Utah Hiking
In Utah, hiking will bring you to some
beautiful places-places you'll never see near the roads. Utah
has great parks, mountains and national forests for hiking and
backpacking. Below are links to the official park service pages
for some of the national parks in Utah, and information on other
hiking opportunities in Utah.
Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon National Park has amazing
red rock formations. Erosion has shaped colorful limestones,
sandstones, and mudstones into thousands of spires, fins, pinnacles,
and mazes. They call these "hoodoos," and you can hike
the trails in, around, and under them. There are many shorter
trails for day hiking, and a few longer ones that will take you
deeper into the wilderness. For more information, use this link
to visit the official Bryce Canyon National Park.
Zion National Park
Zion is an ancient Hebrew word meaning
sanctuary, or a place of refuge. The park has 229 square miles
is a dramatic landscape of sculptured canyons and soaring cliffs.
It's unique geology is, in part, because it is at the junction
of the Colorado Plateau, Great Basin and Mojave Desert. This
has created a variety of environments within Zion. You'll see
more plant and animal diversity here than just about anywhere
in Utah.
Hiking "The Narrows" in Zion
National Park is an incredible experience. And on your way there,
look closely at the spots on the walls five hundred feet above
you. They are usually climbers. Zion is a busy place, especially
if you are only decaying the slot canyons, but it's worth seeing
at least once in your life. For more information, use the link
here to visit the official Zion National Park Web Site.
Arches National Park
Arches National Park has over two thousand
natural sandstone arches, the most famous being "Delicate
Arch." You'll find a variety of other interesting rock formations
as well, including balanced rocks, fins and pinnacles. The Arches
are what bring the visitors, though. The park contains the greatest
density of natural arches in the world. There are hiking opportunities
for both day hikes and multi-day trips. For more information,
use this link to visit the official Arches National Park Web Site.
Cedar Breaks National Monument
A huge natural amphitheater has been
eroded out of the variegated Pink Cliffs near Cedar City, Utah.
Sedimentation, uplift and erosion have created a deep canyon
of rock walls, fins, spires and columns, that spans some three
miles, and is over 2,000 feet deep. The canyon rim is over 10,000
feet above sea level, and is forested with Englemann spruce,
subalpine fir and aspen; separated by broad meadows of brilliant
summertime wild flowers.
Hiking is mostly limited to day trips,
such as the Spectra Point/Ramparts Trail, which takes you one
mile to the Spectra Point Overlook. If you are prepared for a
slightly more strenuous stretch, you can continue one mile further
to the Ramparts Overlook at trail's end, then hike the two miles
back to the trailed for a 4-mile round trip. The trail is somewhat
strenuous, and at 10,000 feet above sea level. For more information,
use this link to visit the official Cedar Breaks National Monument Web Site.
Canyonlands National Park
Canyonlands National Park is a landscape
of canyons, mesas, and deep river gorges . It is divided into
four distinct areas or environments by the Colorado and Green
rivers: the Island in the Sky, the Needles, the Maze and the
rivers themselves. All have a desert atmosphere, but each retains
its own character and has different opportunities for hiking
and exploration, both for day trips and multi-day backpacking.
For more information, use the link here to visit the official
Canyonlands
National Park Web Site.
Utah Hiking In The Mountains
The Rockies cut through the northern
part of Utah, making for great mountain hiking. Provo Canyon,
pictured above, for example, has trails for hiking trips of all
lengths. For more information on these areas, use the link here
to the official Utah State Tourism Web Site.
Less Crowded Utah Hiking
In the national parks of Utah, hiking
can be a bit crowded, but there are alternatives. In Escalante/Grand
Staircase National Monument, for example, you can drive the back
roads for hours without seeing a soul, so you know you'll have
the trails to yourself when you get out of the car. In fact,
you won't even need trails in many areas, which is good,
because you won't find trails in many areas (bring a good map).
For more information, use this link to visit the official Grand Staircase
Escalante National Monument Web Site.
Southern Utah Hiking Weather
The rainy season is from July to September
in southern Utah, and flash floods are a possibility. Temperatures
can top 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the summer. In the spring or
fall, you can go hiking and backpacking light and comfortable.
Just be sure to carry plenty of water, and maybe some climbing
gear if you want to do more than look at those fantastic rock
formations.
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