Definitely a hidden gem!! I stumbled upon Fish Lake when scouting out the best location from which…read moreto watch the Annular Solar Eclipse (10/2023). What a find!! I inadvertently discovered that this is also home to Pando The Trembling Giant - which is the world's largest tree - something else I've had on my must-see list for years!! Win win!! This national forest is beautiful! You've got mountains surrounded by a massive Aspen clone (Pando) and Utah's largest natural mountain lake with the clearest water I've ever seen! Not to mention all the birds - but most especially the Mountain Bluebird - also known as the "bluest of the Bluebirds" and one I've been chasing for YEARS - we found almost 20 here!! Jackpot!! We had such a fantastic time watching the eclipse here - and we were totally surprised that we had the place all to ourselves pretty much - this place is very off the radar (luckily). There are several campgrounds surrounding the south entrance but the larger one is under construction. Luckily the bathrooms were still open - but not stocked so bring TP lol! The thing I loved most - apart from the bluebirds - was Pando!! What a fascinating natural wonder! Currently the world's largest tree - but used to also be the world's largest living organism - until the giant fungus mats of Oregon were discovered lol. Pando is an "Aspen clone" - it looks like a huge forest of beautiful Aspen trees but is actually all one giant organism - very cool! And a breathtaking sight, especially in the fall when the leaves change to golden orange colors! There are tons of hiking trails and even ATV trails - but you need a Utah certification so be aware. Fishing is also a highlight here. Their website says they accept America the Beautiful passes here - but I couldn't find out how much a day pass costs and there were no pay stations or boxes when entering. Roads are well maintained and there are lots of viewpoints and parking areas. Easy to find - just plug "Pando" into your GPS and it takes you right to it. The drive in is gorgeous as well. And it sits between Richfield (a great town to base yourself out of) and Capital Reef National Park which is well worth a visit! Can't go wrong in this area - it'll keep you busy for days!!

We decided to take highway 153 from Beaver to Juntion, UT. It was definitely out of our way but…read moreworth every minute. With the changing colors of the trees and Beaver River flowing every corner took my breath away. The weather was perfect the entire way. There are camp and fishing areas all up and down the highway including sxs trails and more. Highway 153 is closed during winter in some areas so make sure you check your route ahead of time. I recommend a high clearance vehicle if you're planning to do the entire drive through with the last 25 miles or so being a well maintained dirt road. Such a beautiful area.

Incredible state park in Utah…read more As part of our family trip to Utah's National Parks, we stayed at Utah State Parks since they had openings. It was a good choice. This is a nice state park with friendly staff and clean facilities. There are clean restrooms with showers and even a laundry room. Just be sure to bring quarters if you arrive after the visitor center closes. In addition, the park itself has some recreational activities available and is located on historic land with pictographs to find. Very good state park.

Do you like petroglyphs? Do like short and reasonable hikes? Then Fremont Indian State Park is for…read moreyou. As a solo traveler with some mobility issues, I was worried about how much access I would have to various stops on the map from the visitor center. The crew in the gift shop were delightful! They high lighted the ones I could definitely do and I did!! I loved the paved little loop at the visitor center itself that is ADA approved. My favorite was probably the 100 Hands Cave. Just a neat little walk by the creek and a small hill to get to the sight. I forgot my binoculars, so if you go bring some with you! I went on the second weekend in May, so not quite the summer season yet, so it wasn't crowded at all and I spent a couple of hours there.

I was looking for a place to take a nap and later a walk. I found Lions Park and it is nice. I love…read moreto report on parks, (maybe I like the naps and walks??) so here is the Lions Park report: Volleyball, Baseball, Big Fire pit that could seat 35 in two circles around the pit Nice lawns, Well kept Restrooms Deep Shade so brink a blanket to enjoy the lawn for that nap Group area are there to enjoy as well with a sign up right there in the park Oh and a playground for the little ones too!

