| Arches.
Arches National Park is one of the best known and most heavily visited parks. I've found
that by going there late in the year (November), the crowds are substantially reduced. The
campground is still open - a good sleeping bag is a must.
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| Bryce.
Bryce Canyon is one of the jewels of the National Park Service. Technically an amphitheater,
not a Canyon, the red-orange rock formations of Bryce seem to glow as if lit by lights deep
within the earth. At elevations approaching 9,000 ft., the park can be cool in any season.
March is an excellent time to visit, with snow cover accentuating the redness of the rock,
but bring a warm sleeping bag.
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| Calf Creek Falls.
Located just north of the town of Escalante, Lower Calf Creek Falls is a spectacular
waterfall that drops 126 feet. There is also an Upper Calf Creek Falls that I intend
to visit on a future trip.
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| Canyonlands.
In his book, "Desert Solitaire", Ed Abbey writes "This is the most beautiful place on earth.
There are many such places. Every man, every woman, carries in heart and mind the image of
the ideal place, the right place, the one true home, known or unknown, actual or visionary."
This is a place where it doesn't take much imagination to believe that the clock has suddenly
turned back 100,000,000 years.
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| Capital Reef.
Located approximately half way between Canyonlands and the Escalante region, Capital Reef
has a combination of stunning scenery and remnants of human history from the last few
hundred years.
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| Neon Canyon.
Neon Canyon is one of the side canyons that leads in to the Escalante. I explored lower
Neon Canyon after wading across the Escalante. People with technical climbing skill can
visit upper Neon Canyon from above.
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| Willow Gulch.
Willow Gulch is one of the side canyons that leads in to the Escalante. I walked the length
of Willow gulch, right down to the Escalante, where I promptly got stuck in some quicksand.
I had to get down on my hands and knees to get out. I then came out via 40 Mile Gulch.
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| Zion.
Located a short drive west of Arches, Zion National Park has some amazing scenery.
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