This area is as beautiful as Bryce Canyon National Park. It's lesser known I think because the visitors all swarm to Bryce, but I think it's a good thing that it's less visited, which gives it a different vibe. Even if you don't stop to do any trails, the drive is gorgeous, with pull outs and shoulders to park at and gawk at the rock formations. (I'm not sure if you're supposed to be parking on the side of the road, but a lot of people were doing it!) There a bunch of informational signs outside the visitor center which provide information driving tours, hikes, ecology of the area, etc. From the parking lot are trail heads to hoodoo & birdseye trail, and also pink ledges trailhead. Worth a stop! read more

Red Canyon - Trailhead information in the Red Canyon visitor center parking lot - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Panguitch, Utah

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We had the best time at Red Canyon walking the trails and letting the kids play in the snow that had called earlier that day. Such a beautiful place. read more

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On our family road trip to Utah this past summer, we wanted to go to Bryce Canyon National Park. We noticed that the rock formations were really red, yet strangely familiar. It turns out that Red Canyon seems to be the inspiration for Big Thunder Mountain at Disneyland. We didn't get very far into the park because it was getting a little late in the day. But the spot we did stop in was beautiful! We took our traveling bear (@lancebearton on Instagram!) and got some good pictures with him. We'll go back again when we have more time. The pictures don't do it justice, I'll tell you that! read more

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I learned about Red Canyon literally by driving through on my way to Bryce Canyon from Zion. And WOAH. I was completely floored by how gorgeous it was. It had just snowed that morning and the fluffy snow on the red rocks was just beyond gorgeous. I hadn't planned to add exploring here to my schedule and definitely lost a little time in my day but it was 100% worth it. The rock arches over the road alone are just so cool! And they have tons of pull offs along the road to make stopping and exploring super easy as well, especially if you do it on a whim like I did! Also, THE VISITOR'S CENTER!! They have one of the largest selections of Smokey the Bear memorabilia I've seen in all my National Park adventures and I was SO excited. My husband is a big Smokey fan since he was a kid so I stocked up on a bunch of stickers, patches, postcards, etc. I told the rangers here how much he loved Smokey (and still has his beat up smokey stuffed animal from youth, complete with a bandaid over his chest where he has a hole) and they were SO nice and went to the back and got me a plastic Smokey hat they had gotten for promo as well a bunch of other promo items like a reusable bag, book, etc. SO GENEROUS!!! They were literally about to close for the season (20 minutes after I was there, truly made it by the skin of my teeth!) and were happy to go out on a fun note like that. I was very grateful, as was my husband! The whole experience, from the visitors center to the canyon itself, was one of the highlights of my trip! Next time I come through I will definitely work the canyon into more of my schedule to explore even more. read more

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Is this Cars Land or Utah? Such a beautiful drive on your way to Bryce Canyon. It feels a bit like Cars Land with the arches and vibrant colors. There are actually two arches close together you can drive thru. There is available space on side of the road if you'd like to stop for a photo or video. Visitors Center nearby as well for souvenirs and more. Don't get confused that this is the same as Bryce Canyon. You still have a bit of a drive to reach Bryce. read more

You're about to learn about the best kept secret here! No crowds, no lines, no hunting 1/2 hour for parking spots to deal with. Just some awesome hikes, hoodoos, scenic drive, a new trail for electric bikes and their visitor center with Smoky (The) Bear! FYI for all you who have the National Park Passport book, you can get it stamped here! I was happy to see there's one for Smoky! Dixie Forest, It's part of the National Forest Park hence why Smoky is boss! There's also 2 cool rock formation archways to drive thru. All this on Scenic Byway 12 designated the All American Highway. Soo make time on your itinerary instead of driving past this place when you are on your way to Bryce Canyon NP! read more

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This place TOTALLY ripped off Cars Land. The four-mile stretch of vermillion-colored rock and pink soil is stunning. It's basically Sedona with ponderosa pines without all the ugly jewelry. Red Canyon wasn't a destination for me; rather it was a surprise, underused bonus on the way to Bryce Canyon, about 10 miles away, so consider the 20 minute drive for a few photos ops, the most popular being the two rock tunnels. At first they look like something Wile E. Coyote painted to trick the Road Runner, but they're real. The rock is a weathered conglomerate of limestone, sandstone, siltstone, and shale, which sounds like the expensive lawyer firm Wilma used to get custody of Pebbles. It's red because of the iron and manganese, but you can tell your kids that it didn't wear sunscreen because fear tactics. If I had planned to stay in the 41K recreation area, I would rent bikes and use the brand new, paved Red Canyon Bicycle Trail for a 1.5 mile round trip, fenced away from the highway it often follows. Five of the fourteen trails stem from the Trailhead Kiosk, just a short drive east of the visitor center (open Memorial to Labor Day), which has a photo op with Smokey the Bear. A statue, not the real Smokey the Bear. Don't be stupid. Most recommended: Pink Ledges (who I think won a Best Actor Oscar for Dark Knight- I could be wrong) connects with the Hoodoo Loop. The mile long loop is short, not too steep, and full of photo ops. Do your research for more options: Birdeye Trail is a .8 mile moderate for close-up views of the orange and scarlet hoodoos overlooking the highway. This connects to Hoodoo trail and Photo Trail, a longer formation-heavy path around slopes. Losee Canyon Trail (3 miles to the "crown jewels" of the park if you have the balls). Arches Trail is a .7 mile gives to access to 15 arches. If you're feeling adventurous, OHVs are allowed on the Barney Cove trail and the Casto Canyon trail, a 5.5 mile trail short drive east that is especially pretty and peaceful aside from the occasional BRAAAAAAAP. Excuse me. Thunder Mountain trailhead (open to biking and horses) makes me wonder if the Disneyland coaster was named after the mountain or vice versa. In any event, watch out for goats eating dynamite. read more

