Season

Monsoon-Aware

9 destinations along 8 roads

From roughly July into September the Southwest runs on the monsoon — humid mornings that build into hard afternoon thunderstorms, often over ground miles from where the rain lands. That's the danger: a dry slot canyon can flash-flood from a storm you never see, and dirt roads turn to grease in minutes. Watch the sky, check the forecast, and be out of the narrows and off the clay before the afternoon builds. The storms bring the best light of the year — and its real hazard.

UT-91

Zion National Park

Springdale

Towering sandstone cliffs that glow like fire at sunset

Scenic Byway 122

Lower Calf Creek Falls

Escalante

A 126-foot waterfall hidden in a desert canyon

Upper Calf Creek Falls

Escalante

A remote 88-foot cascade reached by a rugged trail

I-701

San Rafael Swell

Castle Dale

A massive dome of exposed rock layers with slot canyons and natural bridges

US-981

Antelope Canyon

Page

Tsé bighánílíní — where the water runs through the rock

US-1911

Arches National Park

Moab

Over 2,000 natural stone arches in one extraordinary landscape

UT-261 / US-1631

Valley of the Gods

Mexican Hat

A free, uncrowded alternative to Monument Valley

UT-3131

Canyonlands National Park - Island in the Sky

Moab

A flat-topped mesa with views that stretch to infinity

Burr Trail Road1

Burr Trail Road

Boulder

A jaw-dropping backcountry road through slot canyons to Capitol Reef

Related tags

PhotographySpringFallSandstoneHikingPaid EntryScenic DrivingOff the Beaten Path