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.

The team here was great and the pilot Kevin did awesome for his second flight (lol). thank you all…read moreand see you next year.

This was such an incredible experience for my family. Thank you Kevin! Your kindness and dedication…read moreis truly appreciated!

This review is for Bartizan Arch Trail which was a ~5 miles round trip that took ~3 hours to…read morecomplete. This was a surprisingly unique and stunning hike near Cedar City, Utah. While most of southern Utah was over 90°F; the temperature in this area was easily ~30° lower! Within the first ~1 mile to Spectra Point were amazing views of the canyon. This reminds me of Bryce Canyon National Park except you can't walk into the canyon. For the most part, the declines start after Spectra Point towards Bartizan Arch. As a result, the inclines back out can feel a bit strenuous. The trail was on the exposed rims of the canyon as well as parts of the nearby forest. Furthermore, the trail was slightly rocky and becomes narrower near the arch. Watch your steps! For those looking for a shorter hike; I would recommend going up to Spectra Point which would be a ~1.9 mile roundtrip. In my opinion, the view at Ramparts Viewpoint wasn't too much of a difference compared to the view at Spectra Point Viewpoint. Parking lot and restrooms were next to the Cedar Breaks National Monument visitor center. Short video of the hike for those interested! https://youtu.be/C9IpeLT1i3g

This is a viewpoint on the backside of Bryce Canyon. It's mainly a lookout and a great place to get…read morea picture. Pretty drive but that is all there is. If you want more, go to Bryce Canyon!

Though relatively small in size, Kolob Canyon is mighty when it comes to beautiful views and…read moreengaging hiking opportunities. Basically the back side of Zion, it has a short scenic road and both easy and more challenging hikes available. The views are pretty amazing from the road, even if you don't ever get out of the car. This is a regular stop on our road trips, usually on the way back home. During the rainy season or just after it, there are amazing waterfalls that drop from the sheer cliff faces. Definitely something worth seeing! As you drive up to the entrance, there is a little visitor center with some interesting local information. It's also where you will pay your entrance fee and interact with any rangers for additional information if you need it. They also have Zion date stamps. While it isn't a destination in and of itself, it is worth making a stop on any road trip. Five stars.

Stopped by for info and for some souvenirs including a park donation Zion park ticket…read more Nice little shop, Matt helped us today, thank you... great friendly service

So full disclosure I did the river walk out to the start of the narrows. And while I KNOW this full…read morehike is a stunner I opted not to go farther than a short wade in up to my knees because I did not want to get wet!! I asked some folks going in about their waders; most people get them from Zion outfitters and I was told they're about $60 per person to rent (most including at least one, if not two walking sticks to help you keep your balance). I was also told they don't keep you fully dry, water still gets in but they do help keep you warm. If you go far enough in, the water comes up to your chest (assuming you're average height). Plan accordingly with your bag(s) etc. This hike is as long as you want it to be, the whole thing is the "view" within one of the deepest and most iconic slot canyons in the state - carved by the Virgin River itself that you're walking in. You can go up to 8-10 miles but most folks don't go that far before turning back. Even just the river walk out to the start of the river is really lovely though. One day I'll come out and hike beyond knee-deep :)

The Narrows is the most unique hike I've done. You hike in water that can go deep up to your waist…read morein the Virgin River. We rented dry bibs and boots from Zion Outfitter, which didn't keep us dry, but they were supposed to. It was fun struggling against the current with our walking sticks for support, and the first section was sunny and warm, but it became more shady and cold the farther we trekked into the canyon. The water was very cold in March, so renting gear is highly recommended. We just hiked to Wall Street and back, which is the recommended route, as well as a side path, for about a total of 8.5 miles.

After Capitol Reef's stunning colored, sculpted mountains and Bryce Canyon's hoodoo amphitheater,…read moreZion offer s soaring mountains on each side of you, river, and many more non-hiker friendly trails besides the deadly Angel's Landing. It is an exceptionally well designed park with the free town and park shuttle system that centers at the Visitor Center and has many paved trails. - As you drive into Zion, you will go through the Zion-Mt Carmel tunnel - a 1.1 mile pitch black dark tunnel with no lighting, just a few windows of the stunning mountains as you drive through - The park and shuttles are free! Stay in Springdale for the closest location. The Best Western was very nice and Shuttle stop 4 - Favorite easy trails in my order of preference: -- Riverside Walk (2.2 miles, 57 ft elevation change, 1.5 hours) - paved path along the Virgin River in a Canyon -- Pa'rus Trail (1.7 or 3.5 miles, 50 ft elevation change, 1-2 hours) - start at park shuttle stop #3 (Canyon Junction-shuttle only stops going downhill - Not from the Visitor Center) for a 1.7 mile walk on a paved trail near the Human History museum, past the campgrounds and to the visitor center. If you start at the Visitor Center, then you will have to turnaround at Canyon Junction and it is 3.5 miles. - The Grotto Trail (1 miles, 35 ft, 0.5 hour) - dirt trail paralleling the road from Stop 6 (Grotto) to Stop 5 (Zion lodge) - saw and heard a wild turkey. - Weeping Rock Trail (0.4 miles, 98 ft, 0.5 hour) - short but steep paved trail ends at a rock alcove with dripping water - Lower Emerald Pool (2 miles, 150 ft, 1.5 hours) - paved trail to a small pool. It had been dry, so it was underwhelming but if it had rained more, it might have been better. If you are adventurous and like a good view and danger, then try to get a permit to hike Angel's Landing. Someone died the week before we arrived. In the park, there are 9 shuttle stops where you can get off to hike. The following stops have toilets (may be a pit toilet or flush toilet): stop 1 Visitor center - flush, 2 Zion Human History Museum - flush - but you have to walk a bit to get to the museum where the toilet are located outside, 5 Zion Lodge - flush -inside the lodge, 6 Grotto-pit?, 7 Weeping Rock-pit?, 9 Temple of Sinawava - pit.

