When contemplating locations to see in Utah you in all probability have the highest Utah points of interest like Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Canyonlands National Park, and Arches National Park in your record.
We assume you must. They are unimaginable nationwide parks within the United States.
But, there are such a lot of different cool locations to go to in Utah off-the-beaten-path it’s possible you’ll not have even heard of.
They are simply as spectacular as the principle points of interest in Utah and infrequently contain larger journey – principally as a result of there’s a important much less quantity of individuals to share it with.
We spent six weeks on our current USA journey exploring Southern Utah.
As we at all times favor to jot down from expertise – not desk analysis or collabs – we solely suggest what we’ve performed, so we solely have Southern Utah suggestions on this publish. Hopefully we are able to return to Utah to search out extra cool locations close to Salt Lake City. (Here is a bucket record of 43 issues to do in Utah that features some North Utah points of interest)
These are the hidden gems in Utah and lessor identified adventures.
We have in-depth posts and movies on all of the locations to see in Utah talked about under. Click every hyperlink to learn the publish and the Utah Hidden Gem Destinations video playlist is on the finish of the publish.
Podcast: Adventures & Places to See in Southern Utah
We additionally recorded this data in podcast kind, in case you favor to listen to us chatting about it and sharing our tales! Don’t neglect to share it with your folks.
With house, pink filth and loads of recent air, Utah is among the most tasty locations within the US throughout these present difficult instances.
In reality, we expect you’ll discover it enhances your bodily energy, immunity and psychological nicely being.
1. ATV adventures in Sand Hollow, St George
The colours of Sand Hollow State Park are out of this world – snow peaked mountains, vivid orange and pink filth, aqua blue lake.
You need to see it to consider it, and there’s no higher method than through the journey of an ATV journey up and down the sand dunes, and out and in dinosaur carved rock formations. The sundown tour is a dream!
It’s an exhilarating Utah journey for households and considered one of our favourite locations to see in Utah that completely nobody advised us about!
Sand Hollow State Park is simply exterior St George in Southern Utah and is the right leisure space for ATV adventures because it gives among the greatest Utah ATV trails round.
This 20,000 acre state park is Utah’s latest and nicely famend for its 6,000 acres of ATV and OHV off-road trails that take you to three,500 ft in elevation. It’s WOW at each airborne flip!
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2. Snow Canyon State Park, St George
An exquisite different to close by Zion National Park, Snow Canyon is a a 7,400 acre scenic park positioned simply exterior of St George in Southwestern Utah.
Our hike took us on a various journey via a forested space, gorge space, petrified sand dunes, and lava tubes.
This park is comprised of volcanic cinder cone, sand dunes, deep pink, burnt orange, yellow and white sandstone cliffs, and twisted layers of rock.
It’s additionally a well-liked place in Utah for mountaineering.
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3. Red Reef Trail, St George
The Red Reef Recreation Area might be one of many locations to see in Utah you’ve gotten by no means heard of.
I believe I discovered a bit paragraph about it in a brochure and thought it appeared cool. Thankfully, it was throughout the street from our campsite in Hurricane so we determined to pop over and test it out.
The Red Reef mountain climbing path was the ladies first introduction to adventurous mountain climbing. They fell in love. I’ll always remember the concern and pleasure on their faces as they climbed up a steep rock face subsequent to a waterfall with solely a rope to carry on. Their bravery was superb
This gorgeous hike will take you thru
Read extra: Hike the Exciting Red Reef Trail in St George, Utah
4. Spooky and Peek-a-Boo, Grand Escalante
We fee this Utah journey as our favourite hike on our USA street journey (to this point). The women nonetheless rave about how a lot enjoyable this was.
Peek-a-boo and Spooky Canyon are slot canyons deep inside Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
It’s intense – stuffed with holes to climb up and crawl via. The journey solely will get higher with a 12 inch slender house to slip via on the very finish.
Read More: Peek-A-Boo and Spooky Slot Canyons – an incredible Utah Adventure
5. Lower Calf Creek Falls, Highway Scenic 12, Utah
The Lower Calf Creek Falls is within the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument in Southern Utah.
The path winds a valley enclosed by towering cliffs of pink, pink, orange and yellow – that’s oh so typical of Utah, essentially the most colourful place on the earth.
It then passes via a shady low scrub and bamboo forest sandy observe beside a shallow creek earlier than opening as much as this gorgeous waterfall – an iconic Utah attraction
Read extra: The extraordinary Lower Calf Creek Falls in Utah
Podcast mentions:
6. Capitol Reef National Park, Southern Utah
The solely Utah nationwide park we’ve included on this hidden gems in Utah record, as a result of it’s so a lot quieter and lessor identified than the opposite 4 nationwide parks in Utah.
It’s beautiful. Actually, its considered one of my favourite nationwide parks within the nation and made our record of US nationwide parks it’s possible you’ll not have heard of record.
Within this nationwide park is among the few pure arches in Utah you’ll be able to stroll on high of. Capitol Reef can also be stuffed with scenic drives, verdant valleys, stunning views and adventurous mountain climbing trails.
