Everyone raves about this place, we hike a lot have done Angels and Half dome so gotta "Wave" right…read more? Took us 3 tries and scored hit early summer, bummer as you do need to plan your hydration carefully as it is dangerous out there when in the 90s We live close enough about a 4 hour drive to Page and overnight and early start to the trail head. Get a rental, you don't want to put your car thru the 9 rough miles and don't even think of doing it if it rains! Higher ground clearance is nice but not necessary but saw mostly SUV, drive your sedan at your own risk, we rented a compact SUV. Watch the weather carefully as for the two days we were there saw afternoon thunderstorms come in and the area did get a little rain the past day, saw some mud and standing water. As to the hike - summer is brutal! Start early, we did at 6am and did 8 miles but not all the attractions as we had to get back to Phoenix. Would it be worth the exhausting 13 miles to see it all, personal decision and gotta have the time. We've done 13 miles but wouldn't consider it here in summer or winter unless you are an Ironman Of course The Wave and Second Wave are amazing as does the arches and others look. We climbed past the second wave and ran outta time Must do, AllTrails or other offline map, the provided map and pictures are not enough. Consider a guide if you are a novice, but the guided tours were grouped and held back by what looked like the older crowd, YMMV. Four stars as between the difficulty with weather the slog the beauty not like Delicate Arch, Half Dome or Angels IMHO

I've heard the lottery permit for The Wave is one of the hardest to win. I had previously missed…read moreout on the advanced lottery for 3 dates I submitted for mid-May and sorta planned out my 9-day roadtrip in AZ without visiting here. I really only had 1 day to fit in a trip to The Wave while I was staying in Page for 4 days and took a shot with the daily lottery permit and won! I was super pumped when I got the email notification! The 2-day advance daily lottery permit can only be applied for while you are in a nearby geofenced area and you have to pick up the permit and go through orientation/training at either Page, AZ or Kanab, UT. One tricky thing about the permit application hours is that it is based on UT and Navajo time, not AZ time. If you are in Page, you'll have to ignore the local time and make sure you are 1 hour ahead of the daily application closing time. Anyways, this was one of the most jaw-dropping other-worldy places I've hiked. The journey to reach The Wave features some of the most unique terrains and landscapes I've seen. There are geologic features all around, everywhere you look. Once you reach The Wave area, you almost can't believe what you are seeing. Some areas look like the rings of Saturn. Some areas look like huge ocean waves. I was in awe the entire time I was there. I can't even explain everything I saw, as words can't describe the scenery. Just look at the pictures. I didn't really explore past the main area because I was on a tight schedule and needed to head back. I would have to say this hike may be too challenging if you only rely on the paper map provided during orientation. I would highly recommend GPS tracking app, I used AllTrails to track my hike and even then I went off trail a few times, as this is definitely not a straight forward hike. Not a long hike at about 3.3 mile each way, but I would start early as it can get quite hot in this area. Also, there was a gentleman from BLM that was checking for permits at The Wave, if you were curious about enforcement.

The Toadstool Hoodoos are cool rock formations formed by differential erosion. They look like…read moremushrooms, as the harder rock caps and protects the softer rock underneath. The hike is an easy 1.5 miles. The views at the end are worth it, and you can get close to the rock formations as you like (although don't topple the rocks!). It's suitable for families with small children. If you don't mind driving on an unpaved road (I did it in a 2WD sedan), check out House Rock Valley Road for unparalleled views of the landscape with swirling sandstone, painted hills, and other cool rock formations. Check out the Wire Pass Trail for amazing slot canyons, although check the weather. If there's any chance for rain, do not enter the slot canyons since the formations channel water and form deadly floods in the canyon. The visitor center in Kanab is huge, with lots of good pamphlets and displays about the geology and archaeology of the area.

This feels like a review in progress because the area is so large - but was pleasantly surprised by…read morehow much more I want to explore this region. We did Willis Creek Narrows and Lower Calf Creek Falls - both incredible. Now adding to the wish list for return trips. The drive along US 12 is just spectacular. Definitely recommend a high clearance vehicle with 4WD to access some of the more remote locations. Be prepared to adventure and bring what you need as this is not a manicured national park, but more a haven for those looking for an off-grid escape.

