way through tall red rock cliffs. Along the way are enjoyable views of the swift moving Colorado…
Gemini Bridges are robust twin sandstone bridges that are a popular four-wheel drive destination near Moab City. Unlike most arch viewpoints, this trail leads to the top of the bridges where you can walk across them and see down into Bull Canyon below. These two bridges are named after the Gemini twins of Roman mythology,…
Fossilized evidence of prehistoric life is extensive in the Moab area. Dinosaur tracks and skeletal structures embedded in the rock strata can be seen on trail sides and official sites. One notable site is the Mill Canyon Dinosaur Trail which contains numerous fossils and tracks still encased in the earth. Located in a large wash,…
Little Wild Horse is a narrow slot canyon that is packed with fun and mystery. Kids and adults alike will thrill at the twists and turns between sandstone cliffs. From the parking area the trail begins in a wide, sandy wash and progressively narrows until it reaches the slot canyon. This hike can be done…
Long Canyon is a scenic off-road detour that cuts through the red rock canyons between Canyonlands National Park and Moab, Utah. This downhill route provides panoramic views of sandstone fins along the banks of the Colorado River with the La Sal Mountains at the horizon. Contrary to what the name suggests, Long Canyon is a…
Ancient scenes preserved on rock surfaces are found throughout Utah’s southern desert. These petroglyphs and pictographs give a glimpse into the historic living of the ancient people that once inhabited this harsh region. The people left behind paintings (pictographs) or carved images (petroglyphs) of human-like and animal-like figures. Like us today, these ancient civilizations were…
Scenic Byway 12 received the designation of an “All American Road” in 2002 by the Federal Highway Administration. This designation is awarded to routes with features that do not exist elsewhere in the United States and are unique and important enough to be tourist destinations unto themselves. Highway 12 snakes through Dixie National Forest climbing…