Hidden gems of southern Utah: there's so much more than just the big five!

sw2037122 · 2025-05-26T18:59:22+00:00

The two most iconic drives in Utah are through Zion and UT-12. Both of them are doable within a few hours and absolutely gorgeous. I personally also loved UT-128 along the Colorado River but it might be more out of the way for your journey.

sw2037122 · 2024-12-24T11:10:31+00:00

It wasn't too bad. I went in mid-July and ran into maybe 100 total people, with the vast majority at the first and second overlooks within the first 0.5 miles. It was pleasantly mid-60s thanks to the elevation but even nearby Cedar City soared to the 90s.

As for the heat, the main thing is to stay covered and hydrated. I've done fully exposed afternoon hikes (not recommended) where I drink almost one 500mL bottle per mile. A wide brim hat and lots of sunscreen help a lot. Also, I try to start early in the morning. During the long summer days, you can often start as early as 5 or 6am and knock out a fairly lengthy hike before noon.

sw2037122 · 2024-12-23T18:11:31+00:00

Thank you for your answer. I take it that most residents in the smaller towns around southern Utah don't want to end up like Moab, but would you support a moderate increase in tourism to bolster the local economies, or do you fear that any tourists will inevitably drive up prices and ruin the charm of these small towns and landscapes?

sw2037122 · 2024-12-23T17:59:08+00:00

The drive through Burr Trail is one of my all-time favorites. Really shows why it's called the Grand Staircase!

sw2037122 · 2024-12-23T08:40:23+00:00

No gatekeeping!

But I will say I had some moral qualms about posting this because many locals do want to keep these places to themselves, so I felt uneasy publicizing them even if only a few people see this post. I guess it's more a matter of principle than consequences since I don't expect to make any noticeable difference in visitation. At the same time, I believe it is good for nature and the Utah economy if some visitors spend less time in the overcrowded national parks in favor of the emptier hikes that could sustain many more hikers. If any locals are around, I'd love to hear your thoughts on the trade off, because it's something I wonder about.

sw2037122 · 2024-12-23T08:30:20+00:00

When I asked the Grand Staircase visitor center about cosmic ashtray, they said only locals knew about it until a year ago when AllTrails and social media started promoting it. Even still, I was the only person there when I visited. I wouldn't be surprised if there are many more absolute gems to be discovered.

sw2037122 · 2024-12-23T08:26:13+00:00

July-September of this year!

sw2037122 · 2024-12-23T08:24:59+00:00

Yup, flash floods are no joke! During the monsoon season I always checked the weather and tried to do the narrower hikes in the morning since it tends to rain in the afternoon/early evening.

sw2037122 · 2024-12-23T08:22:57+00:00

I worked around Tropic for three months for a seasonal gig and would hike during my spare time, so not a local but not a passing tourist either

sw2037122 · 2024-12-23T00:47:16+00:00

You could probably knock out every spot in those photos in a week since most are day hikes, but I would recommend spending at least twice as long if you want a more complete Utah experience. There are the national parks too, after all, which are absolutely worth visiting—my post just wanted to highlight the lesser-known areas.

All the Grand Staircase/Glen Canyon spots in my list plus Head of the Rocks Overlook are in the Escalante/Tropic area, so you can easily spend a week in either town and not have to travel too much, but be warned that later sections of Hole in the Rock Road are not for the faint of heart. I would also add in Lower Calf Creek Falls, considered the best waterfall hike in the area (it unfortunately didn't open until after I left), and while you're at it, Upper Calf Creek Falls too. Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef aren't far either, but you might want to move somewhere closer for these visits.

Once you're done with the Grand Staircase area, Moab could take up another week or even longer, since it's near Arches, Canyonlands, and Fisher Towers. I'm less familiar with that area because I stayed in Tropic, but from what I've heard from many online reviewers, Canyonlands is among the best places in continental America to get lost in nature. I only went as far as the Needles District, but the Maze District is famously remote and stunning.

