North Route to Mount Nebo

The Trail
This strenuous trail is 4.5 miles one way with about a 2650 foot elevation change. However, because the trail goes up and down, hikers will end up climbing a good deal more than that. By the time you go up to the peak and back down the way you came, you will have climbed over 4,000 feet. Mount Nebo is the highest point in Utah County and is one of Utah Counties "Seven Peaks."

This route starts out along the trail that goes to North Peak. However, for hikers wishing to go to the north-most and highest peak on Mount Nebo, this path is the shortest, easiest, and most popular route there. The trail splits off (as marked by the red flag in the map below) at the saddle of North Peak.

Topographical Map

Graph of Elevation

Trail is Google Earth

The scenery along this trail is breathtakingly beautiful. We went at just the right time to see just about every wildflower along the trail in full bloom. The array of colors and flower varieties seemed endless. There were lupines, wild roses, mint, paintbrush, wild geraniums, sweet peas, buckwheat, blue bells, yampah, mountain asters, and many other flowers. The ascent to the peak was even dotted with columbines.

The trail starts out running along a ridge by a barbed wire fence through hilly meadows. The trail offers some nice views of some of the nearby mountains through here.

 

The trail soon heads away from the fence. It then leaves the ridge briefly and continues into a forested area about 1.5 miles up the trail. There are a lot of dead trees in this area that have fallen over across the trail. Hikers can climb over them or in some cases follow makeshift paths around them. Coming out the forest area, the trail follows the ridge again briefly before turning into a small basin. The trail then climbs out of the basin to the ridge forming its west side.

Looking out toward Loafer Mountain (in back to right)

After coming up this ridge, the trail reaches the saddle for North Peak. The trail continuing up to the top of North Peak is not prominent, so it is easy to stay on the main trail that continues to Mount Nebo. The trail descends along the west side of North Peak and arrives at the saddle called Wolf Pass on the other side.

Trail descending along the west side of North Peak to Wolf Pass

From there you still will have to go roughly a mile to the top, which is still about 1,250 above you. This steepest section of the trail is covered with sharp shale rocks. After first ascending to a false summit point, the trail descends a couple hundred feet before making a final climb to the peak.

Looking toward Mount Nebo from the false summit

View of Mona from the false peak

Being at the peak of Mount Nebo can be exhilarating.  It can also be very cold, depending on the day. On this trip to the top, we found ourselves at the level of the clouds, which obscured our view some. A brisk chilly wind kept us feeling pretty cold. Pay attention to conditions and be prepared for the possibility of inclement weather up here.

From this peak, it is also possible to continue hiking south if desired to the south and middle peaks along Andrew's Ridge Trail. These paths are difficult though, so make sure you research them and are prepared. It is possible to continue going south after reaching the south peak along Andrew's Ridge Trail to the Nebo Bench or Willow Creek Trails.

Looking southwest from the peak

Looking southeast from the peak

Looking east from the peak

Some people do this trail as a backpacking trip. If you do this, just make sure you practice leave no trace principles.

This trail is open to dogs and horses as well as people. However, taking a horse all the way to the peak will not work for obvious reasons. There are no bathrooms or water at this trailhead, but there is an outhouse at the nearby Monument Trailhead just south of it.

Looking out at Loafer Mountain

Directions
This trail is located in Utah County along the Nebo Loop (which goes from Payson to Nephi). To get there from the north, take I-15 to Exit 250 in Payson and head south on Main Street. Continue to 100 North and turn left. Then go to 600 East and turn right. Continue along this road as it turns into the Nebo Loop and goes up the canyon. Find the Monument Trailhead on your right, which is about 22.6 miles from where you first turned onto 600 East. At the Monument Trailhead you will find the Nebo Bench Trail, which will also go to Mount Nebo, but it is much longer. The trail map at this trailhead (at least while we were there) it did not show the trail explained above; it only showed the trail to North Peak. There is an outhouse available here though, so if you need to use it, this is the place to do so. To get to the trailhead explained above, head up the dirt Mona Pole Road at the north end of the Monument Trailhead parking lot. You will soon reach a dirt parking area from which the trail starts.

If you are coming from the south, from I-15, take Exit 225 in Nephi and turn right onto UT-132/100 North. Continue up this road for about 18.6 miles as it goes up the canyon until you reach the Monument Trailhead, as explained above.

Valentine Peak Trail to Hill

The Trail
This trail in its entirety is supposed to be about 3.5 miles and goes to the top of Valentine Peak. However, we were unable to go nearly that far on this occasion and just went to the top of the first hill. Going just to the point we stopped at made for a moderate 0.6 mile (one way) trail. According to our GPS, there was a 590 foot elevation change, but am rather doubtful that is accurate.

Topographical Map

Graph of Elevation (most likely not accurate)

Trail in Google Earth

About 0.4 mile up the trail there is a chair in the middle of some tangled trees and wood.

Since this trail follows the ridge, there are some decent views here and there of the surrounding area.

