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Grosvenor's Arch
Nine miles down Cottonwood Canyon Road is a beautiful double arch that you can drive to. There are picnic tables and restroom facilities. If you are up for a climb, you can climb the arch.
Cottonwood Canyon Narrows
This slot canyon parallels the road so you can make the hike a loop. Another slot canyon takes off from this one that narrows up and is fun to navigate.
Round Valley Slot Canyon
A fun and challenging slot canyon that does not require any technical gear. You get there by driving down Cottonwood Canyon Road 6 miles to Round Valley Draw. Take a right and the parking area is about 2 miles. Walk down the wash about 1/2 mile and suddenly the wash splits open and you drop into a narrow slot. Requires some canyoneering skills.
Willis Creek
Skutumpah Road is just 7 miles up Kodachrome Road. Turn left and go 6 miles to the Willis Creek trailhead. The Creek crosses the road (it is very small) at this point. Follow the creek down the draw and you enter a slot canyon within 100 feet. Very beautiful, narrows right up, no canyoneering required. Two miles down the canyon, Willis runs into Sheep Creek. At the confluence there is a rock wall with many pictographs.
Bull Valley Gorge
Follow Skutumpah Road 8 miles from Kodachrome Road. (Just 2 miles past Willis Creek). A must see canyon, the road crosses over the top of the canyon and you can look into a deep narrow canyon. There is a rim trail that follows the canyon in both directions. Going north, the trail is a little exposed, but going south, the trail is very safe. For those with canyoneering experience, this is a fun canyon to hike. You enter about 3/4 of a mile up the canyon. There are several drops that you have to maneuver. About 1 mile below the bridge, you can scramble out on the right side and then follow the rim trail back to your car.
Georgetown Cemetery
Turn right on Kodachrome Road and go 7 1/2 miles. Turn left onto a dirt road marked as Yellow Creek Road. About 1/2 mile down this road, there is an old Pioneer Cemetery. Georgetown used to be the larger of the three towns of Tropic, Cannonville and Georgetown. There is nothing left of the town, but the cemetery is still there and descendants of the original settlers are still choosing to be buried there.
Tropic Trail
A back entrance to Bryce Canyon National Park. Turn left on Bryce Way in the town of Tropic. About 5 miles up this road, it ends at a turn-a-round. You can park there and take the Tropic Trail into the Park. It provides a view of the colorful hoodoos of Bryce Canyon's main amphitheater from the bottom up. This trail connects with Peek-A-Boo, Queen's Garden and Navajo Loop.
Mossy Cave
Travel north on Kodachrome Road to Highway 12. Turn left and go 8 miles. Just as you see the red rocks of Bryce Canyon, there will be a parking lot on the left. Park there and hike 1/2 mile to a pristine small waterfall with windows and arches above you head. Fun to play in the water or follow the stream upriver for more spectacular sights.
The Toadstools
The trailhead is located on Hwy 89. Drive down Cottonwood Canyon Road to where it intersects with Hwy 89. Turn right and travel west on Hwy 89, between mile marker 19 and 20 as you descend into the Paria River Valley, there will be trailhead parking on the North side. Note that you are in Utah, near the Arizona border. Pass through a hiker’s gate and sign in at the trail register box. The trail is well worn and will soon dip into a wash. Follow the meandering wash towards the northern rim. This is a moderate 1 1/2 mile round trip. The occasional cairn will guide you towards the first noteworthy toadstool – the Red Toadstool made famous in many southwest travel guides and posters. Climb up to the ledge to reveal several mushroom patches to the north and east about 500 feet.
Covered Wagon Natural Bridge & Devil's Garden
Turn right onto Highway 12 and go 40 miles to the Town of Escalante. Turn right on Center Street (Cedar Wash Road) and continue 9.1 miles. At this point, the road curves left and there is a small wash adjacent to the right. Park here. Drop into the wash and walk a short distance upstream to the Covered Wagon Natural Bridge. Cross over the bridge and the wash becomes carved out of rock like a subway. Very interesting and a 5 minute walk. Return to your car and continue on Cedar Wash Road until it intersects with Hole in the Rock Road. Turn right and go ---miles to the Devil's Garden turnoff. Turn right and the parking lot is about 1/4 mile. There are picnic tables and restrooms at this sight. We call this an adult playground. All ages can have fun exploring the many arches and windows. Return to Highway 12 on the Hole in the Rock Road.
