6 Overlooked Destinations In Utah

Above,  Monument Valley's Totem Pole (at left) was featured in The Eiger
Sanction (1975) and in The Searchers (1956). Photo by Armand Vaquer.

The first time I spent any time in Utah was in 1969 with my parents. We stayed at the Watchman Campground in Zion Nationak Park (those were the days before the hordes started coming to Utah). We also camped at Bryce Canyon National Park.

Since then, I've been to Utah several more times.

There are some places "off the beaten path" that many people miss. The National Post listed six of them.

They begin with:

Known as the Mighty 5, the popular national parks of Zion, Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands and Arches in Utah showcase some of the most iconic vistas of the American West. Yet for people looking to explore some of the state’s less familiar destinations, equally stunning views await if you’re ready to get off the beaten path. 

We’ve rounded up six dramatic destinations to visit between your explorations of the Mighty 5. Offering incredible landscapes and the chance to discover ancient cultures, they encourage you to slow down and savour some of America’s beautiful wild places.

One of the six is Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park. I was last there four years ago.

On Monument Valley, they wrote:

Known by the Navajo as Tse’Bii’Ndzisgaii, Monument Valley lies in the sacred heart of the Navajo Nation, sprawling over northern Arizona and southern Utah in an area larger than Arches National Park. 

This rugged desert landscape, with its mesas, buttes and sandstone towers, is instantly recognizable, as it’s been used as the backdrop for countless movies, TV shows and commercials, dating all the way back to early John Wayne westerns, like Stagecoach in 1939. 

Visitors can take a driving tour of Valley Drive or hire a licensed Navajo guide for a longer trip to Mystery Valley. You can tour by Jeep or, for a more intimate experience, do it on horseback. If you love the night, stay over for some stargazing under one of the country’s darkest skies.

Above, The Beast at Goulding's Lodge Campground in Monument Valley. Photo by Armand Vaquer.

I hope to return to Monument Valley this summer. When I was last there, it was during the month of November when cold winds blew during the day and the nights got down into the 20s. I camped at Goulding's Lodge Campground.

To read more, go here.