Desert Hiking Trails & Quests

The most popular trail into the Grand Canyon, Bright Angel Trail offers stunning views, shade, resthouses, and seasonal water sources. The trail follows a natural break in the canyon's cliffs created by a fault line. Hikers can choose various turnaround points like 1.5 Mile Resthouse (3 miles round trip) or 3 Mile Resthouse (6 miles round trip). For experienced hikers, continuing to Plateau Point (12 miles round trip) or even the Colorado River (16+ miles round trip) provides incredible views, though these longer journeys are recommended as overnight trips.

This classic hike in Arches National Park leads to Utah's most famous natural arch, which appears on the state's license plates. The 3-mile round trip climbs steadily across open slickrock with no shade, culminating in a dramatic reveal as you round a corner to see the 46-foot-tall freestanding arch. Sunset is particularly spectacular as the arch glows red in the fading light, though this is also the busiest time. There's little trail marking across the slickrock sections, so pay attention to rock cairns that mark the route.

This ridge-line trail in Grand Canyon National Park offers the most spectacular views per mile of any trail in the canyon. Unlike Bright Angel Trail which follows a side canyon, South Kaibab travels along an exposed ridge, providing expansive panoramas in all directions. Popular turnaround points include Ooh Aah Point (1.8 miles round trip), Cedar Ridge (3 miles round trip), and Skeleton Point (6 miles round trip). The trail has no water sources and little shade, making it particularly challenging in hot weather. Despite the relatively short distances, elevation changes of 1,200-2,000 feet make this a strenuous hike.

This popular combination in Bryce Canyon National Park creates the perfect introduction to the park's famous hoodoos—tall, thin spires of rock. Beginning at Sunrise Point, the trail descends among colorful orange and pink formations, including one resembling Queen Victoria. Connecting to the Navajo Loop adds Wall Street, a dramatic slot canyon with towering walls and switchbacks climbing back to the rim at Sunset Point. The 3-mile loop features 600 feet of elevation change and offers constantly changing perspectives on Bryce's unique geology. Early morning light brings out the richest colors in the rock formations.