Spooky Gulch is a short but intensely narrow slot canyon in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. It is great area for hikers of all ages, but you may want to stay out of the narrows if you are claustrophobic or of sizable girth. Watch for snakes.

Getting There • The hike is near Hole in the Rock Road, which is well-signed just southeast of Escalante on State Road 12. Check at the Grand Staircase-Escalante Visitors Center to check road conditions before departing.

Travel 26 miles south-southeast on the Hole in the Rock Road. At 26 miles, you will take Dry Fork Road northeast. It curves le...

Moms and other hikers took to the Utah trails this weekend.

Here are some tweets from Utah hiking trails. Remember to tag @UtahHikes on your trail tweets or like us on Facebook.

Twitter: @UtahHikes

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/11TSHuf

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It’s not always easy to find a spring hike in the Salt Lake Valley, when plenty of the best stuff is still snowy and the weather isn’t exactly cooperative.

But as soon as the first hints of spring arrive, I want to be outside enjoying the weather — more than ever after a long winter.

So what’s a spring hiker to do?

One option is Tooele County, which has a great new website — tooelecountytrails.com.

I hiked a beautiful trail called Oquirrh Wave, which nary a snow sighting even in March.

And spring is a perfect time to ch...

Directions • From downtown Salt Lake City or Interstate 80, take 500 South/Foothill Boulevard toward the University of Utah then turn north onto Mario Capecchi Drive. Then turn right onto South Campus Drive then another right onto Fort Douglas Boulevard. Turn left onto Pollock Road then another left onto Connor Road. Follow that road to the right and pass Red Butte Garden’s amphitheater. Soon you will reach a parking area in front of a gate.

Download GPS data by clicking here. www.trimbleoutdoors.com/ViewTrip/2215604 The trail offers some of the scenery of Red Butte Gardens and a panorama of the Salt...

Creed guitarist Eric Friedman was among the Utah hikers who tweeted a photo of themselves from the trail this weekend.

Here are some other tweets from Utah hiking trails.

Twitter: @UtahHikes

Facebook: http://on.fb.me/11TSHuf

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Directions • From Salt Lake City, take Interstate 15 north to the Parrish Lane exit in Centerville. Turn right at the ramp, and follow Parrish Lane (400 North) as it crosses 700 East and winds up the canyon. There is a parking lot at the trailhead. Take the trail heading north for a wide, sandy path with some moderate climbs.

This is a section of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail, and the path is wide and sandy. It dips down and passes over Parrish Creek, then back up again to traverse the grassy, sage-covered foothills.

The hike offers beautiful views of the city below and the Great Salt Lake in the distanc...

Photographer Jonathan Bailey has been hiking the San Rafael Swell in central Utah. Just don’t ask him to be more precise.

Bailey has been photographing pictographs and petroglyphs on what locals call “The Swell.” Some of the rock art has been vandalized over the decades. Bailey is protective of the sites and doesn’t want to share their locations with anyone.

But he did agree to share some of his photographs with the Hiking Utah blog. The work particularly highlights the Barrier Canyon Style of rock art found on the San Rafael Swell.

Not much is understood about the meaning of th...

Hiking season in Utah starts about the same time as wildflower season, which is to say they’re both starting now.

Apparently aware of this, High Country Apps has created “Flora of the Wasatch” for your phone.

According to a company press release, the app allowers users to search for flower color, leaf type and other characteristics to identify the flower.

“Flora of the Wasatch” costs $4.99 and can be downloaded from the Apple App Store, Andorid Market or Amazon.com. High Country Apps says it donates a portion of its proceeds to the Utah chapter of the Nature Conservancy.

My first pair of hiking pants were made for men.

Hey, it’s not easy for a tall girl who’s not in the market for highwaters. They were all right, but didn’t exactly fit like a glove.

But it seems like outdoor-gear companies are getting smarter about what female hikers, campers, skiers, etc. want and need.

(Hint: it isn’t just a smaller version of what you make for guys in pastel colors a.k.a the “shrink it and pink it” approach).

The latest example comes from BYU, where a group of five industrial design students worked with Black Diamond to brain sto...

Here are some tweets from the trail in what was the first great hiking weekend of 2013.

If you’re tweeting from the trail, remember to tag us @UtahHikes.

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Directions • Cottonwood Narrows, in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, is a great, family-friendly hike to tack on to a trip to Bryce Canyon or Kodachrome Basin. The hike is a 20-mile drive from Cannonville.

Stop at the Grand Staircase-Escalante visitor’s center in Cannonville to check road conditions and weather forecast (this canyon is subject to flash floods). From there, go south on Main Street, which becomes Cottonwood Road south of town. Stay on this road the entire drive. The paved portion of the road ends about 7 miles from the visitor’s center. Continue south and east, noting the turnoff to Grosvenor Arch 16.5...

Directions • From Ivins, drive west on 400 South for 9⁄10 of a mile. Then turn right so you are driving northwest on Old Highway 91. Take that for 1.2 miles, then turn right on Kayenta Parkway and follow it northeast for 1.1 miles. Turn right on Chivano Drive and take it for 4⁄10 of a mile. Then turn right on Evening Star Drive followed by a quick left on Wintook Drive and a quick right on Taviawk Drive. On the right side of Taviawk is a small parking area next to a kiosk. The trailhead is on the other side of the road.

