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Camping and Hiking in Utah
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Goblin Valley State Park
Scores of intricately eroded creatures greet visitors to Goblin
Valley. Hike among intricately eroded rock formations in
haunting coves in this photographers' paradise. Adjacent tot he
park, off-highway vehicle enthusiasts will find hundreds of
miles of dirt roads to explore. Goblin Valley State Park is in
Emery County between Green River and Hanksville off State Route
24. Facilities include a 21-unit campground, modern rest rooms,
hot showers for campers, sanitary disposal station and visitor
observation shelter. For information call: (435)564-3633
Arches National Park
The world's largest concentration of natural stone arches is
found in Arches National Park. Over 2,000 of these miracles of
nature grace the 73,000-acre area. A 40-mile round-trip paved
road in the park leads to the major sights, including Balanced
Rock, Skyline Arch, Double Arch and the Fiery Furnace. In
summer, rangers lead guided walks into the Fiery Furnace;
reservations are required and may be made at the visitor center.
Other guided walks and campfire programs are offered daily. The
hike to the famed Delicate Arch is 3 miles round trip and can
also be seen from a newly constructed viewpoint. Two trails in
the vicinity of this viewpoint offer different views of Delicate
Arch. Elsewhere in the park, trails guide visitors to several
other arches. Water is available seasonally in the year-round
campground. For information call: (435)259-8161
Canyonlands National Park
Views thousand of feet down tot he Green and Colorado Rivers, or
thousands of feet up to red rock pinnacles, cliffs and spires
create the incredible beauty of Utah's largest national park.
The two rivers have sliced Canyonlands Nation Park into three
districts, each named according to its distinctive landscape;
Island in the Sky, Needles and The Maze. This rugged national
park is world-renowned for its four-wheel driving, mountain
biking, whitewater rafting and hiking. Major entrances to the
park are accessible for US 191, 35 miles northwest of Moab and
22 miles north of Monticello. Visitor centers are open
year-round with reduced hours in winter. A reservation office
open Monday-Friday accepts reservations for backpacking permits,
four-wheel drive campsites, same day use in the Needles District
and group campsites. For information call: (435)259-7164
Capitol Reef National Park
Capitol Reef National Park splashes color for 75 miles from its
northern to southern boundaries. A geologic uplift of
rainbow-hued sandstone, most of Capitol Reef is an inviting
wilderness of spires, formations and cliffs, such as Capitol
Dome, Hickman Bridge, the Waterpocket Fold and splendid
Cathedral Valley. In the midst of Capitol Reef's red rocks and
ancient petroglyph panels are large orchards, where fruit may be
picked in season, and the remnants of Fruita, an early pioneer
settlement. The visitor center is open year-round. Several
fairly easy hiking trails and the 25-mile Scenic Drive lead form
the vicinity of the visitor center. Cathedral Valley and other
backcountry areas may be reached via high-clearance dirt roads.
For information call: (435)425-3791
Uinta National Forest
Stretching across the entire northern breadth of Dinosaurland,
the Uintas are geologically unique as the highest mountain range
in Utah. And other than the Brooks Range in Alaska, the Uintas
are the most prominent east-west range in the United States.
Their precambrian rocks are over 600 million years old and have
been elevated by tremendous pressure to form nearly vertical
faults. The elevation of the Uintas ranges from 8,000 feet to
13,512 feet at Kings Peak, Utah's highest. Ridges divide the
area into large scenic basins interspersed with glacial moraine,
lakes and drifts. The basins are in spectacular contrast to the
abrupt ridges which may rise several thousand feet above them.
The High Uintas Wilderness, established in 1984, offers hikers
unsurpassed opportunities to enjoy the magnificent scenery,
fishing and wildlife viewing of the high peaks region. This
designated wilderness, like all wilderness areas is closed to
mountain bikers. The headwaters of Utah's mouth important rivers
are located in the Uinta Mountains. Duchesne County alone has
over 500 lakes and more than 400 miles of mountain streams. The
eastern end of the Uintas consists of a number of wide valleys
that traverse the crest of the range all the way to the Colorado
River.
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