Snow covered hoodoos at Bryce Canyon National Park
Winter is coming. But that does not mean you need to put away your hiking boots and sunhat. Rather, this is a great time to explore national parks that transform into otherworldly and surreal landscapes when buried under a layer of fresh snow. Utah’s grand circle of parks is well known, including Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Capitol Reef, Monument Valley and Grand Canyon. Lesser known is Highway-12, a 122 mile scenic byway which connects US-89 near Panguitch (at Bryce Canyon) and Hwy-24 (near Capitol Reef National Park). The highway winds through Utah’s famously stunning red-rock landscapes and through cozy & picturesque towns like Tropic, Cannonville, Escalante and Boulder.
Highway-12 has been rated one of the most scenic drives in all of America and it’s easy to see why. The highway was designated Utah’s first “All-American” road, meaning the road and drive are by itself a worthy destination. A part of the highway (imaginatively called “Hell’s backbone”) forms a 38 mile loop which is a treacherous drive with sheer drops on either side of a very narrow gravel road. The rest of the highway weaves through major national parks like Zion, Bryce, Capitol Reef and Grand Staircase-Escalante Monument, and several fascinating state parks like Kodachrome, Anasazi and Escalante Petrified Forest.
Highway-12 winding through the jaw-dropping scenery of a snow-clad red-rock Utah
Utah transforms into a winter wonderland in December. It is the perfect time to explore the American Southwest and seek solitude in these national parks. The crowds are gone, there is fresh powder on the ground, the air is pure and crisp, and all you hear on the trails is the crunch-crunch of boot-clad feet on snow. Utah’s spectacular red rocks contrasted against the pure white snow make for an incredibly beautiful landscape. Even if you have been to the parks and hiked there in summer, they take on a completely different perspective in winter.
Some of the trails will be inaccessible due to snow, but there are still many that one can hike to explore the parks. We hiked on the Rim Trail in Bryce Canyon from Sunrise point to Sunset point and got to admire the ever-changing forms of Bryce Canyon’s famous hoodoos in winter. Zion National Park is at a much lower elevation than the other parks, so it rarely gets snow on the canyon floor during winter. This makes it a perfect hiking destination since temperatures are still mild and the hiking trails are easily accessible. We also hiked the Panorama trail in Kodachrome Basin State Park which took us right up to the multi-hued massive mountains from which Kodachrome gets its name.
One of the advantages of hiking in winter – Witnessing a glorious pink sunset over snow-capped Henry Mountains and Capitol Reef National Park
A week is sufficient time to drive along the scenic Highway-12, see all the main parks of Utah’s grand circle and do a good amount of hiking, although more time in the parks is always a plus. I will be breaking up the details across several posts and cover what the must-do hikes and drives in each park are, what gear to carry when hiking in the snow, must-see vistas and so on.
Start planning your trip to Utah this December and watch out for my next post!
Happy Hiking!
~ Trupti