Written by: Chuck Hayden
I’ve visited all the lower 48 states in the US, and Utah is one of my top three favourites.
Utah is home to the ‘Big 5’ National Parks; Zion, Bryce, Canyonlands, Arches, and Capital Reef National Parks. These are all spectacular parks to explore with plenty of camping options nearby. The natural beauty, the amazing rock formations, and breathtaking views make these parks worth visiting.
Utah is the 13th largest state in the US but is 30th in population. There is about 85,000 square miles (220,000 square km) of area to explore and dare I say that every square mile is worth exploring.
I’ve spent time at each of the 5 National Parks, camping, hiking, photographing, sitting on a rock meditating and enjoying the scenery. My absolute favourite place in Utah isn’t one of the ‘Big 5’, is Goosenecks State Park in the southern part of the state.
Located close to the southern border of the state and near Medicine Hat, Goosenecks State Park is worth checking out. I’ve been there 3 times and plan on visiting again.
My Top 3 Reasons I Love Goosenecks State Park
Never Crowded!
With an average of less than 60,000 visitors a year, (compared to 5 million at Zion, and 1.5 at Arches), the park is never crowded.
Beautiful Views!
The San Juan River is about 1000′ below the overlook, you can see for miles in every direction, and it’s an International Dark Sky Park.
Great Camping
You can camp anywhere along the rim of the canyon and it is only $10per night.
Located about 2.5 hour south of Arches NP and about 3 hours northwest of the Grand Canyon NP, you should add it to your itinerary if you are exploring that part of the country. Getting there is easy and the road into the park is paved and a beautiful drive.
The park gets its name because of the deeply entrenched meanders of the San Juan River, 1000 feet below the rim. You can easily see 2 of the goosenecks, meanders, from the visitor area. It really shows the power of the river and the winds that carved out this beautiful formation.
On each of my prior visits, there were no more than 10 rigs there, making it easy to find your ‘perfect’ spot. There are 8 designated camping spots with fire rings and picnic tables, but you can park anywhere along the rim. Just be careful if you sleep walk or wander around at night, it’s a long way down to the bottom of the canyon.
My first visit was over Easter Weekend in 2023, and everything was perfect. I woke up before sunrise, made a cup of coffee, and pointed my chair to the east and watched a spectacular sunrise. I took a hike and did some reading throughout the day, and that evening I turned my chair around 180 degrees and enjoyed a brilliant sunset. The panoramic views are incredible.
While there aren’t any designated hiking trails in the park, Honaker Trailhead is only 10 minutes away and offers a trail down to the river. The trail is an out and back trail about 5 miles (8km) total. The elevation loss/gain is about 1500 feet (450 meters) and is rated as moderate on AllTrails. If that’s not to your liking, you can hike along the rim of the canyon which is about 2 miles (3.2km) out and back. Alternatively, there are miles of desert to explore as well.
No matter where you are in the park, the views are incredible. On a clear day you can see the towering rock formations at Monument Valley which is about 30 miles (48km) away as the crow flies.
There is a pit toilet near the entrance and several shelters with picnic tables as well. Cell coverage isn’t very good in the park but if you need to connect, they have free Starlink available to get you connected.
Goosenecks State Park isn’t as spectacular as the ‘Big 5’, but if you’re looking for a place to camp, hike, relax, meditate, with beautiful views, you should check it out. I doubt you’ll be disappointed.