Peek-A-Boo and Spooky
Five miles east of Escalante, turn right onto Hole in the Rock Road. Continue down this road 26 miles till you see a Dry Fork turnoff. Turn left and keep left until you reach the parking area. Follow the trailhead down a cairned trail to the Dry Fork Coyote Gulch. Pay attention to landmarks so you can find your way back. When you reach the bottom, head downstream (right) a short distance to Peek-A-Boo. It is the first side canyon coming in on the left. Peek-A-Boo is a hanging canyon with an oval-shaped opening topped by an arch. The opening is about 12 feet up on the wall and is easy to walk past if you are not paying attention. Small hand and foot holds carved into the wall will help you climb up into the opening. It is a beautiful, sculptured slot and runs approximately .25 miles before ending in a wide sandy wash. When you reach this point, turn around and retrace your steps.Spooky is downstream approximately .5 miles to the next drainage on your left. Along the way, you will pass a large sand dune on your left. Spooky Gulch will enter soon after this landmark and will be a wide, sandy wash. Walk up the wash for about .25 mile. The wash will eventually funnel you right into the slot. Many will find themselves unable to negotiate the entire length of the .3 mile long slot due to its tight and constricted nature. There is a difficult chock stone near the upper end of Spooky. Come back the way you went in.
Long Canyon Slot
This hike begins off the Burr Trail Road. From Boulder, drive 11 miles on the Burr Trail Road to a small, unmarked paved pullout on the north (left) side of the road. From the pullout, the narrow slot is visible directly across the wash. Walk into this short canyon to experience the tall walls and narrow perspective of a slot canyon. This is a short, easy 15 minute round trip stroll.
Upper Calf Creek Falls
A great hike for the adventurous with no canyoneering skills required. Between mile marker 80 and 81 on Hwy 12, turn left onto a dirt road that ends in a parking area. The trailhead is to the right if facing the canyon. This hike is a 2 1/2 mile round trip following cairns down the slickrock of canyon. The falls are spectacular and very similar to the lower falls. About 100 yards down the trail, turn around and get your bearings so that your return trip will be easy to follow.
Lower Calf Creek Falls
The hike begins in the Calf Creek Campground located on Hwy 12, 15 miles east of Escalante. Hikers are charged a day use fee of $2.00 per vehicle. The 6 mile round trip hike to the 126 foot lower falls is on a developed trail adjacent to Calf Creek. The hike is moderately difficult due to sandy sections. An interpretive brochure is available at the trailhead. The hike can be hot, especially in the summer months and hikers must carry adequate water. Dogs must be leashed. A great place to swim in the heat of the summer.
Zion National Park
Turn left of Hwy 12 and drive 25 miles to Hwy 89. Turn left (south) and continue 40 miles to Carmel Junction. Turn right onto Hwy 9 and continue into the Park.
Bryce Canyon National Park Entrance
Turn left on Highway 12 and go 12 miles to the intersection of Hwy 12 and Hwy 63. Turn left and the entrance is 3 miles.
Capitol Reef National Park
Drive 95 miles east on Hwy 12 to Hwy 24. Turn right and continue another 10 miles.
Burr Trail
A must drive if there is time. Turn right onto the Burr Trail Road out of Boulder. Continue down this road at least 18 miles. The last 7 miles go through a very deep red canyon that is truly spectacular. As you come up on the other side of the canyon there is a good place to turn around with wonderful views into the next valley.
Lake Powell, Page Arizona
Weather permitting, travel south on Cottonwood Canyon Road to Hwy 89. Turn left and continue to Page. Alternate route is to take Hwy 12 to Hwy 89. Turn left and follow Hwy 89 into Page.