Note: Map App sent us to the wrong place!!!…read more But first: This is a great little park for a summer picnic lunch on the way to Moab. The first reviewer described it well, and is the reason why we chose to stop here. We're enjoying the shaded picnic tables, playground, and big grassy field for kicking a soccer ball around. There's also a basketball court, volleyball net on the grass, a little "skate park" with ramps, a drinking water fountain. It was pure luck that we found it, though, because the map app sent us up a gravel road for 4 miles in the wrong direction!!! We turned around after a driving a few hundred yards and the road started to climb (and a group of guys on ATVs gave us curious looks as they drove by) and decided to drive into town in hopes of finding a shady bench, when we stumbled upon it! I'm attaching a photo of the CORRECT location in the map app (Apple, I'm so disappointed in you, your map app is STILL cr*p!)

This review is for Mossy Cave Turret Arch and Little Windows Trail which was a ~0.9 miles round…read moretrip that took ~30 minutes to complete. Short and easy hike with a nice views of Tropic Ditch Falls. The Mossy Cave was underwhelming and inaccessible. Where the trail splits; the left takes you to Mossy Cave and the right takes you to Tropic Ditch Falls. Limited parking spots (~10 cars). Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/eJfn0TT_nZw

I was recommended this hike by my Airbnb host. It's rather short, took me about 20 min total…read more Parking is limited but because it's short I got lucky and got a spot from someone leaving. There are a couple NP potties there (no running water). There wasn't much water the day I came, you could see a trickle of the waterfall but it wasn't particularly exciting. Depending on the time of year, that can change. Overall, I wouldn't have spent time doing this hike if I hadn't been passing by it (but I was, on my way to Capitol Reef). But if you are passing, it's a nice walk with a little hill :)

This is a national park located in Utah about 2.5 hours drive from Moab. Stop in their Visitor…read moreCenter so you can get a trail map. They also have guides on hand that will help you plan your adventure and answer any questions. We chose to hike Hickman Bridge and Colab Canyon Trails. We also drove out to see Bentonite Hills. The trails were moderately difficult and we enjoyed the challenge. We had a capable vehicle so we were able to make the treck to Bentonite Hills. Capitol Reef Park is somewhat overshadowed by the big ones so be sure not to miss it!

Truly a hidden gem with mountains of stunning colors - ribbons of orange, white, grey running…read moreacross and sculpted by wind and water over millions of years. We went end of April and it was not too crowded. We started with Hickman's Bridge trail at 8:30 am after a short stop at the Visitor Center. We stayed at Capitol Reef Resort which gave us a nice handout summarizing the trails as well. For Hickman's Bridge, the small parking lot had a bathroom. It is rated as an easy-moderate trail. The trail was about 250-300 feet up switchbacks and stairs then an easier area before lots of rock scrambling to see the stone arch. Hiking poles were helpful navigating the ascent/descent and rocks until I went on all four's for some areas of tilted, uneven rocks. We almost missed seeing the bridge; we were so intent on trying to find footholds on the rocks and climbing. I think the left side of the loop would have been easier. Even though it is only 0.9 miles with a 400 elevation gain, it took us 1.5 hours round trip at my stopping to breath and carefully climbing/descending the rocks. Capitol Gorge Trail (2.3 miles, 80 ft elevation change) was more my speed being mostly flat and walking on small stones (hiking boots were helpful) through a canyon. (If it is going to rain; beware of flash flooding). The highlight was seeing faint petroglyphs and Mormon pilgrim signatures (from the 1800's) on parts of the rock walls. If you don't like climbing up rocks, I would say skip the optional hike up the mountain to see the water "tanks" or areas in the stone where the water collects. I saw some on the HIckman Trail and never finished that part since my thighs were getting too tired. My husband had difficulty finding the actual trail among the rocks and had to backtrack. The next day, my husband left at 6:45 am to do Navaho Knobs so he could be back by 11 am (we got a late checkout). Driving around the park, you can see the beauty without effort and the number of stunning rock formations and colors was truly something to behold.

