A trip through southern Utah, with its petroglyphs, dinosaur fossils, and ancient geology, is also a trip into deep time. Just keep in mind before you go that the ground you walk on is fragile and precious to . Don鈥檛 touch, move, or take any artifacts you find, and when you can, stop at the visitor center before heading out on a trail or go with a Native guide so you can be sure you鈥檙e treating sacred sites with the utmost respect. For advice on how to responsibly experience some of Southern Utah鈥檚 rich history, we talked with Pat Gonzales-Rogers, executive director of the .
Grand Staircase鈥揈scalante National Monument
In south-central Utah, is a massive and remote area full of geologic and human history. Here you can follow in the footsteps of dinosaurs on the Twenty Mile Dinosaur Trackway, where hundreds of tracks are preserved. Highly modern by comparison, the petroglyphs of the park鈥檚 Catstair Canyon are thousands of years old. These well-preserved monuments to the past are ideal for guided experiences with local outfitters.
Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park
Along the Utah-Arizona border, the is home to some of the most iconic and scenic land in the United States. From Goulding鈥檚, located just north of the state line, book a Jeep tour with a Navajo guide to see sacred sites you can鈥檛 visit on your own. You can find lodging in Goulding鈥檚, too, ranging from RV sites and tent camping to private villas and traditional hotel rooms. The park offers campsites steps from the Wildcat Trail, an easy four-mile loop that takes you around the stunning Mitten Buttes, and has a restaurant serving traditional Navajo dishes. Bring your binoculars or telescope if you鈥檙e an avid stargazer鈥攖he night skies here are some of the most pristine you鈥檒l find anywhere.
Bears Ears National Monument
This is rich in the ancestral history of the Hopi, Navajo, Ute Mountain Ute, Ute Indian, and Pueblo of Zuni Nations. Once it鈥檚 safe to travel again, stop by the visitor center in Bluff to learn about the area鈥檚 history and its . 鈥淵our real responsibility is to allow the next party to enjoy it just as much as you did,鈥 says Gonzales-Rogers. Want to explore with a guide? Navajo-owned offers half-day tours and overnight guided backpacking experiences diving into the history and geology of Bears Ears.
Hovenweep National Monument
People have lived in the area now protected as for over 10,000 years. At this park in the southeastern corner of the state, you can hike to six ancestral Puebloan villages, built between 1200 and 1300. The first overlook on the Square Tower Group Trail, where you can see dozens of ceremonial buildings called kivas, is wheelchair accessible. Hovenweep is just over the state border from Colorado鈥檚 Mesa Verde National Park, which Gonzales-Rogers recommends visiting as part of a trip to Bears Ears.
Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry
A few hours north of Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Arches national parks, you鈥檒l find the densest collection of Jurassic dinosaur fossils ever discovered anywhere in the world. The , at Jurassic National Monument, contains the bones of at least 74 dinosaurs, and a mystery: why did so many meat-eating dinos die right here? Pick up a Junior Ranger booklet from the staff for a family-friendly, interactive way to explore the area鈥檚 natural history.
Looking for more聽adventure intel?聽Head over to聽, our interactive and in-depth聽guide to getting off the beaten path in southern Utah.
The wild canyons and mountains of southern Utah have been around for over 2.6 billion years, and we want to protect them for a few billion more. Do your part by following our聽.