The Fisher Towers Trail is located 16 miles North East of Moab, Utah, and offers a 4 mile (RT) hike that winds through these fin-like structures. The Fisher Towers are composed of Moenkopi and Cutler sandstone, and have eroded into many shapes and sizes. These towers are one of the most outstanding scenic features of Utah's Colorado Riverway, as the rock pinnacles soar above a maze of red and pink hued canyon, and overlook the Colorado River, Onion Creek, and the famous rock "Priest & Nuns" to the south.
Mary Jane Slot Canyon is one of Moab's hidden gems - the "trail" is a creek the entire way, which leads to a 30 ft waterfall. This is a great trail to do when Moab is too hot, and you, the dogs, or kids need to cool off. The canyon walls get higher as you hike further into the canyon, and eventually will reach upwards of 100 ft! There are several side canyons that allow for exploring tighter slot canyons.
The Nautilus is a delicate and beautiful rock formation made of wind and water eroded sandstone, at the edge of a small ravine near the Paria River, a mere 9 miles Northeast of The Wave. The Nautilus is an outcrop of a soft, thin-layered rock with a rippled surface texture, with the formation of a corkscrew-like gully. It's reminiscent of a conch shell, hence the term nautilus.
Paul Bunyan's Woodpile is an interesting geological feature in Central Utah, that looks like a "woodpile" of logs left behind by the giant lumberjack of American & Canadian Folklore. Really the woodpile is a cluster of lava rocks formed about 30 million years ago; the logs were then formed into orderly columns.
It's here - the Ultimate Guide for dog friendly hikes in Escalante, Utah!
These are the questions I get ALL the time, "Where can I take my dog in the Escalante area? What's a good place to camp, or get a hotel?" "When is the best time of year to visit?" So I decided to compile all the information in one place!
Escalante is one of the most dog friendly areas in Utah - dogs are allowed off leash and the trails are all on BLM land or within Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument (GSENM). The only trail in the area dogs are banned from is Coyote Gulch, hence it isn't listed here.
The Portal Overlook is a great overview looking down to Moab, UT as well as the LaSal Mountains and Colorado River. It's a perfect sunrise hike or good trail when you need something short with a great reward! This isn't a trail you want to do middle of summer - zero shade and water, plus lots of bikers, along with the desert heat will make this miserable and can potentially burn dogs paws. The best time to hike this is in Spring or late Fall when the temps have cooled off. Winter would be okay too, just bring microspikes. While this trail is short, I still carried 2 liters of water for just me and Charlie and we both drank it all. You'll definitely get a workout in as this climbs 800 ft to the overlook.
Mt.Tomasaki (12,239 ft) is a peak in the LaSal Mountains, and one of seven "12ers" in the range. The LaSal Mountains are the 2nd highest mountain range in Utah, behind the Uinta Mountains. Mt.Tomasaki is accessible by a trail half of the way from the Burro Pass TH, and then the second half is off trail but is easy hiking across the high alpine terrain. The trail itself is mostly exposed, with no water source. Start hiking early in the morning to beat the afternoon thunderstorms that occur almost daily in this mountain range. The best time to summit is Summer and Fall (typically late June to the first snowfall in October). Call the LaSal Ranger to make sure Geyser Pass is open before planning your hike here.
