Panguitch, Utah

Bryce Canyon receives a lot less visitors than the neighboring Zion and Grand Canyon National Parks, but it is not to be missed. You'll find sandstone formations called hoodoos in just about every shape. Native Americans believe hoodoos were once people turned to stone by Coyote. While the park d...

We crossed our fingers as we rolled up to Bryce Canyon at midnight with no prior campsite reservations. Not knowing what was in store for us, the van wheels found their way quietly down the dirt road. I had a gut feeling we would see an open spot. Not only was there one open site, but nearly half...

No matter the season Bryce Canyon is a place unlike anywhere else in the world. Its unique frost-eroded hoodoos and canyons comprised of Dakota Sandstone and Tropical Shale, laid down millions of years ago in an ancient ocean, create some of the most gorgeous views on earth.Monsoon season is a pa...

“Where are we supposed to go? Under these rocks?” Alex asked. To both of our sides shot up towering sandstone walls that enclosed us into a space no more than a couple feet across. Ahead of us was a pile of fallen boulders that looked impenetrable; it seemed we had hit a dead end. I fished my pho...

Three weeks before my sister turned 24 she texted me to ask if I wanted to go on a trip for her birthday. She wasn’t sure where she wanted to go but she knew she wanted to be outdoors. She suggested somewhere west, maybe the Grand Canyon? I countered with Zion National Park. The response was a si...

BACKSTORY I have been hiking and camping for as long as I can remember. The outdoors have always been a part of my life, but one national park has consistently seized my soul whenever I visit. I have been going to Zion National Park more or less yearly for over seven years now. To me, it is a par...

During your planning I would schedule to arrive in Zion as early as possible. If you are there before Thanksgiving you are going to be at the mercy of the shuttle system to get to the trailheads. I only visit Zion after Thanksgiving because I loathe waiting on buses, but that is just my personal ...

On our last full day camping outside of Zion National Park, I was lucky to score a last minute permit to hike the amazing Subway. I did the non-technical bottom up route. The top down route requires rappelling. The hike is only 9 miles but is definitely challenging as you have to cross back and f...

In October of 2016, two great friends and I got to head west (all of us being from the east coast) to Springdale, Utah and spend a week enjoying as much of the beauty and wonder of Zion as we could. We spent two days and a night in the backcountry, and the rest of the week explored through a seri...

Being severely afraid of heights has never rendered my life uneventful, but it's definitely made me ugly cry a lot of times in public, in front of strangers. So, when I planned my trip to Zion National Park, I knew I wanted to, nay, I had to hike Angels Landing. For me, this hike was symbolic of...

For a Utah native, it took me way too long to finally hike the Zion Narrows. I was able to squeeze it in on a trip to St. George for a family wedding, and although I only had half a day to visit the park, it was worth the 100+ degree weather and insane crowds that also spent their Fourth of July ...

“I feel bad about Ben,” J.C. muttered as we tip-toed down the razor’s edge of Angels Landing. “He would have loved this.” I nodded, squinting as I peered off into the brittle, orange canyon, 1500 feet below. At that exact moment, a pair of bouncy, brunette pigtails inched over the top of the trai...

Thud, thud, thud. My knees feel every inch of the ground as I pound the trail again and again, each step sending an electric shock of protest up each leg. My forehead, neck, and arms are coated in a thin veneer of salt that feels like sandpaper in the baking desert sun. I’ve been taking meticulou...

YOU'RE WELCOME TO JOIN I had never been canyoneering until October of 2016. I texted my friend Val a few weeks prior to the trip to invite her on a Utah "Instameet" hike so we could connect with other outdoor individuals. She replied, "I'm going to be in Zion that weekend. You're welcome to come....

Anyone who has visited Zion knows almost immediately how intensely beautiful it is. Those who haven’t been there yet are in for a treat. The towering canyons have a profound lasting effect on anyone who enters and leaves the park.That said, the high price for the adventure and scenery are the cro...

I've visited Zion National Park twice this year and the experience between the two visitations were like night and day. Zion National Park is by no means a secret, and for good reason. Hikes such as the "death defying" Angels Landing, and the infamous Narrows are locations which are sought after ...