San Rafael Swell, one of America's least trodden wild areas. Trails north and west of Goblin Valley State Park may lead through stream narrows barely wide enough to squeeze through with a backpack.
Magnificent cliffs rise hundreds of feet above.
For wet and wild hikes along the San Rafael River, try routes west of the San Rafael Campground about 20 miles southwest of Castle Dale. The Book Cliffs east of the Green River also offer excellent hiking. A pleasant walk in Capitol Reef National Park is the 2-mile round trip hike to Hickman Bridge, the largest span in the park. Capitol Reef offers dozens of other hikes exploring the amazing waterpocket fold, a 100-mile eroded uplift. The experience of the famous Narrows of the Virgin River trail in Zion National Park is accessible to almost everyone.