Away from the Crowds in Utah

Bear Lake State Park has been given the nickname of the “Caribbean of the Rockies.” It is the place for summertime fun with beaches and lake towns lining the shores.

Enjoy swimming at Rendezvous Beach and sunbathing.

Cathedral Valley has massive sandstone monoliths rising up from the barren desert floor.

The Cathedral Valley Loop takes you past the Temple of the Sun and

The Temple of the Moon, both towering formations.

Glass Mountain consists of selenite crystals

See the Gypsum Sinkhole and

drive across the Bentonite Hills in pastel swirls of purple and blue.

In Brian Head, Iron County, you’ll find Cedar Breaks National Monument. which offers an amazing amphitheater. You can enjoy four overlooks, rock spires, and rainbow-colored cliffs along the rim trail. In the summer you can enjoy meadows with alpine wildflowers.

Ancient bristlecone pines cling to cliffs. along the Spectra Point Trail.

In Central Utah you’ll find the Fremont Indian State Park and Museum. It was discovered during highway construction and holds one of the richest collections of Fremont-era rock art in the state.

Museum exhibits at the visitor center explain the culture behind the petroglyphs.

To see hundreds of carvings etched into the canyon wall, take short trails such as Five Finger Ridge and Parade of Rock.

Located in the Green River area, Emery County's Goblin Valley State Park has the most amazing mushroom-shaped rock formations. Recreation here includes hiking, camping, and mountain biking. There are amazing views to be had with the surrounding cliffs.

Enjoy hiking the Carmel Canyon Trail to Goblin’s Lair, a hidden chamber.

Goosenecks State Park is an amazing park where the San Juan River flows through deep limestone canyons. Primitive campsites line the rim.

Explore the nearby Valley of the Gods with otherworldly landscapes.

Hell’s Backbone Road offers rugged backcountry connecting Boulder and Escalante. It weaves through the Grand Staircase-Escalante region with gravel roads perched high above deep canyons and pine-covered ridges.

Among the highlights is Hell’s Backbone Bridge, a narrow crossing with dramatic drops on either side.

Visitors enjoy picnicking at Posey Lake with views of red rocks and alpine forests.

Kanarra Creek Canyon offers a hike that combines canyon views with water crossings. The trail leads into a narrow gorge and a hike through a shallow creek. Two wooden ladders help hikers climb past waterfalls while the canyon walls glow in the midday sun.

Mule Canyon Ruins offers visitors a look into the lives of ancestral Puebloans. There are partially reconstructed dwellings surrounded by rugged red cliffs.

Among the most popular structures here is the House on Fire that seems to be glowing under the right lighting.

Follow the trail to the Cave Tower Ruins featuring six ancient towers sitting on the canyon rim.

Stop by the Kane Gulch Ranger Station for trail updates and permit info.

Mystic Hot Springs can be found on a hillside in Monroe. It is a rustic retreat with antique bathtubs filled with mineral-rich thermal water. The tubes are placed to face the valley so visitors can catch the colors of the sunset across the horizon.

You’ll see school buses that have been turned into cabins with colorful murals.

Snow Canyon State Park is located just outside St. George. The park features glowing red cliffs, black lava flows, and slot canyons.

Take the Petrified Dunes Trail, walking across waves of fossilized sand.

Explore the lava tube caves formed by ancient volcanic activity.

The Wedge Overlook is known as the Little Grand Canyon with dramatic gorge drops down to the San Rafael River. Experience camping along the canyon rim.

Hikers enjoy the Good Water Canyon Trail.