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Kyle Jenkins | 03.17.2018

There are endless hikes in Utah to choose from and they offer a diverse array of visual and physical features. The state has a great variety of hiking terrain and some of the most unique landscapes you will find anywhere. Here is a collection of some of our favorites for you to enjoy!

Slot Canyons

  • Zebra and Tunnel Slots: Some of the tightest and most colorful slot canyons in the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
  • Peek-A-Boo and Spooky Slot: World-class slots. One of the many beauties on Hole in the Rock Road, and so close to other great hikes.
  • The Narrows: Walk through a 1,000-foot tall slot canyon while the Virgin River runs through it. Amazing and unique hike that is one of the highest rated, and sometimes one of the most dangerous hikes in Utah.
  • Little Wild Horse Canyon: Walk through a slew of differently sized and patterned slot canyons as you make your way through Bell Canyon in the second half of the loop. Located in the Sand Rafael Swell. 
  • Willis Creek: It might be in the middle of nowhere, but these large and beautiful canyons are a great place to take the family on a remote adventure in the desert.

Waterfalls

  • Scout Falls: One of the largest and most unique falls in Utah, Scout Falls flows off the north side of Mount Timpanogos.
  • Horsetail Falls: This steep and steady trail leads to one of the bigger and prettier waterfalls in the area.
  • Stewart Falls: Sitting just above the charming mountain town of Sundance, this thin and tall waterfall looks mighty fine draped in autumn color.
  • Stairs Gulch: Waterfall after waterfall greets you on this hike up the steep and rocky gully near the mouth of Big Cottonwood Canyon.
  • Donut Falls: One of the most popular hikes in northern Utah, this easy trek has an added twist if you are willing to enter the small cave at the top, assuming the conditions are right.
  • Lower Calf Creek Falls: A Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument favorite, the water slides down a large sandstone wall that is colored green by the moss growing on the rock.
  • Kanarraville Falls: One of the prettiest southern Utah waterfall scenes you will ever see, Kanarraville Falls has a famous log ladder to help you get above and beyond the mysterious looking formation.

Around Salt Lake

  • Ferguson's Canyon: This steep hike has great city views, large granite climbing walls, and several small waterfalls along the trail.
  • Bell's Canyon: One of the most popular hikes in Salt Lake. The lower reservoir is the most common destination; however, there are two sets of waterfalls, and even an upper reservoir, for the serious hikers.
  • Mount Olympus: A challenging hike that has the best views of Salt Lake City you can find.
  • The Living Room: A great place to listen to concerts at Red Butte and enjoy a sunset close to town.
  • Heugh's Canyon: This lesser known trail has some beautiful rock formations hugging the high canyon walls.

The Central Wasatch

  • Willow Heights: There are amazing fall colors here along with some of the best chances to see a moose in the Wasatch.
  • Grandeur Peak: This Millcreek favorite allows you to summit a decent sized mountain with great views in a relatively safe manner and its close to town!
  • Butler Fork: Here you'll find some of the best views in Big Cottonwood from atop Circle All Peak. You can see Kessler Peak, Mount Raymond, Gobbler's Knob and up and down the canyon road.
  • Cardiff Fork: With beautiful fall colors and some really cool remnants of the mining days this is one of the jewels of the Cottonwoods.
  • Catherine's Pass: If you like wildflowers, make sure to stop by Little Cottonwood in the summer for unreal coverage. Great place to try and see a moose.

Lake Hikes

  • Lake Blanche: One of the prettiest hikes in the entire state. Sundial Peak sits above the lake, rewarding you for this moderately challenging day hike.
  • Blood's Lake: A great place to bring the dogs on the short hike to a large alpine lake that you can access from Park City, Heber and Salt Lake.
  • Red Pine Lake: Sitting among several other alpine lakes in the area, Red Pine gets the most traffic thanks to its great wildflowers and access to the Pfeifferhorn.
  • Lake Mary, Martha and Catherine Trail: Three lakes for the price of one! A great hike for fall colors.
  • Cecret Lake: Heavy with wildflowers and a high chance of moose sightings, this has become one of the busiest hikes in northern Utah.

Sandstone Arches and Bridges

  • Corona Arch: The largest arch in Moab outside of the national parks, this free backcountry desert hike takes you by Bowtie Arch as well as mighty Corona and has beautiful surroundings.
  • Devil's Garden Loop: One of the great desert hikes in the Southwest. There are nine arches to see on this hike if you do all the side trails, including the massive Landscape Arch, which has the longest span ever discovered.
  • Delicate Arch: Maybe the most famous arch around, it graces the license plates for a reason: it is absolutely stunning. It is much larger than you expect, and it overlooks the La Sal mountains.
  • Hickman Bridge: This large sandstone bridge in Capitol Reef National Park doesn't require a difficult hike, but it is just long enough to give you a great sense of solitude while exploring the natural wonder.
  • Kachina Bridge: Located in Natural Bridges National Monument, Kachina Bridge does not get many hikers, and it can connect to the other two bridges within the park on a large and difficult loop.
  • Kolob Arch: Kolob Canyon is the less popular wing of Zion National Park, but has some incredible sights with lighter crowds. The arch at the end of this long hike is a massive and soaring piece of natural art.

Multi-day

  • Reflection Canyon: This one-night backpack has barren terrain for most of the hike but leads to one of the single greatest views in the state.
  • Coyote Gulch: This two- or th- night hike takes you below Jacob Hamlin Arch and near many other amazing desert features.
  • King's Peak: Hike the tallest peak in Utah for bragging rights and a great challenge.
  • The Needles: Some of the best desert backpacking around with amazing sights and solitude in the Canyonlands.
  • Red Castle: The lakes below this beautiful rocky "castle" make for one of the prettiest views in the Uintas.

Ancient Cultures

  • South Fork Mule Canyon: The famous House on Fire ruin sits in the south fork of Mule Canyon in one of the most remote parts of Utah.
  • Black Dragon Wash: A unique and well preserved collection of Barrier Style rock art found in a tall desert wash.
  • Rochester Panel: The hike is desolate and the area is remote, but it is one of the great rock art panels of Utah.
  • Horseshoe Canyon to the Grand Gallery: The largest gallery of ancient native American rock art in the world. Large and strange haunting figures line the sandstone walls high above.
  • False Kiva: While this is not a real kiva, the setting and the Native American built collection of rocks is too beautiful to not include on this list.

Amazing Geology

  • Candy Cliffs of Yant Flat: A lesser-known area not far from St. George. This large stretch of checkered stone has many different rock formations and types of erosion patterns laid out in a variety of unusual ways.
  • The Subway: An iconic Zion National Park hike into a rounded waterway that has been made especially famous by world-class and amateur photographers over the last few decades.
  • Red Cliffs Nature Trail: A short and easy trail that the whole family can enjoy. Not far from St. George, it packs a lot of beauty and wonder into the otherwise quick trail. It continues on past the Moqui Steps if safely passable.
  • Navajo and Queen's Garden Loop: Get into the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon on a truly amazing hike through one of the most unusual terrains in the world.
  • Spectra Point Trail: A lesser-known jewel that takes you across the amphitheater of Cedar Breaks. Much like a smaller Bryce Canyon.
  • Angels Landing: An all-time classic hike in Zion National Park, it has had a steady stream of adventurous visitors for decades.
  • The Wave: One of the most iconic and hard-to-believe natural wonders in Utah. Located just south of the border with Arizona.

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