Outbound Collective logo

Sara SheehyExplorer

Writer | Nomad

Nice spot to camp between Arches and Canyonlands. Popular with mountain bikers and hikers. Sites are clean and the camp hosts are friendly. Good birdwatching!

This trail passes by arches, across washes, up slickrock, and everything in-between. It's a great hike in Arches, plus, it's length keeps it relatively quiet even on busy days. Bring a lot of water.

Redfish Lake is my favorite place to camp. The views are spectacular, especially at sunrise and sunset. Bring chairs to lounge on the beach, and a kayak or paddle board if you have it.

Jenny Lake is a great place to check out an alpine lake with mountain views. Bring a wetsuit for an open water swim.

Nice hike through Canyonlands. The star of the trail for me was the ancient corn granary built under the cliff face.

Cool spot to explore, accessed by a pretty dirt road. Not too much to hike, but plenty of rocks to scramble over.

Hiked this trail after a day of rain and the waterfalls were fantastic. It's unique to pass so many waterfalls in a single trail. I have never, though, hiked a trail with more people. There were times I was waiting in line to get up a rock staircase or move 50 feet down the trail. Nuts!

The trail to Jeep Arch requires a bit of trail savvy as it's not well marked. Anyone used to traveling in the desert, or keeping a keen eye open for cairns, will be fine. Trail follows a canyon ridge before climbing up and through Jeep Arch. Nice and quiet.

These petroglyphs are easy to pass by as they are so high off the road. The parking is easy, and then look up to see the rock art. There is a ton of it!

Great roadside stop to check out recently discovered dinosaur tracks petrified in mud. Very cool to see when mountain biking the nearby Monitor Merrimac trail.

Nice easy hike to a heady overview of the White Rim and White Rim trail. Would be great for kids, but watch them on the cliff edge!

Long trail into a cool and remote arch. The view from Druid Arch, looking back through the valley, is stunning. The hike is challenging for the length, but not too much climbing until the very end.

The Monitor-Merrimac trail deserves four stars for the fun slickrock descent alone. The rest of the trail has plenty of sandy spots that'll require hike-a-bike for even experienced hikers. But for not too much climbing, you get a crazy fun, gradual descent over a massive arena of slickrock. So fun you might want to do hot laps of that section alone. Great scenery throughout. Be sure to check out the Dinosaur Tracks a short 1/4 mile hike from the parking area. Seriously, don't miss them.

Cool, short hike to a unique arch. It looks like it was formed with a chubby hand and Playdoh! Busy spot but worth it. Traversing some slick rock and climbing one metal ladder is required to reach the arch.

Great trail close to Moab. It has recently been renamed "Grandstaff Canyon" (which was Bill's last name). Morning Glory Arch is spectacular. Do not expect solitude on this trail - it's a popular one! As others have mentioned, be careful on the numerous water crossings (or wear water shoes).

Gorgeous loop through the red rocks. Plus, it's a nice escape from the crowds at Bell Rock! Parking lot is small and crowded, you may need to be patient to shark a spot.

The DART train from Dublin makes this hike super easy to get to, even if you don't have a car. The views are beautiful as the trail hugs the cliffs' edge. Beware that if you are afraid of heights, this may not be your trail. Four stars instead of five because this trail is crowded, especially when the DART trains arrive. I hiked on a blustery November day and had a hundred hikers for company.

Upper Mesa Falls is gorgeous, the viewing platforms allow you to get closer than I expected. There are a good number of people, but with some patience you can get a great view.

Alice Lake is one of the crown jewels of Sawtooth day hikes. If your legs (and lungs!) allow, circumnavigate the lake for unique views.

This hike has outsized views for it's length and effort. Beautiful at sunset!

This is an excellent hike close to Sun Valley. The emerald water is gorgeous, and a nice reprieve on a hot day.

The Flume is beautiful, and so much fun as a kid! Good for adults, too.

Great views at this southern Maine classic lighthouse.

Great views on this in-town hike.