Red Canyon - So, this place ripped off Cars Land. - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Panguitch, Utah

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Located about 20mins away from Bryce Canyon, this was a great free hike worth adding to our itinerary. The trailhead can be found within an easy to access parking lot, complete with restroom The overall Red Canyon system connects a variety of smaller trails, allowing us to map out how much adventure we were up for- we chose to start the Losee Canyon trail (~3miles)- but there were many longer trails available! The walk was moderately easy- flat path, minimal (to no incline)- the terrain varied between walking within the wood area & the creek bed hoping along the rocks where the water was lower- it was a bit muddy/wet due to the snow fall & water, but we were able to traverse a decent amount before we wanted to give up because the snow (just a personal choice-it wouldn't have been hard to continue on around the piles)- Beautiful scenery, with woodlands and mountain views- read more

Don't pass it on your way to Bryce! You want to go to Bryce. You are so excited that you can't wait. You turn into UT-12 and are tunnel focused on the your main destination, which by the way deserves all the credit that it gets, but then there is Red Canyon! Here is why you should continue reading! If for any reason, you are not able to handle the strenuous, but breath taking hikes that Bryce has to offer, but would love to get close to those beautiful red rocks and hoodoos, Red Canyon offers easy to moderate trails that my 80 year-old parents were able to hike from start to finish! The trail has beautiful views and is a great warm-up for what is waiting for you at Bryce! The folks at the visitor center are wonderful. No, they are super wonderful! Make sure to stop there and get as much information as you need to make this a wonderful experience that it should be. Do not miss checking this little jewel of nature! For more information go to: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/dixie/recarea/?recid=24942 read more

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Love this canyon!! Great visitor center! Everything is free unlike Bryce Canyon. The hikes are fun and all levels. Also trails for bikes horses etc. We had a great time and had amazing views that resulted in great pictures. read more

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So this area is dotted with trails and side road parking spaces. No entrance fees. There is a visitor center. There are 2 natural road arches to drive through. Of course, the hoodoo red formations are spellbounding! read more

Red Canyon - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Panguitch, Utah

From the Native Americans who traveled the canyons, to people like J.W. Humphry who constructed the tunnels, Red Canyon on the Dixie National Forest has fascinated people for centuries. Unique vermilion-colored rock formation and stands of Ponderosa pines make the canyon exceptionally scenic. It's a stunning preamble to Bryce Canyon. read more

Red Canyon - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Panguitch, Utah

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We drove past on our way to Bryce Canyon NP, the road arches were fun to drive through. I'm sure a lot of people just drive past. On our way to Zion we stopped here at the recommendation of a friend. We did the Pink Ledges hike which was beautiful, it was stinking hot, over 100 degrees, but totally worth it. The Visitor Center was really nice, and the people who run it are lovely. They probably don't get a lot of visitors but it really is a fantastic place, with some incredible shorter hikes. read more

What a surprise to come to Red Canyon from Zion National Park. It's beauty is beyond words...and what an awesome sight that you would not expect on a journey from Zion National Park to Bryce Canyon National Park. You just have to pull your car over and just enjoy the redness and uniqueness of the red rocks and arches that you drive through on the road to Bryce Canyon. It is just awesome!!! The thing that strikes you is that this Canyon was formed over 50 billion plus years ago by water and wind erosion plus other aspects of nature. I hope the pictures I have included will help you realize the magnificence of this natural wonder that we are blessed to have in our country. It is definitely a "must see" for anyone going out west to enjoy our beautiful country USA!!! read more

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Super Cool to see in person! It's on the way to Bryce National Park. It kinda just pops out of no where. You kinda see it from a distance and the closer you get then bam! As soon as the Red Canyon starts there's a pull out where you can park and take pictures. There's more pull outs and a visitor center not too far into the place. There's a long walking/bike trail that goes along the hwy. if you have time stop at the visitor center for more information and the history of the Red Canyon. read more

Red Canyon - Landmarks & Historical Buildings Near Me - Panguitch, Utah

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This is an amazing place to stop and get your hike on in the Red Canyon. Amazing pictures and nice hikes. We hiked the entire park in a few hours and got a ton of wonderful pictures. Stop and enjoy what it has to offer! read more

Beautiful drive. A preview of things to come in Brice Canyon. Plenty of pull-outs for picture taking. Plus a couple of tunnels.

Red canyon itself is beautiful. The Red Canyon Campground managers are not nice at all. We were packing up and leaving on time, but ended up running a few minutes late because of some packing issues and they came by 3 times threatening to call the cops. Would not stay here again. read more

Worst campground. Terrible owners. Rushing everyone out of campsites. Not even worth staying. MAJOR KAREN!

Of the 6 or so national and state parks we visited in Utah this was the most beautiful, safest and most colorful. Do not go to Utah (Bryce, Zion, etc) and not stop here. It is like an alien landscape, absolutely beautiful. read more