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The car commercials are right: Southern Utah is magical By
Will Bettmann I am always surprised to talk to someone in Logan who has never visited Southern Utah. It is the land of sleeping rainbows, Edward Abbey's favorite stomping grounds, the poster child of tourism offices and car commercials the world over. And it does not disappoint. From Arches to Zion to a million less-well-known spots, the southern half of the state is every bit as sexy and magical as the car commercials promise. You may have to walk more than 50 feet from your car to experience the magic, and that may sound a little extreme , but it is worth it. Last weekend, my wife, two daughters and I returned to Torrey, where we lived for five years, for a brief visit. With a 2-year-old and a 6-year-old, our adventures are limited in a certain way (each step away from the trailhead carries an increased risk of emotional meltdown and the attendant screaming hissy fit). But, again, it is worth it. On Saturday, my wife, sister, daughters, and older daughter's best friend drove to the visitors' center at Capitol Reef National Park, which is just a few minutes from the town of Torrey, and from there, we started up a melt-off swollen Sulfur Creek. After a half mile or so, the red-rock walls of the river canyon become quite narrow. The first major obstacle we came to was an 8-foot waterfall, which sliced through sheer walls on either side. After a few moments of concern about becoming a cautionary tale in tomorrow's newspapers, and some unheeded comments by my sister about the dark clouds gathering overhead, we began ferrying the three youngsters across (over) the waterfall. No, they didn't cry. They liked it. No, we did not become a cautionary tale, although as a general rule it is not a great idea to hike in narrow canyons when dark clouds are visible. Flash floods, which claim a few lives in Southern Utah every year, often originate 15 miles or more from the canyons they thunder through. And, no, we did not hike far enough beyond the waterfall to encounter the next obstacle. But that was all we needed: just a very minor adventure. Not one that we witnessed on TV (although if that's what you want, watch the second half of the movie on antarctic explorer Sir Ernest Shackleton on the Arts and Entertainment Channel on Monday night). On the other end of the spectrum, my best friend is planning to rockclimb a desert spire hundreds of feet high outside of Moab next week. Whether you want a child-size adventure or a life-threatening one, you can find it in Southern Utah. For a cool, kid-friendly hike, try Wild Horse Canyon near the Goblin Valley State Park. For a life-threatening adventure, try rockclimbing with someone who doesn't know what they are doing. Either way, if you haven't been to the southern part of the state, please go.
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