The trails at Sylvan Lake provide some of the best views in all of South Dakota’s Black Hills. Hike the easy and flat 1.1 Lake Shore Loop around Sylvan Lake, and add in the 3.1 mile Sunday Gulch Loop for a fun but challenging hike past a creek with several small waterfalls and then up into the mountains of the Black Hills. Other trail options also include Little Devil’s Tower, my favorite viewpoint within the Black Hills, and Black Elk Peak (formerly known as Harney Peak) which is the highest point in elevation east of the Rocky Mountains. The trail to Black Elk Peak gains 1350ft, making it a tough trail. Little Devil’s Tower is shorter with less elevation, but involves a significant rock scramble at the end. There is also a spur trail to Cathedral Spires, a unique set of towering rocks.
Oberg Mountain is a 2.5-mile loop hike with a gradual elevation gain of 500ft. This is a relatively easy hike with amazing views around the entire loop of the surrounding hills, Lake Superior, and Oberg Lake.
Caribou Falls is an approximately 1-mile out-and-back hike, off of MN-61 between Tettegouche and Temperance State Parks. This is a subtly marked hike, meaning that although it is just a short distance away from the scenic highway that runs along Lake Superiors shore, you just might get to enjoy this waterfall by yourself. Enjoy the peacefulness of the Caribou River along your hike to the falls.
Vacation Ideas to Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Park - Plan a trip for your family.. This post includes favorite hikes, places to visit, and ideas on where to camp.
The hike out to Lower Calf Creek Falls is a relatively easy 6 mile out-and-back trail to a waterfall that plunges 126ft. Be prepared for sun exposure and extreme heat if hiking in the summer months. Pack 4L of water per person, and wear something that can be used for swimming at the end of the trail to cool off.
Kodachrome Basin is a beautiful State Park in Utah, literally on the steps of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and at the base of Bryce Canyon National Park. This park features easy to moderate hikes that range from needing an hour or two to a half day to explore. There is also a campground, which might make a nice option for spending a few days to explore the other nearby parks.
Bull Valley Gorge is a short (1 mile) but difficult slot canyon near Kodachrome Basin State Park in Grand Staircase-Escalante. This can be a loop hike out to the start of the canyon, through it, and scrambling back up, but there are some major obstacles to navigate through within the canyon. We explored about a third of the way through the canyon and returned the way we came in. Bull Valley Gorge is also the site of where a truck can be found wedged in the canyon walls from an accident in 1954.
Willis Creek Slot Canyon is an easy, shaded slot canyon with minimal change in elevation, and has stunning, tall, and colorful walls. This is an out-and-back hike for as long as you’d like. The max hike is 6 miles long. The trailhead is along Skutumpah Road, a sandy, bumpy road where a higher clearance vehicle is going to be appreciated. The canyon is located very close to the parking area.
The trail to Zebra Slot Canyon is a relatively easy 5.25 mile out-and-back hike through gorgeous desert backcountry. Hiking to Tunnel Slot Canyon adds 1.8 miles. Hike early in the morning to avoid the afternoon heat, bring 4L of water per person, pre-download a GPS map, and be prepared to get wet inside Zebra. Water shoes are helpful inside the canyon.
The loop hike through Peekaboo and Spooky Gulch Slot Canyons in Escalante ranges between 4.2 and 4.6 miles (depending on which trailhead you start from). Brimstone Gulch can be added with up to another 3.6 miles.
The easiest option to hike is clockwise, tackling the 15ft scramble up into Peekaboo first. There may be some standing water in the canyon. Spooky Gulch adds some challenge with two dramatic drops (easier to go down than climb up - thus setting the clockwise direction recommendation) and some 10-inch squeezes. Bring extra water - a lot of this trail is exposed to heat and the sun.
Lake Powell is formed in the Colorado River by the Glen Canyon Dam, just upstream of the Grand Canyon. Lake Powell offers opportunities for swimming, kayaking, and boating - a rarity in the desert. The surrounding canyon includes hiking trails with arches, hoodoos, and beautiful striped rocks. Rent a kayak or house boat, watch the sunset at Horseshoe Bend, explore the Hanging Gardens and New Wave, swim or hike at the Chains, or take a boat tour (tour options include a trek out to Rainbow Arch). Glen Canyon is a beautiful section of canyon along the Colorado River without the crowds of the Grand Canyon.
