The Gorgeous And Exhilarating Hike In Utah That's Often Overlooked For Zion's Angels Landing

Zion, located in Utah (a state with a whopping five national parks that can all be seen in one road trip), is one of the most-visited national parks in the United States. And, according to AllTrails, Angels Landing is the best-rated hike within the park. However, the problem with Angels Landing is that despite its incredible views, the hike is actually quite dangerous and crowded — making it one of those trails only recommended for experienced hikers. Because of this, the National Park Service has implemented a permit system for the trail. While getting a permit for Angels Landing is not as hard as some other popular hikes, it's still a hassle.

So, if you want to experience the beauty of Utah without the crowded trails or the inconvenience of hiking permits, where can you go? One good option is the Box Canyon trail located in Maple Canyon near the town of Moroni. Although it may not have the sweeping views you'd get at Zion, it does offer an interesting and otherworldly landscape of slot canyons and giant boulders. Plus, the hike even ends at a climbable waterfall. If that sounds like a blast to you, here's everything you need to know about this overlooked trail.

If you look at the reviews for Box Canyon on AllTrails, you'll see people describing the hike as "super rad," "awesome," and, most commonly, "fun." So, what is it that makes this relatively short 1.2-mile hike such an enjoyable experience? The answer is giant boulders that you need to scramble up and over. 

Luckily, to do this, you don't need to be a rock climber with bouldering experience, as the biggest boulders have 15-foot-long ropes to assist with the climb. But that's only part of the fun. On top of scrambling, some areas of the trail require you to crawl under fallen boulders or squeeze through small spaces between a boulder and the 700-foot-tall canyon walls.

And, at the end of the hike, you will be greeted by a small scalable waterfall. The waterfall may even have a rope anchored from the top to help with the climb. However, it is typically recommended that only hikers with climbing experience and gear attempt to scale the waterfall because the rocks get extremely slippery making it a difficult and dangerous climb.

Unfortunately, despite Maple's Box Canyon trail being a great alternative to Angels Landing because of its fun and challenging route, it is possible that this trail could be closed to the public in the future. The reason for this is the trail's location. Although the trail is located in the Manti-La Sal National Forest, it's actually on private property. The owners of the land have so far allowed hikers and outdoor adventurers to access and enjoy the canyon freely; however, this could quickly change in the future if visitors aren't respectful.

Therefore, in order to do your part and help keep the canyon open, it is important to follow leave-no-trace principles while there and also pick up any trash you see along the way. It is also important to wait until you reach the nearest campsite to use bathrooms. In the same vein, if you choose to bring your dog, be sure to pick up after them. All things considered, it may even be a good idea to leave any canine friends at home because, as one reviewer on AllTrails mentioned, the trail is "not suitable for dogs unless you want to carry them."