Fantasy Canyon (Uintah County, Utah)

 

While I've explored a fair amount of southern Utah over the years, I've not spent much time in the eastern part of the state. Sometime back, a friend spoke of Dinosaur National Monument, which straddles the Utah/Colorado border, as a place that I really needed to consider visiting. And so, I took to putting a trip together. As always, when going on such a long road trip, I try to pack a lot into it. The first stop on the list was a place I read about that sits about an hour south of the park, Fantasy Canyon. The small canyon is known for it's bizarre rock formations.

Making my way down the rural highways and dirt roads in this part of Utah, I'm amazed at the number of wild mustangs I see grazing on the desert grasses. I'm used to seeing these noble beasts around the outskirts of Reno and Nevada is thought to have highest population of these wild horses, but in the fifteen or so miles of gravel roads along this trip, I saw no less than eighty mustangs. 

Upon arriving at the canyon's entrance, I note a number of other vehicles in the fashioned parking area. It seems this is a pretty popular destination for families. As I start to walk the trail through the canyon, I can see why. The geologic history of this place must be quite interesting to have formed such delicate formations in the stone. The canyon extends only few hundred yards, before coming to an end. I see a worn path up the side of the non-delicate hill and make my way into the side canyon and back to the jeep. The hike only covered about a third of a mile, but it is well worth a visit if in the area.