Reginal Overviews
Statewide
Northern Utah
Central Utah
Southwest Utah
Southeast Utah
Topical Overviews
Biking
Boating
Fishing
Golfing
Hiking
Off-Road Driving
Rafting
Skiing
National Parks
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Southeastern Utah - Travel and Vacation Overview
Southeast Utah is a remarkably rugged region of great beauty in the heart of Colorado Plateau. It is one of the most remote and wild areas left in the country, a place to really experience the raw stuff of nature. Here, the chance actions of erosion over immense periods of time have created hundreds of magnificent canyons and many wonderful red rock arches, natural bridges, and all manner of spires, pinnacles, buttes and monoliths.
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The region's very best in red rock scenery is to be found in Arches and Canyonlands national parks. Located near the two parks is Moab, a great stop for the outdoor recreationalist, featuring hiking, mountain biking, whitewater rafting and 4wd adventuring. Nearby, the La Sal and Abajo mountain ranges provide a cool alpine oasis above the often difficult climate of the desert.
Further south in the "four corners" region are numerous other attractions. Dark Canyon Wilderness Area offers great wilderness hiking. Natural Bridges National Monument is a small tidy park featuring three large natural bridges. In Monument Valley striking sandstone monoliths rise from the desert floor to create a wonderful landscape.
Provided below are short summaries of, and links to, all the attractions and towns in Southeast Utah.
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| Major Attractions and Cities |
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Arches National Park is home to the largest concentration of sandstone arches in the world, some 2,000 in all. The park offers a great scenic drive and numerous good short hikes through the desert landscape for close looks at its most impressive rock formations. |
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Canyonlands National Park is home to an immense expanse of deep orange-red canyons carved by the Colorado and Green Rivers and a wonderful array of superlative red rock formations. In addition to being a feast for the eyes, it provides great opportunities for hiking, mountain biking, 4wd adventuring, and white water rafting. |
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Moab
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Pop: 4,500
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(Very Good)
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Moab is a small town that makes a terrific destination for those seeking outdoor recreational activities. It offers numerous great opportunities for desert mountain biking, hiking and 4wd adventuring. The Colorado River passes by town with excellent calm water and whitewater options. And it is just a few minutes from Arches and a short drive from Canyonlands. |
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Monument Valley is an area of exceptional free standing red rock monoliths that rise up to 1,000 above the desert floor. The landscape they create is truly majestic, a fact documented by the numerous Westerns that have used it as a backdrop. |
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| Other Attractions and Cities |
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The Colorado River carves some terrific canyons through the sandstone desert terrain past Moab and through Canyonlands National park before emptying into Lake Powell. It offers long stretches of calm water as well as some outstanding whitewater. |
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The La Sal Mountains are Utah's second highest mountain range. They rise impressively above the red rock canyon country of southeastern Utah. The range contains 6 peaks that rise above 12,000 feet, the tallest being Mount Peale at 12,721 feet. Covered with thick aspen and fir forests and dotted with mountain lakes, the La Sals are a cool oasis within the often difficult environment of the surrounding desert. |
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Abajo Mountains are a small range of rounded peaks topping out at 11,362 feet. They have some pleasant scenic drives and hiking. They are relatively unknown and consequently not too crowded. |
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Blanding is a small town of 4,000. It is home to a small state park featuring ancient Indian artifacts, but serves mostly as a stopping off point for travelers in the area. |
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Bluff is a tiny community that serves mostly as a base for those running the San Juan River and traveling in the region. |
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Dark Canyon is a beautiful and isolated wilderness/primitive area offering great backpacking opportunities. |
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Hovenweep National Monument features some impressive ancient Indian ruins in an very remote area along the Utah/Colorado border. |
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Mexican Hat is a tiny community (pop. 50) nestled along the San Juan River in the pretty red rock deert. It has a few accommodations and restaurants. |
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Monticello is a small town (pop. 2,400) at the base of the Abajo Mountains. At 7,000 feet it has cooler summer temperatures than most towns in Southeast Utah. It has a good selection of accommodations and restaurants. |
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Natural Bridges National Monument is a pleasant small park featuring three large sandstone bridges at the bottom of adjacent canyons. It has a good scenic drive overlooking the bridges and excellent trails down into the canyons to the bridges. |
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San Juan River winds easily through beautiful remote canyons before emptying into Lake Powell. It has mild white water, Indian pictographs and Anasazi ruins, and some good hiking opportunities into side canyons. |
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