Check the weather for flash flood warnings before hiking this trail. If it’s safe, foll...

Directions • From Salt Lake City, take Interstate 15 north to State Road 227. Keep right on the exit, heading into Farmington, and merge onto 200 West. Turn right at 200 South, then right again on 200 East. Turn left on 500 South, which will become Little Valley Road. Park near the reservoir; the entrance is off the dirt road and well-marked.

Davis Creek trail is a beautiful hike with options for hikers of different levels. A short, though somewhat steep, hike goes to a pretty waterfall on Davis Creek, and there’s even a bench to take in the sight. Keep left at a fork near the bench to get closer to the water, and finish a short...

Ahnu continues to add to its impressive outdoor lifestyle collection with the Sugar Pine. The company is calling this a coastal trail hiking boot, but I'm sure the lightweight, breathable and waterproof hiker can be used even in places as far away from the ocean as Utah. The boots, which will be available Fall 2013 for $135, come with Vibram soles.

The Salt Lake Tribune is providing a look at some of the thousands of items shown at the Winter Market Outdoor Retailer show held in Salt Lake City Jan. 23-26.
— Brett Prettyman
...

Marshall Mid hiking boot from Keen
Are you a fast hiker? Keen has the boot or shoe for you. The Marshall and Marshall Mid were designed by Keen to provide a high-function trail shoe outside of the traditional leather style from the company. The Marshall is available in mens and womens models and also with waterproof technology. Low-cut Marshalls will run $110 with the waterproof version $120. The Marshall Mid will run $130 with the Marshall Mid WP going for $140. The collection will be available Fall 2013.

The Salt Lake Tribune is providing a look at some of the thousands of items shown at the Winter Market Outdoor Retailer show held in Salt Lake City Jan. 23-26.
— Brett P...

Lunker from Ruffwear
Dogs love the environment too. Ruffwear has released Lunker, a floating toy for dogs that love to retrieve in the water. Resembling other "duck dummy-type" dogs throws, the Lunker is produced from post-manufacturing waste from the footwear industry. The Lunker ($19.95) is made to last, but if it doesn't send it back to Ruffwear for recycling.

The Salt Lake Tribune is providing a look at some of the thousands of items shown at the Winter Market Outdoor Retailer show held in Salt Lake City Jan. 23-26.
— Brett Prettyman

[Ruffwear](http://www.ruffwear.com/)|
[The Salt Lake Tribune](http://www.sltrib.com)|
[Outdoor Retailer](http://www...

BOLT Energy Chews from PROBAR
Born on the slopes at Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, Pro Bar remains tied to its Utah roots and is launching some impressive energy-inducing items in the coming months and its first "non-bar" product. BOLT Energy Chews are an organic gummy-style chew. They are caffeinated, Vitamin B-rich and infused with apple, acai, blueberry and pomegranate powders. The bags will run $2.49 and are designed for long-distance runners/racers. PROBAR launched four new CORE protein bars and four new meal bars.

The Salt Lake Tribune is providing a look at some of the thousands of items shown at the Winter Market Outdoor Retailer show held in Salt Lake City Jan. 23-26....

Cirro jackets from Sierra Designs
Sierra Designs has taken its much talked about DriDown from the summer show and put in a line of apparel featuring the "hydrophobic" down. The Fall 2013 line includes the Super Stratus, Cirro Collection and 28⁰ North jacket. The Cirro, a lightweight 600-fill hybrid designed for active winter use, comes in mens and womens styles and will run $199. The collection also includes a skirt ($99) and women's vest ($149).

The Salt Lake Tribune is providing a look at some of the thousands of items shown at the Winter Market Outdoor Retailer show held in Salt Lake City Jan. 23-26.
— Brett Prettyman
...

Ascender luggage from Kelty
The expansion of the Kelty brand continues with the introduction of the Ascender series. The Ascender 22 ($349) which, with the expandable chassis which grows to hold, protect and move all three bags, expands from 40 to 70 liters. The chassis comes with the 22. Other options include the WR Duffel (65 liters) and the Trunk (80 liters) are available separately for $149 and $199, respectively. Each of the bags include backpack straps and are water-resistant.

The Salt Lake Tribune is providing a look at some of the thousands of items shown at the Winter Market Outdoor Retailer show held in Salt Lake City Jan. 23-26.
— Brett Prettyman

...

Luce jacket from ISIS
ISIS was showing off three new women's DriDown jackets that will be available Fall 2013. The Luce includes 800-fill DriDown and packs into its own pocket for easy storage. But don't mistake this for one of those cheap travel jackets. The Luce is built to keep the wearer warm and stylish. The Luce includes high collar, elastic cuffs and a drawcord. It will run $215.

The Salt Lake Tribune is providing a look at some of the thousands of items shown at the Winter Market Outdoor Retailer show held in Salt Lake City Jan. 23-26.
— Brett Prettyman...