Utah's National Parks are heavy hitters. You've got Zion, which looks more like the garden of Eden. You've got Bryce Canyon, with its alien-esque hoodoos. Arches even made the state license plate! And while frequently overshadowed, Capitol Reef and Canyonlands are no slouches either.

If that wasn't enough, there's plenty more outside the NPs. Escalante (AKA Grand Staircase) is a massive monument that covers a huge chunk of the state and offers surreal views that I don't even know how to write about. How can I possibly do a place like this justice?

State Parks are also top stops around here, like Snow Canyon. It's much quieter than the bigger parks (which is a huge benefit during peak season) but has a lot of the same scenery, including big red rocks you can clamber over.

For something even calmer, I'm gonna let you in on a local secret. Between St. George and Cedar City, there's a tiny town called Kanarraville. It's easy to miss from the freeway, but it's worth the stop — Kanarra Falls is a fairly short river hike through a gorgeous slot canyon. Tourists tend to miss it and permits are limited, so it's never crowded. 

And lastly, I hear there's a pretty big hole in the ground that isn't too far from St. George :-)