We love stepping outside normal travel paths, finding unusual experiences and hiking until we out-hike the crowds. Here's our Top 10 Off The Beaten Path from our UT National Park Tour this Spring:

  1. Kanab Slot Canyon Tour – absolutely stunning. We opted for the Sandboarding UTV tour which made the short drive back to the Red Canyon entrance more action-filled. Walking the slot canyon was an impressive experience and we saw a lot of plant fossils, as well as Native American handholes which served as an access point to higher ground.
  2. Hwy 12 Scenic Byway – ever wonder what it would be like to stand on the ocean floor or on an ocean peak? When you explore Southern UT, it's all around you and driving Hwy 12 & Hwy 24 in UT captures it at it's best.
  3. Hwy 24 Scenic Byway
  4. On a clear night, it’s rumored that Kodachrome Basin State Park has one of the best views of the Milky Way in our sweet nation.
  5. Goblin Valley State Park, Goblin’s Lair Hike – the weather was perfect for this desert hike around mesas to begin the climb to the entrance to Goblin’s Lair. And you can’t miss the Valley of the Goblins – see it from the parking lot, or walk down to get a little closer.
  6. Devil’s Garden, Escalante, UT – the 7 mile drive off Scenic Hwy 12 on a dirt road, alongside the Grand Staircase is worth it – we saw maybe 3 cars on the road which made it a very peaceful drive. And if you have the whole day – continue on out to Hole in the Rock, about 40 miles down a quiet dirt road from Devil’s Garden
  7. Hell’s Revenge – definitely not 7th on the awesome list, everything on this list is INCREDIBLE. Hell’s Revenge is not for the faint at heart. I would liken it to a wild amusement park ride. You can choose to go in a UTV and drive yourself (or get a guide) or self driving (if you have a Jeep) or experience a guided Jeep tour (which was our transportation of choice). We opted for the sunset tour time and the views were top notch. Brendon was a great guide with: Portal Off Road Tours.
  8.  Cycling Slick Rock in Moab – whether you prefer human powered or eBike, this is sure to getting your heart pumping and the views are incredible.
  9. Red Cliff Lodge, Moab is all about the scenery, but the live music and food are pretty good too, if staying in a cabin on the Colorado River a few minutes outside of Moab is your speed.
  10. Downtown Grand Junction, CO – if you’re looking for an easy drive and easy flight out of Moab, Grand Junction is it – and it’s worth a stop in downtown for lunch or dinner, just 7 miles from the airport.
  11. Okay this is going to be a Top 11. We really enjoyed the Petroglyphs and scenery in Coral Reef National Park - off of Hwy 24, a short distance from Hwy 12.

See the full our full Utah National Park itinerary in the blog: Our Utah National Park Tour

 

See the Valley of the Goblins in Goblin Valley State Park, UT

See the Milky Way in Kodachrome State Park, UT

See The Grand Staircase from Devil's Garden in Escalante, UT

 

See hoodoos in Bryce Canyon National Park, UT

Christmas Trees along Hwy 24 Boulder, UT

Hike into the cave of Goblins Lair at Goblin Valley State Park

Sandboard with views of The Grand Staircase in Kanab on UTV Slot Canyon Tour

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