Antelope Canyon is an incredibly beautiful slot canyon in Page, Arizona. The canyon has intricately cut walls that will play with your imagination. There are three entry options - Lower Antelope Canyon, Upper Antelope Canyon, and Rattlesnake Canyon. All entries are on Navajo Tribal Land and therefore all three places require both admission to enter the park and a pre-purchased ticket for a tour at a specified time. Inside the canyon, the floor is sandy and flat. The walls are tight but don’t require squeezing. To get into the canyon, steps and ladders are required on some tours, and all tours involve at least a short walk through the desert (which is going to be hot in the sun in the summer). I have links to other slot canyon hikes at the end of this post (most of which are free or just cost the admission of the park).
The Toadstool Hoodoos are a bit other-worldly. This is an easy 1.8 mile out and back hike with minimal elevation gain (100ft). The trailhead is very accessible, just off of US-89. The only difficult thing about this hiking is that it is quite a bit off the beaten trail. It’s best accessed on a drive between Kanab and Page or on a trek to see Buckskin Gulch and/or White Pocket.
White Pocket is part of Vermilion Cliffs National Monument. It’s free to visit and does not require a permit. Trekking out to White Pocket does require a 4×4 vehicle, knowledge of how to drive through sand, and pre-downloaded GPS maps (as the 4×4 roads are not marked and there are several intersections). For the less adventurous person (myself included), consider signing up for a tour and letting someone else drive. Once here, the hike is easy. Bring poles if mobility might be a challenge, as most of the hike is along the rock surfaces.
Only an hour away from Zion National Park, Water Canyon could not be more an opposite place to visit. Despite being just as stunning of a canyon, Water Canyon is quiet, unknown, and much less developed. Pre-download a GPS, bring plenty of water, and take your time navigating and exploring Water Canyon. Canyoneering is an option on the way back for those prepared.
Keyhole Canyon is a 3B I slot canyon in Zion National Park. This adventure requires rappelling gear, wetsuits, headlamps, and pre-purchased backcountry permits picked up from Zion’s Visitor Center the day before or day of the hike. The 0.7-mile roundtrip loop includes 2 slot canyons, 4 rappels, and a lot of water - some sections waist deep and other sections that require a small amount of swimming.
Peekaboo is a short beautiful slot canyon near Kanab (not to be confused with the Peekaboo Slot Canyon in Escalante). This canyon does require an off-road vehicle to get to the trailhead, but Peekaboo is an easy 1-mile hike once you get there. For anyone without an off-road vehicle, consider renting an ATV/UTV from Kanab, or hire a guide, like All Ways Adventure to take your family out there.
Belly of the Dragon is an amazing manmade water culvert under US-89 that is being carved slowly into a slot canyon by the water moving through the sandstone. Although it’s just a water culvert under US-89, this is a cool, free place to stop and spend 20-30 minutes on the way to Zion National Park from Kanab.
I’m very much still a beginner, so this is an intro to an intro on what canyoneering is, who and how to book canyoneering experiences with guides, and how to book trainers to teach you the basics needed to canyoneer on your own. Obviously, this isn’t for everyone, but if you are looking to add a lot of adventure to hiking, canyoneering is the way to do it! My best advice is to hire people to take you out or to teach you before you go out on your own. I’m not sure how you would learn everything you need to by just reading or watching videos. We had some fantastic experiences with Forged Guides and All Ways Adventure.
Hiking up to the Moqui Caverns (Kanab Sand Caves) along US-89 requires a relatively short walk but a steep scramble up a sandstone cliff. These caverns are manmade from the 1930s and are remnants of a sand mining cave. The caverns are covered in graffiti, but still offer beautiful photos when the sunlight enters towards the late afternoon / early evening hours.
Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is a unique place to explore nearby Zion National Park with minimal crowds despite its beauty. Explore the sand dunes by foot, rent sand boards to sled down them, or schedule a UTV tour to drive over them. This is an awesome park to spend 1-2 hours at with young children.(in a non-summer month).
Yes, sledding down sand dunes is a thing, and it’s just as fun if not more than snow sledding. Check ahead to see if you can rent or buy a sled near the dunes. If not, buy both a plastic snow saucer sled and some snowboard wax. Cover the bottom of the sled with wax before each time down the sand dune. Easy peasy and a ton of fun!
Red Reef Trail is a stunning hike within the Red Cliffs National Conservation Area, about 30 minutes northeast of St. George, UT. This hike is a relatively easy 1.7-ish mile out-and-back trail that includes pictographs and Moki steps for anyone with a bit of extra courage. There are also preserved three-toed dinosaur footprints accessible from the same trailhead.