Looking down at the Parowan Cementery

Directions
This hike is located in Iron County near Cedar City and Parowan. If you are approaching Parowan from the north, take exit 78 off of I-15 and turn left onto Main Street. Continue UT-143/Canyon Rd. and turn left. Keep going until you reach the cemetery, which will be on your left.  Turn into the cemetery and drive straight to the back. You will find the trailhead is at the very far end here.

If you are coming from the south, take exit 75 off of I-15 and turn right onto 200 South. Continue to UT-143/Canyon Rd. and turn right. You will arrive at the cemetery to your left shortly after you turn.

Fantasy Canyon

The Trail
This easy trail is only about 0.6 mile round trip with only about a 90 foot elevation change. This canyon if full of intricate and wild rock forms. Some of these delicate structures have been given names based on things they resemble, but it is also a fun place to use your imagination to find additional shapes and objects hidden among the crazy and ever changing rocks.

Topographical Map

Graph of Elevation

Trail in Google Earth

Camel

While there are signs warning visitor's to stay on the trail, we found the trail to be a little difficult to follow in places. Our own path didn't end up quite matching the trail maps at the beginning of the trail or found online here. That being said, staying on the trail as much as possible is important, and staying off the delicate rock formations is particularly necessary since they are fragile and will break easily. Please note that the trail information above follows the route shown on the map from the north most point, down around the first loop, then east and down over to the second loop, and then back up to the southern point at the parking area.

Witch

Coyote

Rooster

Gargoyle

The map linked to above also shows where the various rock forms along the canyon are located. Additionally, metal stakes mark these forms along the trail. However, some of them were more obvious than others. While we found a number of them, we were unable to see others.

Here you can see the metal stakes at the canyon's base marking rock forms

This trail starts from a large dirt parking lot. There is a vault toilet available here and a picnic bench next to a map of the trail, but nothing else. There is little to no shade in this area.

Directions
This trail is located in Uintah County near Vernal, Utah. It is actually out in the middle of "nowhere" and takes awhile to get to. From Vernal, travel east on US-40, following it around as it curves south, and then turn right onto to US-45. Continue south/south-east on US-45 for about 20.3 miles, and then turn right onto Glen Bench Rd. Continue along Glen Bench Rd. for about 12.8 miles (and watch out for prairie dogs along the road through here), and then turn left/east onto Coyote Washinton Rd. This is a dirt road, and there are lots of turn offs from it along the way, but if you continue to follow it for about 4 to 4.5 miles, you will come to Fantasy Canyon. Signs along the way will further direct you there.

Hog and Box Canyon Trails

The Trails
This post is actually about two very short and easy out-and-back trails right next to each other in the Dinosaur National Monument. The Hog Canyon Trail is roughly .8 mile long one way while the Box Canyon Trail is about .3 mile one way.

Both trails end where the rocks get steep, but it is possible for more adventurous hikers to continue climbing up the canyons where the trail ends. This is particularly true of Hog Canyon, which continues north much further. We did climb up both canyons a short way from where the trail ended, and this is reflected some in the maps and graphs below. The main trails are actually very flat if you decide not to climb up past where they end. Exploring off trail is permissible in Dinosaur National Park, so long as leave no trace practices are used.

Please note that the trail information as displayed in the maps and graphs below are only rough approximations due to the fact that our GPS did not function well in these deep canyons.

Topographical Map (blue = Hog Canyon; red = Box Canyon)

Graph of Elevation for Hog Canyon

Graph of Elevation for Box Canyon

Trails in Google Earth (red = Hog Canyon; yellow = Box Canyon)

The Hog Canyon Trail starts out just west of Josie Basset Morris's cabin, which was a nice home by homesteading standards. This area is the site of her homestead, and she used hog canyon as a natural corral in which to keep her pigs by building a fence at its opening to keep them in.

Josie Morris's cabin

The trail passes Josie's old chicken coop and a small pond she built to retain water.

There are some nice shady spots along the trail. Eventually the trail up the canyon disappears. You can keep climbing up the rocks if you want to continue, or you can turn around and head back. Beware of poison ivy in this area.

Looking down the canyon after climbing some rocks

Looking north up the canyon after climbing up some of the rocks

The Box Canyon Trail starts on the north side of the parking lot, across from the Hog Canyon Trail. This trail goes up into a short canyon that ends abruptly with wall. The trail does not go all the way up to this rock wall, but it is possible to scramble up the rocks to it if you want.

Box Canyon

Looking down Box Canyon from a rock up past where the trail ends

Dogs are not permitted on these trails. There is an outhouse available at the trailhead.

Directions
This trail is located in Uintah County in Dinosaur National Monument near Vernal, Utah. To get there from Vernal, take US-40 east to UT-149. There is a visitor's center at the corner of this intersection. Turn left onto UT-149 and continue to Dinosaur National Monument. There is a a $10 entrance fee/passenger vehicle. Once in the park, continue along the main road (Cub Creek Rd.) until it end and splits up two unpaved roads. Take the left/north fork up the Josie Ranch Rd. until you reach the parking lot. Both trails start from there.