If Hanksville, Utah isn’t on your list- YOU NEED TO ADD IT!! There are so so many things to do and see there that I’ve just barely touched the surface. This was my second trip down and both have been too short. It is packed with slot canyons and the most wild landscapes. It truly feels like you’re on another planet! So here’s a little taste of what you should do if you’re planning your trip!
Where to stay:
Both times I’ve been to Hanksville I have camped. The first time I tent camped on some BLM land. It was a friends spot so I’m not gonna share the exact spot but there is lots of BLM land, along with campsites in Hanksville and campsites in nearby Goblin Valley if you’re looking for reservable spots.
Most recently, we camped with my in-laws in their large toy hauler trailer. We stayed in “Swing Arm City.” It’s a motorsporting area and has lots of cool areas to camp, but just be aware its mostly motorcycling groups around this area!
Driving around I noticed quite a few cute “tiny house” Airbnb type places if you’re not wanting to camp!
What to do:
It’s honestly hard to choose what to do. I’ve made a list of things to do in the area and have to pick and choose each time. Here’s some of my favorites! Please be aware of the danger of slot canyons and check the weather before going.
Goblin Valley State Park– This is like a little kids nature playground heaven. There are some official hikes but we just sort of walked around climbing around the “goblins,” playing hide-n-seek and finding little caves to play in. It is such a cool place to just explore. It’s easy to kill a few hours here.
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/utah/valley-of-the-goblins?u=i&sh=otbbyn
Little Wild Horse Canyon- About 5 miles from Goblin Valley is the trailhead for Little Wild Horse Canyon. It is a popular slot canyon hike and for good reason. It can be done in a loop that totals 8 miles (most people go up Little Wild Horse and down Bells Canyon). I’ve heard Little Wild Hose is more scenic, so we just hiked a couple miles up LWH and then turned around and came back out. You’ll follow the same trail until they split and there is sign that tells you which canyon is which. You’ll hike around .6 miles down a wash until the slot starts to really form. But it is FUN!! Don’t turn around until you get to the really narrow parts!! Narrow as in you’ll need to turn sideways.
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/utah/little-wild-horse-bell-canyon-trail?sh=true
Leprechaun Canyon– This is a popular canyoneering route but you’re also able to just hike until you can’t anymore and turn around. I think it is a stunning canyon! You’ll hike around .8 miles through a sandy wash until you get into the canyon. There are a few darker parts of the canyon that are “spooky” and fun for kids.
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/utah/leprechaun-canyon?u=i&sh=otbbyn
Capitol Reef– I have been to Capitol Reef a handful of times and always wanted to go to the Cathedral Valley section of the park. It’s a long dirt road loop that I was always a little scared of in my SUV. The whole loop is around 60 miles, but we were just looking to go to the Temple of the Sun and Moon so we drove up 17 miles in a side-by-side and then went out the same way. The drive is all very scenic, the road was actually very well maintained and pretty smooth for the most part. I would totally do that drive in my SUV but just use caution! It’s a great break from lots of hiking for little legs and still fun to see some of Capitol Reef.
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/utah/cathedral-valley-loop?sh=true
Mars Research Station– A very random place when I first saw it. Definitely worth stopping by to see if you’re in the area. It’s just a few miles down a well maintained dirt road. And it really does look like you’re on Mars. There is a designated area to park and take photos. I’ve also heard there’s possibly a way to get a tour?? But I haven’t looked into it much. https://maps.app.goo.gl/hPM6DwGb9TrndKFj6
Moonscape Overlook– This place has been on my list for years and it was worth the stop. The last couple miles of the road are definitely a little rough but an SUV would make it, just take it slow. When we were there the winds were INSANE. So we didn’t venture out to the most iconic photo spot out of fear of being blown off the cliff. But it is still such a wild landscape to see. https://maps.app.goo.gl/eg2ff5jbR7uXAx5WA
Swing Arm City– This is where we camped, because my husband rides dirtbikes. It was also a fun spot for my kids to ride around on their bikes. My 6 year old has an electric balance bike that we call his dirtbike and he was zooming around. My 2 year old also loved riding around all the hills on his balance bike. So we did spend some time biking around camp here. https://maps.app.goo.gl/qFqZzH8pXGfd5uJG7
Long Dong Silver– On our next trip this will be the first one we do! It was on our list for this past trip but high winds took away some of our time and so we weren’t able to make it happen. It’s a 2 mile round trip pretty mellow hike. So many wild landscapes to explore here! https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/utah/long-dong-silver-spire?u=i&sh=otbbyn
Where to eat:
There are not a lot of options in the area for food. We drove through Capitol Reef on our way down and stopped at Capitol Burgers (food truck) in Torrey. YUM. We also ate one meal at the gas station- Stan’s. Nothing super special, but decent burgers/chicken fingers, fries and milkshakes! On our way back home we stopped in at the Gifford House in Capitol Reef for some of their homemade pies. They sell out everyday so don’t go too late in the day! We stopped by around 11ish and they only had a few pies left.
There is a small little grocery store if you need to pick up any food items for your trip!
Let me know if you have any other questions and I’d be happy to answer them!!