The Lower Sand Cove Trail is located in Dammeron Valley, outside of St.George, Utah. It's located within the Red Mountain Wilderness, making this a dog-friendly hike. Local's know this hike as "The Vortex", due to the interesting geology that created this large pot hole in the slick rock.
The Citadel Ruins sit high above Road Canyon in Cedar Mesa & Bears Ears National Monument.
Comb Ridge is a 90-mile long Navajo sandstone ridge (or monocline) running North to South, and is home to many ancestral ruins and petroglyphs that date back around 800 years old. Comb Ridge itself has a gentle eastern facing slopes, while the west side has "teeth" that jut out and above the ridge line. Each of these "teeth" contain drainages that lead to the San Juan River. The Puebloans lived, farmed in this area, and left behind a massive amount of ruins and artifacts. Drought, overpopulation, diminishing resources, erosion, and conflict eventually brought an end to this era.
Backpacking Halls Creek Narrows is located within Capitol Reef National Park, only a few miles North from Lake Powell. This area of the park sits between the high cliffs of Hall Mesa on the East, and the Waterpocket Fold on the West. As you backpack towards Halls Creek Drainage (aka Grand Gulch), you'll be surrounded by red, white, and orange slick rock, all while hiking through a mostly sandy trail.
The Butler Wash Ruins are only a 20 minute drive West of Blanding, UT and is only 1 mile RT, so it makes for a great "get-out-and-stretch-your-legs" hike.
7 Mile Canyon (sometimes spelled out, Seven) is located only 11 miles North of Moab, Utah. It's a great, short hike that dogs and kids will enjoy, as it passes by several petroglphys and pictographs. The trail is very easy and flat, so no hard effort is required to get to these artifacts. 7 Mile Canyon is on the way to Dead Horse State Park, but it definitely has a quiet and remote feel. During our hike we only passed one other person. This hike is very sandy, and you'll hike in and out of the dry steam bed. There's very little shade, so be prepared with the necessary items to keep cool, and carry at least 2 liters of water (and water for your pup!). Please keep in mind that touching the artifacts are not allowed.
Fish and Owl Canyons, located in the Cedar Mesa area of Bears Ears National Monument, is a popular loop hike for backpackers looking to discover ancient ruins and kivas, hike through desert terrain, visit Neville's Arch, and explore two scenic, deep canyons. This area is recommended for intermediate to advanced backpackers due to the distance, rugged terrain, light route finding and scrambling.
Utah Canyon Country: 20 Must-See Sites and Short Hikes is Laurie J. Schmidt's newest book release - I was so excited to get my hands on a copy! Packed with local tales and history, I was curious as to which hikes I had not yet completed. As most Utahan's know, southern Utah is home to thousands of miles of arches, slot canyon, natural bridges, hoodoos, and more. Laurie does a great job of pointing out the best of the best - 20 sites and short hikes you can't miss! This book is the perfect option for those just looking to visit Utah for a few days, or even those that have lived in Utah for years, but have not yet explored this territory. Grab your reading glasses, cup of coffee, and check out everything Utah Canyon Country has to offer!