Eastern Utah served up three of our most memorable, enjoyable and just downright FUN hikes in seven years of RV’ing and hundreds of trails! Here, I’ve asked ALL the important questions!
LITTLE WILD HORSE CANYON
Best for: Skinny People
Not for: Claustrophobics
Could my momma make it?
As long as she’s not been hitting the bons bons in excess lately, yes! It’s a moderate 4-mile out-and-back, or combine with the attached Bell Canyon Trail for a leisurely 8-mile loop.
Is there a Four Seasons nearby?
Nope, you’re in the middle of nowhere between Hanksville and Green River. It’s gonna take a concerted effort to get here, but worth it!
Am I gonna make lots of new friends?
Maybe a few, but not too many. It has light crowds because of location, but fun-seekers definitely increase as the day goes on. But since you’re gonna be sharing foot-wide crevices with others, the friends you make are sure to be CLOSE friends!
Heard on the trail:
If we heard (and said) “WOW” once, we heard it a thousand times!
Best activity here?
Hide ‘n’ Seek, anyone? Doesn’t get any more fun than this, with twisty, turny, scrambly surprises around every corner!
What number SPF in my sunscreen?
You could almost go with just Coppertone Baby Oil and be OK, because practically the entire hike is shaded down in the canyon! Great for hot days! The exception are the sandy washes on both ends of the canyon.
Will my doggie like it?
Bring Fido, but there are a couple places he’s gonna need your help to get up, down and around, like many big big rocks, and this six-foot tall dry fall! Boost? Can I get a boost? Anyone? Bueller? Anyone?
Overall Rating: 10/10 !
GOBLIN VALLEY STATE PARK
Best for: Those With An Active Imagination
Not for: Those With a Fear of Termite Mounds
Little Goblin is named for those adorable, stubby little hoodoos, all gathered in a big valley, just for you to explore!
Could my momma make it?
Even if she’s on a cane, yo momma could make it. Although Goblin Valley has a few trails, most of the fun is just wandering amongst the hoodoos at your own pace and for whatever distance!
But I’m not a Wander Woman.
If you prefer more structure in your life, and don’t want to wander aimlessly through the goblins, take the “path less traveled,” that is, any hiking trail in the park. You’ll find everything from (really) wide open spaces …
… to rolling “badlands-style” hard-packed dirt trails … 
… and even a tight spot or two … canyons that look like they were made from dripping mud!
Luxury resorts nearby?
Nope, you’re still in the middle of nowhere. But there is a (no-hookup) campground, free BLM land all around, orrrr for extra excitement, Goblin Valley SP has two yurts for rental, right among the rocks!
It’s not legit unless something is named Three Sisters.
Well then, you’re in luck here! Tah-dah, the Three Sisters. If I only had a dollar for every Three Sisters we’ve seen over the years! And don’t even get me started on Bridal Veil Falls(es).
Those mushroom caps are making me hungry.
With a little imagination, you can find just about every USDA food group pictured amongst the rocks.
But what to do with that hunger! Remember, you’re at least a few hundred miles from the nearest Mellow Mushroom Pizza! Luckily, there’s sometimes fine dining right there at the viewpoint!
Is my doggy gonna make new friends here?
He sure will … though they might be imaginary and made of adobe clay molded over the millennia. Or, this guy might saunter by …
Heard on the trail:
Marco! Polo! Marco! Polo!
Overall Rating: 8 / 10 !
FISHER TOWERS TRAIL
Best for: Long-Range Views
Not for: Loners … it’s Popular
Fisher Towers is a spectacular, almost 5-mile out and back trail with the most ahhhhh-mazing distance views of the surrounding Valley!
Fisher Towers? You mean cell towers, right?
Nope, the towers are rock towers, and you’ll have no cell reception here, but you’ll be so aghast at the beauty, you won’t even care.
Will I feel small?
Very small, especially when gazing up at “TITAN,” the largest of the rock towers, or hiking the trails along their walls.
How ’bout those trails now?
Twisty and turny, in and out and all around, perched on the edge of cliffs … yah, you’re gonna feel ALIVE! And did we mention small?
Will my doggy like it?
Does your doggy like 8 foot ladders? Cuz he’s gonna have to navigate one on this hike, or at least be the subject of a fireman’s pass up or down!
Oh, I’m not scared of a little climbing.
Cool … then Fisher Towers is for you … climb to the top of one or more of the towers, like these people! Good luck to ya!
How will I know when the trail ends?
Ummmmmm…………….. you’ll know
Four Seasons? Marriott? Day Spas?
There is good lodging in Moab (28 miles southwest), but if you’re staying in Thompson Springs, where we did, you can stay with the ghosts in the ruins of Sego Ghost Town!
Overall Rating: 9 / 10 !
And so ends the Q&A.
Though I have many answers, I also have many more questions. Plainly put, there’s some weird stuff around here. Please explain ….??!
Mannequins in abandoned cars
A wooden snake slide, curling through an old bus
A post office in a ghost town
Grams and gramps on the porch
A convenience store dug into a big rock
A wooden water-powered mill in the middle of the desert
There used to be two grinding rocks, but they used one for the caretaker’s headstone
“Carl’s Critter Garden”
We had a momentary moment of confusion when we returned to Elsie the RV, and the guy parked next to us had the exact same RV as our previous model, the Lucky Charm! It was downright weird!
Last but not least, good to know that even in abandoned shacks, Black Lives Matter! Truthfully, snake lives and lizard lives are probably more at risk here.
Next up, Sprinkles the Adventure Dog heads to Capitol Reef National Park and Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument, for even more wide open spaces and hiking adventures!
LOVED the Q&A format, so fun! Love the new motto graphic too <3
Thank you Kelsey W — that's a compliment, coming from the graphic design queen herself! 🙂