Truly breathtaking. No camera could do it justice. The views entering the park alone where a treat,…read morebut the main activity I did was hiking the narrows. I had to sign a waver to get the proper wear for the trek, they offer special water-resistant (not water proof) socks and boots, and a walking stick. Hiking the narrows was very enjoyable, a fun challenge with amazing views of the massive canyon wall on either side of the trail. The current was decently strong, and the rocks in the river where slippery at points, which made the walking stick crucial for balance. The water was waist high at it's deepest point, but it really depends on the weather at the time. Lots of cool rock formations and vegetation around each corner in the narrows. The staff was amazing, bus drivers where great, and the ladies at the visitor center where helpful. Parking was a nightmere though, but it wasn't the fault of the park itself. At the time I went it was packed. Would certainly recommend you visit this place, just make sure you visit when it has been dry for the last few days with no rain in the forecast, which reduces the risk of flash flooding and too strong currents in the narrows. Have fun!

How tall do you think this mammajamma is? Wrong...it's taller than that. Go see. It's a quick…read moredetour from I-15 and is a nice place to stretch your legs. It's on private property so be cool. When I was there they also had some self-serve stray bales for sale. You can tell the owner puts some love into their property. Nice work, owner. Thanks for the roadside attraction. Plenty of space to pull over/off the road, even if you were pulling a trailer, etc. They have a spot you can toss your old plates so they can add them someday. Some questions: How do they get up there?! Is there a Maryland plate? (The good folks at the MDOT are kooky about recovering their old plates!)

Mood - Weird Stuff Part 2…read more As I was in the area def wanted to check out more things to arouse my curiosity. This pole came on my radar. The rain started to pour down and it became a bit of an adventure. Upon arriving you cant miss it. This pole is clearly seen from the intersection. It is on private grounds. The pole stands 81 feet tall and is adorned with license plates from all 50 states. Kimball Gardner is the proud owner of this roadside attraction as it sits in his yard. He welcomes you to drop off any plates you would like to have added to his continual work in progress. This work of art started in a smaller state of mind and after gaining much attention the pole had to be increased in size to allow for all of the plates that have been donated to his cause. Would def recommend as it is something to see. Even if just once. Pricing is free. However be mindful as it sits on private property. Location is E Washington Dam Rd - St George UT, ample parking on the street.

Needed something to do before checking into my hotel and this was on the way there....I was so…read moresurprised I had never heard of this location after doing all my research prior to my visit to Zion. There's free parking, unlocked bathrooms, water bottle fill ups, lots of trails, and it is genuinely one of the cleanest parks I've ever been to. Some really awesome plants with information and history markers. I highly recommend going here with or without other people- theres space to follow your heart's desire and hike up any rocks you find, there's enough freedom where you aren't crowded with other people on 1 trail.

I took my dogs on this trail for a hike and they were happy and tired! HAha. Amazing rock…read moreformations and views! It's only 1hr and 45 mins drive from Las Vegas. Just wanted a different scenery out of Vegas. They also have a garden area. It is worth a drive! No entrance fee. Free parking and they have plenty different areas to park.

You have to be careful when trying to use Google Maps when getting here (Petroglyphs site). You…read moremay go to the wrong side of the mountain if you're not careful, it's best to use GPS coordinates. 36.982827, -113.503066 This is free to visit and an easy activity for families, singles, or groups. The hike is easy and short, less than a 1/2 mile. There is a sort of gate that you have to squish through. The best Petroglyphs are the right on the "trail". It's a short trip, I would pair this with glitter mountain and warner valley dinosaur tracks. This trail also has a toilet and picnic area on site. If it has rained recently you may not want to visit. Cars can get stuck in the mud! All wheel drive not required when it's dry. Bring water, snacks, sunscreen, and garbage bag. Keep an eye on kids so they aren't messing with the Petroglyphs, or can be tempting for them to scratch at things with the rocks laying around. Always clean up after yourself!

Great little hike for all ages. There is a porta potty one seater. There is a little picnic table…read more Easy walk to read the history of the petroglyph. Staying on the path you will see plenty of the petroglyphs. Further in there is a platform you can walk up to see the other petroglyphs.