When we first visited Utah in 2021, my mind was absolutely blown. It didn’t take much Utah hiking for this East Coaster to feel like I’d been dropped on another (gorgeous) planet!
As a full time travel family for four years (this week!), we’ve spent a total of almost six months living and hiking in Utah altogether. And I’m so excited to share some amazing hikes with you today! These are all hikes that we’ve completed with our three young kids, but some of them are more challenging than others. It’s a great list for anyone looking to do some Utah hiking.
If you’re planning a Utah trip, don’t miss everything I’ve blogged about Utah. And I also have our favorite family hiking gear listed here, too!
There are so many incredible free places to camp in Utah, as well. If you own an RV and want to learn how to camp off-grid, check out our Boondocking 101 Guide:
Boondocking 101 Guide
This 10-page guide will assist RVers in learning the basics of boondocking, or camping off-grid! We share everything we’ve learned as a family living off-grid and boondocking in our RV.
Now let’s get into some amazing Utah hiking, shall we?
17 Utah Hiking Trails We Love
Buckskin Gulch
I started with Buckskin Gulch because it’s probably my favorite hike in the Lower 48. I’m a sucker for slot canyons, and this one doesn’t disappoint. You can hike the whole canyon if you’re a hardcore hiker, but families will find it more accessible to start at the Wire Pass trailhead, and you’re at the confluence with Buckskin in under 2 miles. The drive in is bumpy, but 2WD accessible if it isn’t wet. Definitely check the weather to be sure that there’s no rain in the forecast (slot canyons are deadly in flash floods!), and purchase a $6 per person permit online before you go. There’s one easy ladder to climb down; our 3 year old made it. I recommend starting this one in the afternoon so that you’re not hiking out of the wash in the brightest sun of the day.
Lower Calf Creek Falls
The hike to Lower Calf Creek Falls is flat, but long in the warm sun (we went in April and it was already hot!). The payoff is AMAZING, though. We’ve seen a lot of waterfalls, and this was one of the prettiest. Pack suits to swim in the (chilly!) water, and definitely wear sunscreen because there’s a lot of sun exposure on the trail. The parking lot gets crowded, but they’re working to expand parking this summer, so hopefully that gets better soon! If you’re wanting to camp, the campground there is gorgeous and right at the start of the trail. This is one of those Utah hiking trails we’ll never forget!
Zebra Slot
Zebra Slot is not too far from Lower Calf Creek Falls, but is a totally different vibe. A long, but beautiful walk through exposed wash takes you to the narrowest slot canyon we’ve yet attempted. It requires being either very small or very strong, preferably both. I decided I didn’t want to scale the walls of the slow to go any further, so I let my husband and oldest kiddo finish the slot without me. They came back with breathtaking photos! The walls of the slot really are as striped as they look in pictures. I’d recommend this hike if you’re willing to scale walls to see. Keep in mind that the last half a mile to the slot is difficult to navigate and very warm, so watch your AllTrails map to stay on course!
Fifth Water Hot Springs
The Fifth Water Hot Springs trail is the only Utah hiking trail on this list that’s not in Southern Utah. If there’s one hiking trail near Provo to try out, though, I’d highly recommend this one. It’s a moderate hike to the most gorgeous hot springs imaginable, especially in fall with the changing foliage. Seriously storybook pretty. Bring suits to soak in the pools! Don’t be like us and underestimate how long this hike will take, though. It’s only a couple of miles with low total elevation change, but it’s rocky and rolling hills, so it took us a lot longer than we expected. The parking lot is tiny, too, so consider doing this one on a weekday! Check to make sure the road in is open; you can hike this one in winter too, but it involves extra mileage to hike in.
Neilson Wash
The Neilson Wash trail doesn’t appear on Google Maps or AllTrails, so I’ll share the coordinates to the start of the trail here. You just park your car on the side of Factory Butte Road and walk down into an amazing looking wash for as far as you want, then walk back. This is a fabulous short hike if you’re in the Hanksville area, as it’s on the same road that leads to Factory Butte and the Moon Overlook. More about all of that in my Hanksville post!
Cassidy Arch
Cassidy Arch is in Capitol Reef National Park, and would definitely be my pick for the trail to do if you’re only doing one. It’s got a fair amount of elevation change, so definitely on the harder site of moderate in my opinion. It also doesn’t have much shade, so choose your timing wisely! That said, this is one of the coolest arches we’ve seen. It’s sort of like Devil’s Bridge in Sedona, but without the crowds! We had the arch to ourselves for a bit mid-day, which would never happen in Sedona. Bonus points for taking baked goods from the homestead up there with you to eat. Don’t take the road to the trailhead if it looks like it might rain!
