There are many incredible state parklands in the United States, but Dead Horse Point State Park in Southern Utah might just be the most renowned. The park, which gets its name from a legend that cowboys used the peninsula of rock surrounded by sheer sandstone cliffs to corral wild mustangs.
According to the legend, horses were once left corralled on the waterless point where they died of thirst. If you believe the legend, these dead horses still haunt the park to this day.
While most people who visit Glen Canyon come to spend time on the water or on one of the area’s many beaches, its prettiest viewpoint is located far away from any beach. Nestled on a cape that extends south into Lake Powell from Padre Bay and Warm Creek Bay is where you will find the iconic Alstrom Point viewpoint.
From Alstrom Point, you can see straight across Lake Powell. Looking down on a cross-section of the lake, you have a perfect viewpoint to appreciate all of the lake’s finger-like canyons. As you gaze across the horizon, your eyes will feast on the beauty of the hoodoo rock formations climbing out to rise above the water. And at sunset, you will marvel as the entire landscape seems to glow with the setting sun.
In my opinion, there are few areas in the continental United States that are as jam-packed with incredible landscapes and adventure opportunities than the American Southwest. The area is chalk-full of incredible slot canyons, mesa-filled valleys, amazing rock formations, and some of the most beautiful vistas your eyes will ever see. One of my favorite spots in the Southwest United States is the breathtaking Valley of the Gods in Southern Utah. With this Valley of the Gods guide in hand, you can be certain your trip to this enchanting place will be one you will never forget.
There are a lot of incredible and challenging hikes in North America, but few compare to the exhilarating experience of climbing to the top of one of the tallest mountains in the United States. In American mountaineering circles, the name for mountain peaks with an elevation of over 14,000 feet (or 4,267 meters) is a “fourteener”. For many hiking and climbing enthusiasts, getting to the top of these incredible peaks has a magnetic-like allure. Not only is it a personal challenge to conquer these difficult alpine trails, but the views and the experiences along the way are things you will never forget. However, as beautiful and amazing as it is to tackle a fourteener, these trails are not for the faint of heart. Each year, hikers pay the ultimate price in their conquest to tackle one of these mountains. Many times, it is because they were unprepared for the challenges they would face on the trail. To put you in the best possible position to succeed in your quest to conquer one of America’s 96 fourteeners, I have created this fourteener hiking gear list to help you make sure you are prepared.
While Southern Utah’s five incredible national parks may get most of the attention from visiting travelers, you would be remiss to discount the region’s many incredible state parks. One of the most popular and most beautiful of these state parks is the amazing Goblin Valley State Park. Renowned for its valley filled with stunning rock formations, Goblin Valley State Park rivals Bryce Canyon National Park in terms of beautiful rock formations. In addition to the beauty of the park, there are also several incredible things for visitors to do within the park as well. In this Goblin Valley State Park guide, I will spotlight the many spectacular viewpoints, trails, and activities that are available to travelers who visit the park.
Boasting its breathtaking collection of forests, mountain ranges, valleys, and deserts, the US is adorned with a wealth of stunning national parks that are ripe for exploration. As the handful of dazzling options makes choosing which spots to hit such a complicated decision, we thought that creating a shortlist of the best national parks to visit might help make it easier for you to plan your next trip. Whether you simply want to get back in touch with nature or have been itching to enjoy the gorgeous landscapes and geographical wonders that the great outdoors has to offer, here are some of the best national parks in America that you would want to stop at the next time you hit the road.
Southern Utah has no shortage of stunning backcountry hikes, but the trek to Reflection Canyon is my favorite—and one of the toughest. The unmarked 15‑mile round‑trip route winds through slot canyons and deep washes with almost no shade, fully earning its “Difficult” rating. The beauty of Reflection Canyon is unforgettable, but preparation is essential. I created this Reflection Canyon trail guide to help you get ready so you can complete the hike safely and confidently.
When people see my photographs of the incredible Antelope Canyon on Instagram, I am often asked for recommendations on when and how to book a tour. My advice is always to book early and be prepared to deal with crowds. You see, the two times I visited the canyon were well over a decade ago, and there was far less demand for tours and the crowds were much smaller. I still think Antelope Canyon is an incredible sight that you should try and see at least once in your life. However, if you are either trying to book a tour last minute or would like a beautiful canyon experience without the massive crowds, then I would suggest that you keep reading my Waterhole Canyon guide. Believe me, this breathtaking canyon won’t be a secret for long either, so this is your chance to tour it before the crowds get much larger!
Since I had to push back my plans to visit the Middle East this autumn, I have decided to take another road trip out West to visit some of the lesser-known spots in Southern Utah that I have been want to visit for a while. On this Southern Utah road trip, I plan on spending some extra time to see some of the harder to reach places that I haven’t had the time to see in the past. Places like the incredible Reflection Canyon and the Rainbow Bridge National Monument in the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area.
Planning a road trip across the United States to visit some of the country’s beautiful national parks is a time honored tradition for many Americans, and something that draws visitors from around the world to the country each year to enjoy. The United States is filled with many beautiful park lands that showcase all different types of incredible landscapes. In my opinion, one of the most underrated national park lands in the United States is the breathtaking Great Sand Dunes National Park in Colorado. In putting together this Great Sand Dunes Guide, I had little trouble thinking of amazing things for visitors to see and do within this unique and beautiful park.
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