Estimated read time: 8-9 minutes
If you live in Utah and you love the outdoors and adventure, you've probably visited Arches, Zion, Bryce and maybe even Canyonlands. You've likely even been to Lake Powell, Goblin Valley and Little Sahara. But even if you are a lifelong Utah resident, chances are you haven't made it to all of the places on this list.
Vermillion Cliffs National Monument
You can be forgiven if you've never been to Vermillions Cliffs. It's one of the most remote areas of the nation and most of its wonders are only accessible by a high-clearance 4-wheel drive vehicle.
The Bureau of Land Management offers this advice to those who plan to venture to this area:
"Visitors entering Vermilion Cliffs National Monument do so at their own risk. There are no marked trails, no drinking water sources, and only occasional contact with other visitors and BLM employees. Rescue may take hours or even days. You are responsible for your own safety."
The warning continues with a notice that cell phone service in the area is sporadic at best. You can dial 911 if you get into a jam, but there are no guarantees of a response.
Most of Vermillion Cliffs is actually located in Arizona, but the best access to the most popular areas is through Utah southeast of Kanab. Once you enter, you are at the mercy of nature and lines on a map are fairly meaningless.
A couple of the most spectacular features, Coyote Buttes North (The Wave) and Coyote Buttes South require permits offered through a BLM lottery.
There is plenty to see outside of those features, including the colorful and spectacular White Pocket. Out of 153 reviews on Tripadvisor, 142 travelers give it five stars with nine more giving it four. Most reviewers recommend hiring a local guide to be safe and to get the most from the experience.
Kanab Toadstools in Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument
Visiting the Toadstools is like stepping onto an alien planet on a "Star Trek" set. Otherworldly is the word most commonly used to describe it.
The Toadstools are part of The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument about 45 miles east of Kanab off of Highway 89. The Toadstools are remote but easily accessible in any car. The formations are actually visible from the road, but they are distant so passersby don't often recognize them.
VisitUtah calls the Toadstools area a photographer's dream. The hike in and back is about 1.5 miles and mostly flat. You'll likely end up hiking much farther as you wander around looking at all the geological wonders.
There is no entrance station, no visitor's center, no permanent restrooms, no water and the only sign marking The Toadstools is easy to miss. Millions of people pass right by as they drive to some of Utah's better-known attractions.
You can't really appreciate The Toadstools until you hike to the area surrounding them. Fortunately, it's an easy hike across mostly level ground. It's difficult to express the feeling you have as you traverse a landscape that is like nothing else you've seen..
In addition to the traditional red sandstone of southern Utah, The Toadstools has areas of bright white and gray rock, creating striking contrasts.
Antelope Island
Antelope Island had nearly a million visitors in 2023, according to official data from the state. And although it is easily accessible to anyone living along the Wasatch Front, it's surprising how many locals have never been.
Most visitors drive the paved stretch of road between the entrance and the Fielding Garr Ranch and back without leaving their vehicles. To really experience the island, you must also drive the unpaved roads and even hike to some of the peaks so you can see the incredible vistas it offers. And it's nearby so there really is no excuse for not seeing it in different seasons. Winter on the island is much different that spring or summer. And the colors in the fall are something to behold.
Antelope Island might be the best place in Utah to view wildlife. In fact, few places in the country can compare for the quantity and variety of animals to see. Visitors almost always see bison. Some of the largest antlered mule deer in the world live on the island, as well as pronghorn antelope and bighorn sheep.
It's also a great place to view smaller animals and birds. Coyotes are common, as are foxes, porcupines, weasels, skunks, ground squirrels and more. A few years ago a wolverine was spotted there. In addition to a wide range of waterfowl, Antelope Island is a great place to see predatory birds like hawks, owls and even bald eagles.
Fish Springs Wildlife Refuge
If you've ever wanted to see a lush, fertile oasis in the middle of a barren desert, here is your opportunity. Honestly, summer is not the best time to visit this area, but it does allow you to see the stark contrast between the typical West Desert terrain and the refuge.
Fish Springs is about three hours from the Salt Lake area and much of that time is on rough, washboard gravel roads. Most of the route follows the same trail the Pony Express riders used and you'll find a recreated station at Simpson Springs along the way. You might get lucky and see wild horses or antelope anywhere on the route.
Totaling nearly 18,000 acres, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports the refuge supports 10,000 acres of lush, spring-fed wetlands. The water comes from "artesian pressure and hydrothermal convection along fracture zones in the Great Basin Carbonate Rock and Alluvial Aquifer."
At the springs you'll see a variety of waterfowl and other birds as well as plenty of insects. The springs are an important resting place for migrating monarch butterflies and other threatened species.
The Wildlife Service notes the refuge is one of the most isolated in the nation and visitors are advised to only make the trip in a reliable vehicle with good tires and a spare. There are no services, no gas, very sparse cell coverage and no drinking water sources, so make sure you are well supplied if you make the trip. There are additional warnings on the refuge website.
Southeastern Utah petroglyphs
When most people go to Moab, they aren't headed there to look at native scratchings in the red rock. That's unfortunate, because among the arches, bike trails and UTV routes there are some very interesting petroglyph panels.
The most unusual might be the birthing petroglyph. Located on Kane Springs Road just a few miles outside of town, "The petroglyph depicts a woman giving birth with her arms in the air and her legs spread eagle, and unique in the sense that it's the only known rock art depicting such an event," reports greatamericanhikes.
The birthing scene is on a large, cube-shaped rock easily visible from the paved road. There are other glyphs on the rock, including one right next to the birthing image that rarely gets mentioned that looks like a Spanish conquistador with a spear through his abdomen.
Another easy hike in the immediate vicinity takes you to the Moab mastodon. And while the subject of some rock art is uncertain, this one is pretty obviously a depiction of one of America's extinct pachyderms.
North of Moab near the Thompson are the Sego Canyon petroglyphs – three panels from three different native inhabitants and times. The most interesting are probably the Barrier-style glyphs that have large alien-looking images.
Don't stop exploring
Beyond these locations, Utah has other amazing places to see. Check out Fantasy Canyon in the northeast or Devil's Playground in Box Elder Canyon. Go to Hovenweep or Natural Bridges National Monuments. Beehive State residents are blessed to have spectacular attractions that draw crowds from all over the world, yet in spite of that, you can still discover incredible places where you can feel like you are one of the few people to ever go there.
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