Mystic Hot Springs

The Mystic Hot Springs are truly a hidden gem in Utah. I convinced my boyfriend, after spending the weekend camping in Bryce National Park and mountain biking Thunder Mountain, that we needed to stop and soak on our way home to Park City. It really wasn’t that hard to convince him. I had already used Google Maps to figure out that it wasn’t that far out of the way. By stopping in Monroe and tak...

As you head south on Hwy 89 south of I-70 in central Utah, you wind through a picturesque canyon along the Sevier River. As the canyon opens up, Big Rock Candy Mountain's caramel colored hillside comes into full view. The caramel color is a stark contrast to the other mountains covered in pinion pines.  Back in 1928, Harry McClintock recorded the song "Big Rock Candy Mountain" shortly after tha...

The Cave of 100 Hands is a fascinating archeological/historical site that is easy all-ages and strollers. Over a thousand years ago, the valleys along what is now Interstate 70 near Sevier, Utah were home to the largest community of Fremont Indians ever discovered, and the Cave of 100 Hands has some exceptionally well-preserved pictographs.  It's not clear why it's called, the Cave of 100 Hands...

Castle Rock Campground is located within Utah's Fremont Indian State Park just off Interstate 70, which according to the camp host, is a favorite place to camp for people traveling between California and Colorado.  At 6,200 feet in elevation, the temps are manageable in the summer, and the large cottonwood trees and bushes provide shade from the sun and privacy from your neighbors. Castle Rock ...

The Joe Lott Trailhead starts at Castle Rock Campground and follows the Joe Lott Creek which has tall old growth trees to provide shade in the summer. Joe Lott Trail #051 is an out-and-back, so you can go as far as you like and turn around. We went 1.5 miles and had to cross the river 3-times. At the third crossing, the creek was too wide to cross without getting wet due to high runoff, so we t...

Surrounding the Castle Rock Campground on the East and West sides are slot formations that have formed over centuries by wind and rain as it erodes softer earth from the harder rock. There are no designated trails, but footpaths are visible, follow them up and start exploring. This area is part of the Fremont Indian State Park, so there is an $8 day-use fee if you are not camping.  To get there...