Sights in Southeastern Utah
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Goblin Valley State Park
A Salvador Dali-esque melted-rock fantasy, a valley of giant stone mushrooms, an otherworldly alien landscape or the results of an acid trip the creator went on? No matter what you think the stadium-like valley of stunted hoodoos resembles, one thing’s for sure – the 3654-acre Goblin Valley State Park is just plain fun. A few trails lead down from the overlooks to the valley floor, but after that there’s no path to follow. You can climb down, around and even over the evocative ‘goblins’ (2ft- to 20ft-tall formations). Kids and photographers especially love it.
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Dead Horse Point State Park
A tiny but stunning state park, Dead Horse Point has been the setting for numerous movies, including the opening scene from Mission Impossible II and the finale of Thelma & Louise. Located just off Hwy 313 (the road to Canyonlands), the park has canyons rimmed with white cliffs and walloping, mesmerizing views of the Colorado River, Canyonlands National Park and the distant La Sal Mountains.
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Arches
One of the Southwest's most gorgeous parks, Arches boasts the world's greatest concentration of sandstone arches. Just 5 miles north of Moab on Hwy 191, the park is always packed in summer. Consider a moonlight exploration, when it's cooler and the rocks feel ghostly. Many arches are easily reached by paved roads and relatively short hiking trails.
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Natural Bridges National Monument
Forty miles west of Blanding via Hwy 95, this monument became Utah's first NPS land in 1908. The highlight is a dark-stained, white-sandstone canyon containing three easily accessible natural bridges. The oldest, the Owachomo Bridge, spans 180ft but is only 9ft thick. The flat 9-mile Scenic Drive loop is ideal for biking.
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Dan O’Laurie Museum
Between breakfast and dinner there’s not much activity in Moab. On a rainy day, you might check out the dinosaur and mining exhibits at the Dan O’Laurie Museum.
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Hovenweep
Beautiful, little-visited Hovenweep, meaning 'deserted valley' in the Ute language, contains six sets of prehistoric Ancestral Puebloan sites, five accessed by long hikes.
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Spanish Valley Winery
For some no-frills wine tasting, visit the surprisingly good Spanish Valley Winery, 6 miles south of Moab on Hwy 191.
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Canyonlands
Covering 527 sq miles, Canyonlands is Utah's largest and wildest park. Indeed, parts of it are as rugged as almost anywhere on the planet. Arches, bridges, needles, spires, craters, mesas, buttes - Canyonlands is a crumbling, decaying beauty, a vision of ancient earth.
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