Southwestern Utah Sights

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1. Red Canyon

This arresting 7,400-foot-elevation landscape of dark green Ponderosa pines and Douglas fir trees is part of Dixie National Forest. You'll see fiery-red sandstone pinnacles and hoodoos, as well as clear blue sky, as you make your way via Highway 12 from Panguitch to Bryce Canyon—at one point the road even passes beneath a dramatic red-rock arch. Have a picnic and a short stroll on one of the several trails that lead from the Red Canyon Visitor Center (open daily, late May to early September). Longer treks—the Hoodoo Loop, Ledges, and Losee Canyon Trails all showcase the rewarding scenery—are worth checking out if you have a bit more time. Some trails are well-suited to mountain biking, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing, and the paved 5-mile Red Canyon Trail is ideal for road biking. There's also a campground.