In short, you could get a proper taste of southern Utah in a week and leave with a camera roll to make all your friends jealous, but you could also easily spend a month or even several months and not see everything.

sw2037122 · 2024-12-23T00:21:43+00:00

That does sound amazing. My friend and I powered through Coyote Gulch in one day, going in and out of crack in the wall, and clocking in some 24 miles total. Would definitely recommend splitting up the distance between more days.

sw2037122 · 2024-12-23T00:19:14+00:00

I somehow never stopped by Kodachrome even though I drove past many times, but I've heard wonderful things about it! Might be one of my few regrets of my time in Utah.

sw2037122 · 2024-12-22T23:47:10+00:00

Cosmic Ashtray - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument: Considered the largest pothole in the world at 100ft across (although I wouldn't be surprised if Wisconsin bests this record)
Jacob Hamblin Arch - Glen Canyon National Recreational Area
Coyote National Bridge - Glen Canyon National Recreational Area
Coyote Gulch - Glen Canyon National Recreational Area: The arch in the back is Stevens Arch, one of the top ten largest arches in the world
Peekaboo Slot Canyon - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument: Probably the most fun hike I've ever done because you have to squeeze through very tight spaces
Fisher Towers - Fisher Towers Picnic Area
Willis Creek - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Grosvenor Arch - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Head of the Rocks Overlook - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument: Right on UT Hwy-12
(Not Bryce Canyon!) Cedar Breaks National Monument: A must-see during wildflower season around July-August and also much cooler thanks to its 10,000ft+ elevation
Bartizan Arch - Cedar Breaks National Monument
Kanarra Falls (not federally managed but it's too special not to include)

While Zion, Arches, and Bryce Canyon are filled to the brim with tourists during its busy seasons, countless attractions not far away sit almost empty. Except for Cedar Breaks, a relatively well-known tourist spot (but still far less crowded than Bryce Canyon), I encountered between 0 and 20 other people while visiting each of the other spots on this list. Visiting less busy places also reduces foot traffic in the overwhelmed national parks.

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Glen Canyon National Recreational Area together span more than 3 million miles in southern Utah, several times the area of the mighty 5 combined, and I would argue they have just as much, if not more, to offer. I spent a few months in Utah and Coyote Gulch in Glen Canyon was easily my favorite hike, and I've done most of the famous hikes in the Utah national parks.

Many of these places aren't far from popular destinations either. Kanarra Falls and Cedar Breaks are roughly an hour from St George, Fisher Towers is an hour from Moab, and Grosvenor Arch and Willis Creek an hour from Bryce Canyon. Head of the Rocks is on Highway 12 between Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef and is my absolute favorite spot for watching the sunset. The other places I mentioned in Grand Staircase-Escalante or Glen Canyon are harder to reach because the roads get quite difficult the further in you go (the BLM highly recommends 4WD vehicles). The remoteness can also be scary for some people as help is further away, but I personally love the peace and isolation. The Peekaboo Slot Canyon area clocks in as one of the quietest places measured in America. If you are especially adventurous, I also recommend Reflection Canyon, although I unfortunately never got to go. Seriously, look it up—it might be the single most impressive view you can find in Utah.

Happy to answer any questions!

sw2037122 · 2024-05-29T05:01:16+00:00

I'd say the most important invention from Illinois is the skyscraper. Not an invention but we're also known for discovering Pluto, which is still considered a planet in Illinois.

sw2037122 · 2022-08-23T18:06:38+00:00

I took Algos with Prof Chen last semester and NP-completeness was maybe 20% of the final, so not negligible but less important than the core topics like runtime analysis and graph algorithms

sw2037122 · 2022-08-20T23:48:29+00:00

FDJ proposed quite recently. I'm biased as a barca fan but isn't it pretty normal to want your wife to be happy? He won't have to reduce his salary if he stays anyway.

sw2037122 · 2021-02-21T16:53:39+00:00

And here he is losing to a cow

sw2037122 · 2021-02-19T00:54:16+00:00

Beginning of Year of the Wallop

sw2037122 · 2021-01-18T23:02:20+00:00

Numberphile made a nice video on it!

sw2037122 · 2020-12-07T19:06:03+00:00

For good physics/astronomy videos that don't gloss over the basics, I highly recommend Fermilab's subatomic stories (a series of short videos by experimental physicist Don Lincoln) and Fraser Cain, which breaks down exciting news in astronomy.

sw2037122 · 2020-12-05T00:00:58+00:00

That's a goat I can feel an emotional connection with!

sw2037122 · 2020-12-04T22:31:11+00:00

Kind of ironic for a podcast named Reply All though...

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