GUEST POST by Katie Wanders Katie Wanders follows New England native, Katie, around the globe. Katie swapped her oceans for mountains and moved to Utah for two years to see what "Life Elevated" was all about. Katie Wanders follows trips around the American West, adventures along the coasts, trips abroad, and showcases her love of New England. Currently, you can find her in a 2016 Penske truck with her dog and cat, wandering around National Parks and making her way back to the Atlantic. You can follow all of her adventures on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
While Backpacking the Bright Angel Trail and Ribbon Falls in Grand Canyon National Park, I was amazed at all the beautiful flowers appearing for Spring along the canyon. Bright pinks, purples, lavender, and yellow flowers appeared everywhere! I couldn't help but stop and take a photo of each type of flower I came across.
Cathedral Gorge State Park in Panaca, NV is a hidden gem in the heart of the Great Basin Desert. The Great Basin Desert is the largest US desert, which covers an arid expanse of about 190,000 square miles and is bordered by the Sierra Nevada Range to the West, and Rocky Mountains to the East. At the South East corner of Nevada sits Cathedral Gorge State Park, which exposes erosion that has carved unique patterns in the soft bentonite clay.
Broads Fork Twin Peaks in Big Cottonwood Canyon via Robinson's Variation is not for the weak nor beginner hiker. It's a tough, long day. If you've done any research on this peak, you've seen several routes that will lead you to the top. My friend who lead us on this hike, had done it other the ways, but wanted to try this route out. I was up for anything! He had heard it was do-able, but steep. Robinson's Variation was also appealing to us because it could be done as a loop hike - up Robinson's, summit, then down the traditional Broad's Fork route.
The famous "House on Fire" ruins lie Mule Canyon, in between Natural Bridges National Monument and Blanding, Utah. Southeast Utah is home to the most numerous and varied collection of ruins, spread over a remote area of about 30 by 25 miles. Besides hundreds of ruins, mostly cliff dwellings, the Cedar Mesa area contains many petroglyphs and pictographs, all between 800 - 2000 years old from the Anasazi and Pueblo Indians. Most are found in canyons, where water was easily accessible and conditions were cooler in summer months. All land is public, managed by the BLM, and as of 2016 is protected under the Bears Ears National Monument.
Natural Bridges National Monument covers a small area of SE Utah, and is therefore very remote and not close to any of "Utah's Mighty Five" National parks.
Visiting Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park – Scenic Drive & Wildcat Trail Hike
Our Day Trip from Goosenecks State Park
On our first full day exploring Southeastern Utah, we crossed the state line into Arizona to visit Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. From our base camp at Goosenecks State Park, the drive took just 45 minutes—an easy and scenic route.
When planning our trip, we initially considered taking a guided tour. However, due to budget constraints, we looked into self-guided options instead. It’s important to note that Monument Valley regulations prohibit visitors from leaving their vehicles on the scenic drive to hike around iconic formations like the Mittens—unless accompanied by a Navajo guide or holding a permit..
Thankfully, we discovered that one trail is open to the public without a guide: the Wildcat Trail, a must-do if you're exploring the area on a budget or prefer hiking at your own pace.
Exploring Fremont Indian State Park After Mystic Hot Springs
After a relaxing soak at Mystic Hot Springs, we continued west on I-70 for about 20 minutes until we arrived at Fremont Indian State Park. This underrated gem is packed with fascinating history, scenic trails, and cultural insights into one of Utah’s oldest Indigenous communities.
The Wind Caves Trail is located in Logan Canyon about 1.5 hours northeast of SLC. Our plan was to make a day trip of it, and hike this trail and one across the road called The Crimson Trail, which gets you above the China Wall.