Southern Utah is a sandstone wonderland of amazing shapes and colors, and it contains five gorgeous national parks in addition to a host of national forests, national monuments, wilderness areas, and state parks.
Many people plan vacations around visiting all five parks during one trip, spending a day or two at each. With such limited time and so many things to do, it can be hard to make an itinerary. The following are three things you might enjoy in each park, from west to east.
Zion– Angels Landing
This strenuous trail climbs up a set of seemingly endless switchbacks called Walter’s Wiggles and winds up at a viewpoint called Scout Overlook.
Many people turn around here, but others continue up a narrow, highly exposed ridge to the summit of Angels Landing, where spectacular views await. Chains are available for hikers to hold onto.
Zion– The Narrows
This is one of the most unique hikes you’ll ever do because the “trail” is the Virgin River. A paved trail leads for about a mile to where the watery adventure begins, and many people stop there, but you can continue onward and go at least as far as the heart of the Narrows, where towering red sandstone walls are close on both sides.
Zion– East Side
There are only a couple of officially maintained trails on the East Side. The rest of the area beckons those who want to explore the many canyons, washes, sandstone slabs, and peaks.
Bryce Canyon– Navajo Loop and Queens Garden
The vast majority of people who visit Bryce Canyon go no farther than the overlooks of the main amphitheater. The Navajo Loop and Queens Garden Trail drop down into the spectacular formations and lets you get up close to them.
Bryce Canyon– Natural Bridge
This is a roadside stop, but it’s past the main overlook area, so not everyone goes there. It’s a natural arch that frames the famous “hoodoos” of Bryce Canyon. If you’re looking for great pictures, go in the late afternoon.
Bryce Canyon– Bristlecone Pines
The scenic drive through the park ends at the park’s highest elevations, and up there, bristlecone pines grow. Bristlecones are the world’s longest-living organisms, and although the ones at Bryce aren’t close to being the oldest (those are in California’s White Mountains and exceed 6,000 years old); they’re “only” up to 1,800 years old.
These trees only grow in a few extreme climates, and their gnarled, weathered appearance is awe-inspiring.
Capitol Reef– Hickman Bridge and Navajo Knobs
The trails for these two sites start from the same place. A spur to Hickman Bridge breaks off left, and it’s an easy hike to this large natural bridge. The moderately strenuous trail to the Navajo Knobs gets you up high for excellent views. At the trail’s end, it’s a pretty easy scramble up one of the peaks.
Capitol Reef– Capitol Gorge and the Tanks
Capitol Wash is a flat and easy hike through a pretty canyon, and you can see ancient Native American petroglyphs, writings left behind by Mormon settlers, and wildly honeycombed patterns in the rock walls. A side trail climbs to some depressions called tanks that usually have water in them.
Capitol Reef– Upper Muley Twist Canyon
It’s a long drive to get here, and you’ll need 4WD, but it’s worth the effort. This loop first passes several beautiful natural arches in a canyon and then climbs steeply to the rim above. The ensuing ridge walk feels like being on top of the world, and the trail eventually returns to where you began.
Canyonlands– Mesa Arch
Canyonlands consists of four districts: Island in the Sky, the Needles, the Maze, and Horseshoe Canyon. The Maze is notoriously difficult to access, but the other three are accessible by passenger cars. Mesa Arch is a very short hike on the Island in the Sky District, which makes it great for families with young kids. Still, it’s worth a visit by anyone of any age.
Canyonlands– Chesler Park
This area in the Needles District requires some rugged hiking to reach, but it pays off with great scenery. It takes you through the heart of the namesake Needles, red spires that have an amazing glow at sunrise and sunset.
Canyonlands– Great Gallery
Horseshoe Canyon is detached from the other three districts, and you can only get there via a long drive on dirt roads, though they’re perfectly passable when dry. The hike down into the canyon takes you to several sites with ancient rock art, including the Great Gallery, where there are numerous mysterious figures including a 7’ tall one known as the Holy Ghost.
Oh, and not far from the start of the hike is a set of fossilized dinosaur tracks.
Arches– Devils Garden
Arches has the greatest concentration of natural arches in the world. On the Devil’s Garden Trail, you can see several, including an impossibly thin Landscape Arch, one of the world’s longest.
The trail culminates at a formation called the Dark Angel, and if you want more challenge and adventure on the way back, you can opt for the Primitive Loop.
Arches– Windows Area
This area has short, easy trails to arches called the North and South Windows, which from a distance look like a pair of eyes, and to Turret Arch, a tall arch with a pinnacle rising beside it.
There’s also an easy trail to the huge Double Arch, which you might recognize from the opening scenes of Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.
Arches– Delicate Arch
You’ve probably seen this famous arch in many pictures, which show it glowing in the rays of the setting sun while framing the snow-capped La Sal Mountains. It’s also depicted on a lot of Utah license plates.
A moderately strenuous trail reaches the arch in about 1.5 miles, so it’s even okay for most kids.
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Lake Tahoe on the California-Nevada border makes a lot of lists of the most beautiful places in America. There’s also a lot to do there, with a wide range of outdoor recreation, great dining, resorts, nightlife, and more. If it’s your first time going or if you’re going back, consider adding some of the following places to your itinerary.
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The World’s 5 Friendliest and 5 Unfriendliest Cities
Some cities welcome visitors and want them to be there. Other cities are rude to visitors and would just as soon see you leave. It can be jarring to be in an unfriendly city, though some of the world’s most enticing cities rank high on the rudeness scale.
When you visit a friendly city, it’s much easier to soak in the culture and meet the locals. Rough Guides readers voted on the cities for their level of friendliness. According to Rough Guides, these are the world’s friendliest and unfriendliest cities.
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