TRAVEL DIARY-away we whoa
OUR TOP 5 MUST SEE PLACES IN UTAH [YES, THERE’S MORE TO IT]
Last month we took you on a little virtual road trip to Utah and two of its most amazing National Parks: Zion and Bryce. If you think that’s all there is to see in this state, think twice! Utah has plenty of things to offer, and in this second part of the travel diary we’re going to run down the list for our TOP 5 Must See Places. What do you say, shall we jump right in?
#5 Red Hollow Canyon
In the first part of our travel diary we recommended to stay in Orderville, as the location is perfect if you are planning to visit Bryce Canyon and Zion. Bonus point, it’s also close to other amazing locations, like Red Hollow.
We visited this canyon during the evening right before sunset, and the walk was quite peaceful and compelling. The trail-head for this hike is at the city water facility at the end of a dirt road.
Depending on the time of the year, the creek might be either dry or wet (in our case there was water, but it was super easy to handle).
If you walk along the creek for about a third of a mile, you will then hit a major junction that will take you to a slot canyon. It’s pretty narrow and its walls are about 50 feet high. There are a couple of tricky parts that might require a bit more attention, but it’s totally worth it!
#4 Kodachrome Basin
This state park is located near the town of Cannonville, about 20 miles southeast from Bryce Canyon. Unfortunately, the annual pass for the national parks we recommended to buy does not work for this park. However, the entrance is only $8 per vehicle.
As photo lovers, it was impossible for us not to visit! This park was initially named “Chimney Rock”, but in 1948 members of the National Geographic Society, seeing the beauty of its multicolored sandstone, decided that Kodachrome (a popular Kodak film) was a more appropriate name.
Kodachrome is best known for its 60+ sand pipes, that range in height between six and almost two hundred feet. You can see them throughout any of the trails, most of which are fairly easy to do. The only one that might be a bit more challenging is the three mile round trip Panorama Trail, that leads to the famous Ballerina Slipper formation.
#3 Coral Pink Sand Dunes
A short 20 minutes ride southwest from Orderville, will take you to some of the most astonishing dunes we have ever seen. Also the coldest and windiest!, if you decide to visit them in winter.
One would think that living in Chicago would be enough to get you used to the cold and wind. Well, we were wrong! Making our way through the dunes was quite a hard task. Nonetheless, if you don’t
care about the sand in your eyes [and pretty much everywhere in your face], we think it’s totally worth the effort. Especially if you consider that you will have the place pretty much for yourself.
The 3,730 acres of uninterrupted salmon pink dunes have no predetermined trails, so feel free to wander around in any direction. If you happen to visit during the warm season, you can even rent an ATV and ride through pretty much 90% of the area. Also, there is a well equipped campground nearby where you can camp if you decide to spend a couple of nights.
#2 Lake Powell
We stopped here on our way back to Arizona and we absolutely loved it! With its 186 miles in length and 1,960 miles of shoreline, Lake Powell is the second largest man-made lake in the United States.
There are over ninety major canyons to explore, however you'll need a watercraft for the majority of them, as there are very few roads available. In this case, we would recommend visiting during the warm season, so you can take advantage of all the other activities this area offers [a lot of them water related].
If you happen to visit during winter, make a stop at the Antelope Point Marina, and walk all the way down to the dock. You’ll get a quite spectacular, and almost private, view!
#1 Horseshoe Bend
Ok, technically this is in Arizona. But since it’s located pretty much at the border with Utah, we decided to include it on this list. Plus, it’s considered part of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area which is in Utah...so, you see our point.
If you are looking for peace and quiet, maybe this is not the perfect place, as there are plenty of tourists all year around! Yet, we think you should definitely give it a shot. The dramatic overlook is impressive and it won’t disappoint you.
Keep in mind that the viewpoint is located a short ten minutes walk along a 0.6-mile dirt path from the parking lot area. It’s not a complicated trail, but in summer it might get very hot, so make sure to pack plenty of water.
Well, this is the end of our list and travel diary. We will be packing for a new trip pretty soon...this time we are going to a big city! If you don’t want to miss our stories, make sure to subscribe to our monthly newsletter!