Canyonlands Needles DistrictLocated along Highway 211 in Bears Ears National Monument, Newspaper Rock is home to hundreds of petroglyphs carved over centuries. This easy roadside stop offers a fascinating glimpse into the people who traveled through southeastern Utah long before modern roads existed.
From ranchers and uranium miners to modern-day visitors, Shafer Trail has played an important role in Canyonlands history. Learn how this famous road descends 1,500 feet from Island in the Sky and became one of Utah's most photographed views.
Some famous places lose something after you finally see them in person. Delicate Arch was not one of them. After seeing photos of it for years, it still felt bigger, more exposed, and more unreal than I expected standing there in person.
Delicate Arch is more than the famous view in Arches National Park. Here’s why this freestanding sandstone arch became the symbol of Utah — and why seeing it in person feels so different than seeing it in photos.
These are the places in Moab I kept going back to — coffee, food, shops, and small local stops that shaped my time in town.
Escalante, Utah is the basecamp for exploring Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument. Here’s where to stay, eat, and plan your time in this remote desert town.
Devil’s Garden in Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument features hoodoos, sandstone formations, and Metate Arch you can explore without a long hike.
Built for Possibility
After spending nearly three months in Utah, I started seeing the same patterns show up across the landscape. From arches and hoodoos to domes, fins, monoliths, and petrified sand dunes, this guide breaks down the rock formations that define Utah—and what you’re really looking at when you see them.