Delicate Arch
Speaking of arches, there’s no way you can miss Delicate Arch if you’re a fan of Utah hiking. It’s so famous, it’s on the license plate! This is not a terribly difficult hike, but it is very sun exposed (are you sensing a theme here?). One thing I wasn’t expecting about this hike was how slick the rock up top by the arch would be. Fine for grownups, but a little stressful trying to keep kiddos from sliding down off the cliffs. That said, I’d still do this hike again, and we loved watching sunset there (with 250 of our closest friends haha). Next time, I’d love to take head lamps and wait for the stars to come out before hiking back down!
Corona Arch
Corona Arch is Delicate Arch’s less popular cousin down the road. But don’t let its lesser popularity fool you, Corona Arch is gorgeous in its own right! The arch is less…well…delicate, but absolutely grander. And the hike is way less crowded. It’s a moderate hike that involves a ladder and a short chain section, but our kiddos did it just fine at 5 and 7! Start this one early if you can because it gets warm and sunny! Luckily the arch itself provides a shade break for you.
Mill Creek North Fork
We think that the Mill Creek North Fork trail in Moab is like a mini version of The Narrows in Zion. This hike is a stunner, and you get to walk through water just like in The Narrows (only less deep!). The parking lot at the trailhead is small so be prepared to wait for a spot or circle back. But that means that this trail is very uncrowded! The end of the trail features an amazing waterfall and pool that you can swim in if its warm enough!
White Pocket
There’s no established hiking trail at White Pocket, but you could wander around this gorgeous rock formation all day. This is one of the most amazing places I’ve ever seen, but it does require over two hours of off-roading each way. It’s not for the faint of heart! Definitely don’t attempt this adventure alone without 4WD and self-recovery tools. You can take a tour if you don’t feel comfortable driving it yourself! Either way, it’s absolutely bucket list worthy Utah hiking. I’d like to go back and camp overnight there!
Navajo Loop & Queens Garden
The Navajo Loop and Queens Garden combo is one of the most popular options in Bryce Canyon National Park, and for good reason! It’s breathtaking and surreal. We hiked in at Sunrise Point and out at Sunset Point, and that last uphill section was a real slog. Not for hikers unwilling to climb up switchbacks for half an hour! You’ll be rewarded with otherworldly beauty for your effort, though. Our kids even got a special sticker from the Rangers at the Visitor Center for hiking into the canyon.
Arches Trail
If you’re looking for Bryce Canyon type views without all of the crowds, the Arches Trail right outside Bryce is your ticket! It’s an easy trail, and we had it completely to ourselves. Plus the scenery is almost as good as in the National Park! I definitely would recommend this short gem to anyone.
Red Reef Trail
The Red Reef Trail in Red Cliffs National Conservation Area is a stunner, especially considering it’s on the easy side of moderate. You can go as far as you like and then turn back, making it a great option for kids or beginning hikers. Depending on the time of year, there are even gorgeous little waterfalls and pools. There is a fee to enter the conservation area, but this is a great option for Utah hiking near Zion but without the crowds.
Valley of the Goblins
Valley of the Goblins in Goblin Valley State Park is a short, easy hike with a massive payoff in scenery. At just a flat mile, it couldn’t be easier to enjoy the amazing rock formations in Goblin Valley! There is a $20/two days fee to enter, which is a bit steep, but totally worth the views. Parking is easy on weekdays, and still doable on weekends.
Zion Canyon Overlook
Zion Canyon Overlook is a short, but steep trail to an amazing view of Zion National Park. It’s on the east side of the park, so it doesn’t require a shuttle ticket. But like everywhere in Zion, it’s crowded. AllTrails lists this is easy, but it is steep and has giant dropoffs, so keep a close hand on kiddos. The view at the end of gorgeous, though!
Toadstools Trail
The Toadstool Hoodoos Trail is an easy hike with amazing hoodoo views that kids (or the young at heart!) will love. It’s a great stop off on a journey from Southern Utah to Page, Arizona, and you might even have the whole trail to yourself. This otherworldly landscape will take your breath away, particularly at sunrise and sunset! That alone would land it a spot on our Utah hiking list.
Sorry those last two don’t have photos! We hiked them in 2021, back before I was overdocumenting everything haha.
I hope this post helped you as you plan your Utah hiking adventures! If you try one of these hikes, leave a comment and let us know 🙂
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