“Getting shade under a toadstool in Utah” Southern Utah east of Kanab has many wonders. The “Toadstools” are probably the easiest to hike to and provide great short day hike opportunities.  Fall and spring are great times to check out the Paria Toadstools. Toadstools are simply hoodoos and there are many examples of toadstools near the Paria Contact Station operated by the BLM located about 40 miles east of Kanab Utah on highway 89. The official trailhead is located just 1.5 miles east of the Paria Contact Station along Hwy 89 with the trailhead right off the highway.  A...

Located east of Beaver Utah is the 3rd highest mountain range in Utah.  These mountains were extensively prospected and had many mining claims and works. Check out Bullion canyon accessed through Marysvale on the east side of the mountain range. The highest peaks exceed 12,000 feet with Delano Peak being the highest at 12,169 feet. As far as magnificent peaks jutting into the sky Delano doesn’t measure up. With its gradual slopes masks the height of the peak in many ways. Two peaks that stand slightly shorter have the grandeur one expects in a high peak these are Mount Belknap and Mount Baldy...

Fantasy Canyon is located far from the usual stone formations of southern Utah's otherworldly landscapes. Fantasy Canyon is located in the Northeastern part of Utah. Located about 27 miles south of Vernal, Utah and east of the White River, Fantasy Canyon is a small canyon with some of the most grotesque miniature formations I have ever seen. The erosion has left formations that defy gravity and force the mind to try and see characters of all sorts in the shapes and shadows that they create.   The drive to find Fantasy Canyon is unimpressive and can be tricky due to the myriad of roads...

If solitude is what you want with great vistas, then you need to check out the West Clark Bench in Southern Utah. The access road to the Bench is located just west of the Paria river crossing and is located 2/3 mile west of the Paria Contact Station. This is the only BLM office for the area. This side road is located about half way between Kanab Utah and Page Az. on highway 89. The road is a good graded road but is clay based and if wet it is truly impassable and a real nightmare to travel trust me I came down it once after a cloud burst and it was NOT fun.  West Clark Bench itself...

Echo Lake vicinity The western Uinta Mountains provide many wonderful hikes that include solitude and a wonderful variety of scenery. Many short hikes (fewer than 5 miles) can treat you to many lakes and ponds in the forested back country of the Uintas.  Getting to Echo Lake is also an adventure in and of itself because the road is very rough but, with a good 4X4 vehicle it’s possible. I drove up to the lake one morning to see what lakes and ponds I could explore during that day. There are no official trails in these basins so excellent route finding skills is a must. Having studied...

Mount Ellen and Mount Ellen Peak, She must have been special. The Henry Mountain range is located in South Eastern Utah and is an isolated Mountain range due north of Lake Powell and east of Capitol Reef National Park. This Mountain Range was one of the last areas mapped in the United States.  The mountain range is made up of a few 10,000+ peaks from Mount Hillers on the south to Mount Pennell, South Ridge Summit, Mount Ellen, and Mount Ellen Peak, and Dry Lakes Peak on the north.  This is a high mountain oasis surrounded by amazing deserts of Southeastern Utah. Hiking this mountain...

"Buckskin Buttes" Buckskin Buttes as I call them are located upstream from the Wire Pass slot canyon confluence with Buckskin Gulch. It is reached easiest by parking at the Buckskin Gulch trailhead and by hiking down stream about two miles. There are shorter routes which require route finding skills and I am willing to share these with any who contact me directly. As with so many areas in the region this area has much to offer for those willing to explore a bit. The only photo expose' of the area is in my book "Beyond The "Waves.""  While this area does not have the multitude of colors exhibited...

North and South Teepee's I have been asked by a number of people if I can suggest other places to hike if they don’t get a hiking permit to the Wave.  So I thought I would begin by sharing more about "the Teepee’s" that flank the east side of the hiking permit area for North Coyote Buttes. Getting there is I guess the biggest challenge since the permit area is not fenced and it is actively monitored for those who do not have hiking permits.  So parking at the Wire Pass trailhead is where to start. There are hiking permits for hiking in Buckskin Gulch area but, I am not sure...

Wrather Arch is located along the Paria River drainage in Northern Arizona and is within the Vermilion Cliffs National Monument. In order to hike up to and under the arch one must travel through the Paria River gorge below Buckskin Gulch, the longest slot canyon in the United States.  So needless to say seeing the arch can be difficult. However, there is a way to see the arch without the long journey down the canyon and that is from above. While you can’t easily hike down to the arch from the canyon rim it is possible to see the arch and explore the canyon along its rim. I was invited...

Sawtooth Mountain and Notch Peak, Utah Located in the west deserts of Utah, west of Delta, Utah is one of North America’s highest cliff faces.  It measures about 2,200 feet with a lower and upper cliff band and is popular among rock climbers. The official trail begins at the desert floor to the east-south east of the peak itself.   This route is about 7.6 miles round trip and begins in Sawtooth Canyon at elevation 6,879 ft. With the summit at 9,654 that is a 2,775 elevation gain/loss. This hike entails following the bottom of the canyon and one of its small tributaries to the main...