On our way to Bryce Canyon we had to pass by the Dixie national forest…read more Dixie National Forest straddles the divide between the Great Basin and the Colorado River in southern Utah. Scenery ranges from desert canyon gorges of amber, rose, and sienna to high mountain forests, plateaus, and alpine lakes. The forest is a part of the world-renowned, with beautiful red rocks back drops scenery. Just amazing

The Dixie National Forest is known for their red rock canyons and high mountain plateaus - you can…read moretake the 89 or the 12 scenic routes on your way to or from Bryce Canyon and check this national forest out. A great place to camp, hike, fish, horseback ride, and even ski or use the snowmobile in the wintertime. We didn't see any wildlife while passing through, but I've heard that you're bound to see golden eagles, antelopes, prairie dogs, wild turkeys, and even pronghorn sheep! If you are driving, note that some of the roads are narrow! +red rock canyons +high mountain plateaus +narrow roads

There is some very interesting history at Cove Fort and we really enjoyed our visit. And it is…read morefree! Elder & Sister Isom were friendly and informative tour guides -- they each provided details about Cove Fort's origins and subsequent happenings here while allowing us space to look around and read the interpretive plaques on our own. The tour started with a good, short film shown in a restored cabin across the road from the fort. Then we proceeded to the rock fort with its 18-foot walls and huge thick gates. All of the rooms inside have each been decorated as they would have been when this outpost was functioning in the mid-1800's. We had passed by this place on the freeway several times previously, but thought it would be a long drive to reach the historical spot. Not so! It's close to the off ramp on a well-paved road. Plenty of parking and clean restrooms help make a visit here a very positive experience.

There's a 14 minute video that gives a bit of how the "fort" came to be. I can see how it served a…read morepurpose for travelers passing through, especially if the weather was particularly bad. They had a scavenger hunt for the kids, too.

Wow. During a visit to Utah's 5 national parks, this state park was a clear highlight, offering…read moreincredible amenities, friendly staff, and otherworldly views and ambience. The visitor center will likely be the only place you'll have Internet connectivity, but that's okay, because there is so much to take in here. A great outdoor area, gift shop, and even ice cream. And the bathrooms are super modern with a rainfall showerhead with hand attachment as well. There is even a really cool laundry room located in an old west style saloon building. These are excellent amenities and exactly what you need after a long day of hiking. In addition, the park itself is picturesque, with great design and privacy for most camp sites. Incredible state park.

What a great Utah State Park. It might be small but it sure has a lot to offer. Great views, nice…read morehiking, and a great campground area to stay. Highly recommended.

Sweet town. Complete with a Main Street, busy rigs and open scenic areas…read more This Covid period, I love how the town posted flags on the street lights with the pictures of their 2020 graduates. This is what being in a tight knit smaller town is all about. Of course, lots of outdoorsy things to do around the area.

A very quaint town that definitely has it appeal. It seems like a throw back into time that we…read moreenjoyed spending time grabbing a bite to eat, filling up with gas, and driving around to take in the historical building and it's charm. Perfectly located near the entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park.

Iconic, iconic, iconic. Bryce is an interesting park because it isn't all that big in the grand…read morescheme of things, but the natural formations (the hoodoos) that make up the park are some of the most interesting things to see and learn about in all of the Utah parks in my opinion. One of the most popular trails to hike is the Navajo loop via Queen's garden, which is a loop of 4ish miles that passes a bunch of beautiful lookout points as well as the "peekaboo" formation. It's very, very beautiful and not too difficult in my opinion - but do note that the very beginning/end (depending on whether you do the hike clockwise vs. counter) is rather steep and thus more challenging. I did it clockwise and therefore ended doing "Wall Street" from the bottom going up - it's several switchbacks with a decently steep grade (think Walter's wiggles in Zion, except a little bit harder since the hike to get here is longer than Angel's landing to WW). If you get winded easily, plan for at least a few hours to do the whole loop since you will tire out. Overall, I strongly recommend this hike, it's a good challenge that is very beautiful!

This is a must stop if you are planning a trip out west to hike, bike, horseback ride, or just…read moreenjoy the scenery at one of our nation's stunning national parks. We stopped at the Visitor Center to learn about the protected prairie dogs that reside in the park. This was a special focus that day. They had tables where you can learn about the varieties of prairie dogs in the US as well as why the ones in the park are endangered. We then got to use their provided binoculars to view some of the prairie dogs that live near the visitor center. The highlight of our day was taking a horseback ride. Definitely look into this as an added activity during your visit!