I came upon the Blanche Russell Rock House by accident as I drove past Vermillion Cliffs into…read moreMarble Canyon. I had no idea what this spot was but I got out of my car to explore anyway and it was one of the more memorable stops during my road trip. First thing I noticed were the huge boulders scattered about, including one that looked like a dinosaur skull and another that defies the laws of physics with it's skinnier base and much wider top. The next thing I noticed was a very modest stone structure, like a home, built amongst the boulders. I took loads a photos and dropped a pin in my map so I could look up the structure later. Came to find this structure was the Blanche Russell rock house, a home built by former Ziegfeld Follies girl, Blanche Russell and her husband Bill, who came across the area and sheltered under the boulders briefly when their car broke down in 1927. While spending time waiting for someone to come by to help, they fell in love with the landscape and decided to literally set up shop. They built the stone house and sold food to passerbys heading to the north rim of the Grand Canyon. She also bartered food for help building the structure and assistance expanding their footprint to a restaurant and a trading post up the road. The restaurant, Cliff Dwellers', still exists nearby to this day! As a history nerd I was totally fascinated by this story and I'm grateful I was able to take it all in, even if it was brief.

It's sad to see the destruction from last year's wildfires. Heartbreaking. Still a beautiful area,…read morenice place to stop to stretch your legs and a cool lookout/viewing area. Nearly everything surrounding this overlook has remnants of fire scars. Very popular stop place.

This part of the 89A gets dusted with snow anywhere from November to February. We were lucky enough…read moreto be driving through when it happened around Thanksgiving. While there is no bathroom here it's still a nice stop off to check out the area and stretch your legs.. - The parking lot can be very slippery after a snow storm because ice gathers on the ground.

Very beautiful highway. This is one of those yelp freebies. You have to take this route anyways to…read moreget to Bryce Canyon, lol.

I have lived in Utah for over 45 years. I drove Scenic Highway 12 for the first time earlier this…read moresummer. Most incredible drive I have ever experienced in Utah. Changing landscape every few miles. Well worth the time and effort!!

To get to here, you will need to drive on House Rock Valley Road which is an unpaved road. I did it…read morein a 2WD sedan, but made sure that the weather was dry so there was no mud. There's a large parking lot with a few composting toilets. You do need to pay for a permit - the trailhead allows you to use your credit card to pay and prints out a copy of the permit. Anyway, this is an awesome slot canyon! Follow the stream bed until you enter the canyon. It's a short canyon that leads to a petroglyph panel. There's a ladder section, but also an alternative trail if you have a dog or can't navigate the ladder. At the petroglyph panel, you can then explore the Buckskin Gulch narrows (the full Gulch is an overnight hike). I had to turn around at some point since there were huge puddles of water - some over knee deep that I didn't want to risk accidentally falling into when balancing on rocks. I would definitely visit again!!!

What an amazing experience going through the canyons ,a bit rough on the road driving into the…read moretrailhead due to flood damage so a 4x4 is way better ,once you arrive bathrooms are clean .

This is a must see if you're staying in Duck Creek or close by. Breathtaking scenery and so…read morepeaceful!

Amazing views of red-orange rock formations with white tops. The road to get there is a bit rough,…read morebut well worth the trip! See my drone footage at: http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLCm3s9p8izuOtqEsyBP1rVwUCrO6F032K

If you're heading to Zion and want something that feels straight out of a Western movie, Grafton…read moreGhost Town is 100% worth the quick detour. We stopped here not expecting much, and it ended up being one of the most unique spots of the trip. This place dates back to the 1860s and was settled by pioneers trying to farm along the Virgin River. Between floods, isolation, and tough conditions, the town was eventually abandoned--but what's left behind is seriously cool. Unlike a lot of ghost towns, Grafton actually has several well-preserved buildings, including an old schoolhouse, homes, and even a cemetery. Walking through it feels quiet... almost too quiet. It's the kind of place where you can actually picture what life was like back then. And the setting? Unreal. You've got massive red rock cliffs from Zion in the background, which makes it feel way more cinematic than your average historical stop. It's no surprise this place has been used in movies. There's no entry fee, no crowds (usually), and no over-the-top tourist setup--just raw history and insane scenery. If you're already visiting Zion, skipping Grafton would honestly be a mistake. It's quick, eerie, beautiful, and totally unforgettable. Follow us for more hidden gems on our socials @reessroots

I remember going to Grafton with my family when I was a child, so when I had the opportunity to go…read moreback and visit as an adult, I was excited to see how it changed. It's much cleaner and well-maintained than I remembered. I think the LDS church owns the property now and is doing some renovations on the buildings. You can walk through most of the buildings as well as the grounds around them. It's a neat stop and worth taking the time to be in the space and energy of some of Utah's history.