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Utah Hikes

The lighting behind my dog oddly resembles her .20211025_152559.jpg20211024_173743.jpg20211025_143206.jpg20211024_212150.jpg20211025_220604.jpg20211025_153153.jpgIMG_20211026_191859_568.jpg
I love wandering in the middle of nowhere. I push myself to the point my knees and hip swell up and I can't walk for a few days. Wish I had better joints, but I won't let that hold me back. Sometimes, you just gotta David Goggins some ****.
 
I hesitate to even mention this because there were so few people there when I did it over the summer, Ruth Lake up in the Uintas. Very easy, maybe 2 miles round trip. Not steep. The trailhead is a small Parking lot a few miles past Mirror Lake. But you end up with a terrific view of one of the famous mountains in the Uintas. The name escapes me right now. I’ll edit this post later once I find my Ruth Lake pics.

The other one that was really fun was the Silver Flat Lake up AF Canyon. Not nearly as challenging as Blanche but the views were awesome.
 
The Cosmic Ashtray. This was a pretty hard hike and there's no trail to follow. I've read online that 1 out of hiking groups end up finding it. I studied Google Earth the night before and didn't use a map or GPS and I found it fairly easy. It's around a 10 mile out-and-back hike. Gorgeous views the whole way and the Cosmic Ashtray is way bigger than you think. It's freaking huge.
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Upper Calf Creek Falls.

It's a lil under 2 miles round trip, but damn, that hike is straight down, then straight up on the way back. Super cool place though.

On the way back I grinded it out and didn't stop once on during the intense climb. I was sweating like I just played a basketball game when I got back to my truck.

Escalante is damn cool. Love it down there.

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Lucky Dog. Seems like he absolutely loves it based on some of your YT videos.
 
I know this isn't really Utah but has anyone been to Great Basin National Park? I was surprised to see it just over the border into Nevada and it's just as far to get to as are the three central Utah parks. It looks like there aren't really a lot of places to stay around there unless you go farther into Nevada around Ely. Is this worth going to? Or is this a place that isn't any better than anywhere else but just has a designation of being a national park?
 
@Archie Moses your pictures are the best.

I hope to go to the cosmic ashtray someday.


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Escalante is probably my favorite place in Utah. So many cool places to see.

That hike was one I'll never forget and I hope you definitely do it.

It's a lil out there and the first and last mile sucks hiking in the sand, but damn it was awesome.

If you do make it down there, I recommend hiking to the Golden Cathedral. Egypt and Neon Canyon are amazing. There's a bunch of river crossing and it's a long and hard hike (at least for me) but gawd damn, that place/hike will leave you speechless.

I'm down to hiking with you anytime, my man.

I have lots of adventures planned for this year and can't wait to go.
 
I know this isn't really Utah but has anyone been to Great Basin National Park? I was surprised to see it just over the border into Nevada and it's just as far to get to as are the three central Utah parks. It looks like there aren't really a lot of places to stay around there unless you go farther into Nevada around Ely. Is this worth going to? Or is this a place that isn't any better than anywhere else but just has a designation of being a national park?
It's nothing great especially if you live near larger ranges and wonders like we do. It can be pretty in the summer, but you can also drive <1 hour from the Wasatch Front and see much prettier terrain in the Wasatch Back.

Night sky can be very pristine to look at as there's no light pollution so I could see camping for a night, but there's not a whole lot else to do outside of some light hiking.

One advantage it has: it's not busy, especially compared to the parks here in Utah. It's more of a locals park so you don't see a ton of vacationers/tourists aside from some roadtrippers who generally act responsible.
 
It's nothing great especially if you live near larger ranges and wonders like we do. It can be pretty in the summer, but you can also drive <1 hour from the Wasatch Front and see much prettier terrain in the Wasatch Back.

Night sky can be very pristine to look at as there's no light pollution so I could see camping for a night, but there's not a whole lot else to do outside of some light hiking.

One advantage it has: it's not busy, especially compared to the parks here in Utah. It's more of a locals park so you don't see a ton of vacationers/tourists aside from some roadtrippers who generally act responsible.
Thanks. This was my concern. When looking at it, I kept seeing the same pictures, and wondered if you get more bang for your buck staying here and going to better places that don’t have the “national park” designation.
 
Thanks. This was my concern. When looking at it, I kept seeing the same pictures, and wondered if you get more bang for your buck staying here and going to better places that don’t have the “national park” designation.
The park is tiny, especially the part that you can actually drive in. It's not bad if you're looking for a quick night away with the family camping as there's also a few caves that might be good for kiddos, but definitely not the place you could spend a few more days in like Bryce or Zion would afford.

I'd again stress that the lack of crowds and ease of camping is a perk though as the crowds haven't ruined the place unlike our parks. Only takes around three hours or so to get to depending on where you are in the area.
 
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