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!
Mt. Waas (12,331 ft) is the Grand County High Point, and highest peak on the north end of the La Sal Mountains near Moab, Utah. The La Sals can be seen as far away from Green River and parts of Colorado, yet hardly anyone makes the trek to the several summits available, making a great place to seek solitude. The Moab valley can be in the 100s for daily high temperatures in the Summer, yet in the LaSals, it can be at least 20-30F cooler depending on how high you reach. The La Sals area only accessible during summer months when the gates are open, and the roads are dry and clear of snow, typically July - October. Winter of 2017 was extremely dry so we were able to summit late June 2018 with only one patch of snow.
Blind Lake is located on Boulder Mountain in Utah - it is the deepest and biggest lake on the mountain at 52 acres and 52 feet deep. Most people come to the lake to fish for trout, but there the trail itself is great for dogs, kids, and families. It's only 1 mile to reach Blind Lake, but you can continue on to Pear & Fish Creek Lake, and the Beaver Dam Reservoir.
The Behunin Trail and Meeks Lake Trail are both located on Boulder Mountain, Utah, and are often done as separate hikes. However, you can combine them into one big loop to really see the East side of Boulder Mountain, and on clear days, all the way to the Henry Mountains. First, you'll hike up to "Boulder Top", the ridge, where you'll cross several open meadows, a stream, and will pass by an old airplane crash. Then you'll make your way over to Pleasant Lake, which offers great trout fishing and refreshing cooler temperatures, since the lake is at an elevation of 10,300 ft. After that, you'll hike over to Meeks Lake, another popular lake, and though it's pretty, doesn't have many fish. At the end of the day, you'll drop down the Meeks Lake Trail, and make your way through more meadows, and end back at your car.
Singletree Falls is a short, family-friendly hike on Boulder Mountain, Utah. It's conveniently located off the popular HWY 12 in between Torrey and Boulder, UT. Singletree Falls flows from Singletree Creek, overflowing at a 30 ft waterfall.
The Ashdown Gorge is located on the boundary line of Cedar Breaks National Monument, and lies within the Ashdown Gorge Wilderness near Cedar City, Utah. The trail starts by following the Rattlesnake Creek Trail at 10,500 ft, and eventually drops into the gorge descending a total of 4,100 ft. This route is best done point-to-point, with 1 over night backpacking. You can definitely do this in one day, but to really experience the canyon and take your time, backpacking this trail is perfect.
Pine Creek Canyon is a hidden gem in the Escalante area - a pristine creek, tall canyon walls, half mountain-half desert, no cows, all downhill, plenty of shade, and towering Ponderosa trees. Located in the Box-Death Hollow Wilderness, this canyon is also known as "The Box", which is funny since it's not really a box canyon but steep-walled, open-ended drainage carved by Pine Creek millions of years ago.
The Escalante River Trail is a popular backpacking point-to-point route near the town of Escalante, Utah and within Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument (GSENM). The entire length of the Escalante River is 87 miles, but this route allows you to see 15 miles of it overnight one night of backpacking. Much of the way, your path will be the river itself.