Read extra: 12 Don’t miss issues to do in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah
7. Goblin Valley State Park
If you’re in search of cool locations to see in Utah, you do not need to overlook Goblin Valley State Park, particularly in case you are visiting Utah with children.
You solely want an hour or two to discover this land stuffed with mushroom, gnome, and goblin formed orange and yellow rocks.
It’s excellent for video games of cover and search and tag. You may also do just a few quick hikes right here. It’s a enjoyable factor to see in Utah.
Read extra: Goblin Valley State Park Utah – probably the most enjoyable locations to go in Utah
8. Corona Arch, Moab
The drive into the Corona Arch path is a sign of the pure magnificence forward. This hidden gem is among the greatest issues to do in Utah.
This is a good Moab hike with children because it’s comparatively straightforward, and with ladders to climb, slick rocks to maneuver with cables, caves to discover and cairns to construct they’ll be completely entertained.
The 3-mile spherical journey hike begins within the parking zone throughout from the Colorado River and goes up a brief hill, throughout the railroad tracks after which up into the canyon.
Corona Arch, with a gap of 140 by 105 ft, is often known as Little Rainbow due to its resemblance to Rainbow Bridge at Lake Powell.
We loved this arch simply as a lot as, if no more than, the well-known arches in Arches National Park
9. Fisher Towers, Moab
The Fisher Towers are photogenic rock formations eroded into attention-grabbing shapes.
Dark pink sandstone has been carved into spires, minarets, hovering fins, gargoyles and unusual rock formations. Rock climbers adore it right here.
It’s a 5.2 mile spherical journey path that does via canyons, beneath sheer vertical cliffs and thru the towers. We didn’t make it so far as the towers, however have been greater than glad with the dramatic surroundings and outside journey.
The gorgeous U-128 Scenic Byway takes you there and again. Be positive to cease in on the Winery on the drive again. You’ll get pleasure from that cup of wine with these views over the Colorado River and valley after your hike.
Believe it or not, consuming wine in Utah is a singular factor to do because the state has strict consuming legal guidelines.
Read More: 16 Things to do in Moab (consists of Fishers Towers and Corona Arch)
10. Jeep Off Roading in Moab
Are you prepared for one one of the best Utah adventures yow will discover? I believe by now you’re getting that Moab is a fairly cool Utah vacation spot.
Rock crawling in a jeep takes it to a complete different degree. As talked about on the podcast, insane enjoyable was had taking up vertical rock faces that had us squealing, screaming and laughing on the similar time.
What a enjoyable household exercise to do in Utah! The ever altering Red Rock nation surroundings solely enhanced the expertise.
Our drive took us via the alpine forests of the La Sal Mountains, up and over the steep pink rocks and large boulders and completed with enjoyable driving up and down sand dunes.
Read More: Jeep adventures in Moab
11. Shafer Trail Drive, Canyonlands National Park
Get prepared to carry on to your seat belts as you hit the horrifying switchbacks of the Shafer path in Canyonlands National Park in Moab.
Driving down the Shafer Trail switchbacks into the quiet of the canyon flooring was an unimaginable expertise.
Check circumstances on the Visitor Center as it’s possible you’ll want a 4WD. You may a minimum of drive the switchbacks in a 2WD all the way down to the underside. I wouldn’t suggest taking the remainder of the path again to Moab in a 2WD although.
I cherished driving this street and popping out to Dead Horse Bend the place solely a few days earlier than we sat above watching the sundown right here. It’s a powerful spot.
It can get fairly tough.
Read More: Things to do in Canyonlands National Park (consists of The Needles)
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12. Sunset at Dead Horse Point State Park
A Utah spotlight so as to add to your Utah bucket record. Actually we expect it’s among the finest sundown expertise within the USA.
Dead Horse Point is among the most photographed scenic vistas within the USA. The overlook towers 2,000 ft above the Colorado River, offering a wide ranging panorama of Canyonlands’ sculpted pinnacles and buttes.
Pack a picnic and discover a spot on the sting of the mesa and benefit from the magic of the setting solar lighting up the spectacular horseshoe bend within the Colorado River because it carves out the encompassing canyonlands.
Time your go to after a day exploring Islands of the Sky close by in Canyonlands.
You may even camp there or spend extra time exploring the state park and the various hikes and biking trails that should be superior.
Podcast point out: Tips for visiting Horseshoe Bend in Arizona
13. Valley of the Gods + Natural Bridges Monument
Another cool place to go to in Utah is the Valley of the Gods. It’s extra of a serene journey because it’s principally only a scenic drive and gorgeous views.
We extremely suggest you free camp on this space It’s fairly and gorgeous. Our views of Monument Valley within the distance have been spectacular.
It’s additionally near Natural Bridges Monument, which is simple to discover in a day. You can take quick trails all the way down to any of the three pure bridges, or do the longer 10 mile hike that passes by all three.
We hiked to Sepiku which was in all probability essentially the most enjoyable hike to do particularly with children.
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Hidden Gems in Utah Video Playlist
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What different cool locations in Utah would you add to this record?