Utah's Unique Desert Canyon Is An Often Overlooked Attraction Of Alien-Like Sandstone Sculptures

Utah is a land of striking landscapes. The oft visited Zion and Capitol Reef National Parks, with their breathtaking canyons and vistas, charm and adventure, are for many the epitome of the American desert landscape. While these parks have earned their millions of yearly visitors, they are hardly the only spots in Utah where one can gawp at the beauty of nature. Tucked into the far eastern corner of the state, near the border with Colorado, is a totally unique, criminally overlooked desert canyon filled with some of the strangest sandstone structures on the planet.

Located in the heart of Dinosaur Land just south of the town of Vernal in the Uintah Basin, Fantasy Canyon is an aptly named canyon that puts the "hidden" in "hidden gem". Discovered in 1909 by Earl Douglass, a paleontologist, Fantasy Canyon encompasses 10 acres of sandstone cliffs plucked straight out of a science fiction movie. These amazing natural wonders are the result of the erosion of the landscape that occurred over the course of tens of millions of years. 

Owing to its location in Utah's high desert, the best time of year to visit Fantasy Canyon is during the cooler months — March to May and September to November. This way you can visit while the sun is still shining, but is not so hot that it could easily cause heatstroke. Fantasy Canyon is also best visited in the early or mid morning, or late afternoon when the temperatures, and light, are at their best.

If ever there was an appropriate outdoor adventure to attribute to the adage that "life is a journey, not a destination" it would be the journey to Fantasy Canyon. Just saying that makes the trip sound awesome! Much like the Fellowship's journey to Mordor, one does not simply walk into Fantasy Canyon.

Getting to Fantasy Canyon begins by flying onto Salt Lake City International Airport. From there, take a rental car west on U.S. Route 40 for three hours until you reach the town of Vernal. We'd advise making this town home base during your adventure to Fantasy Canyon. Vernal has abundant restaurants, and plenty of lodging either at hotels or camping areas in the nearby state parks. Side note: Vernal is the capital of Utah's Dinosaur Land, with plenty of fossils to be seen at the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum. 

Since Fantasy Canyon is under the arm of the Bureau of Land Management, there is ample signage pointing you where you need to go. Stop by their field office for maps and other information. From Vernal, take US-40 south west to connect with UT-45. Drive until you reach Glen Beach Road, where you'll see the first signs for Fantasy Canyon. It's another 15 miles of driving on twisted, mostly unpaved oil company roads before you reach your destination. Follow the BLM signs in order not to get lost in this literal maze of desert roads.

Those who have traveled, via page or screen, to Vulcan, Arrakis, or Tatooine will no doubt find the alien-like sandstone sculptures that litter Fantasy Canyon to be utterly fascinating. And while it was erosion and sediment settling that created this wacky landscape, there is a little part of all of us who would like to think that we'd all like to think that extraterrestrials had something to do with it.

The canyon itself is not large. In fact, the loop trail through the sandstone is only 0.6 miles long. The trade off, however, is that you are able to get really close to these pillars, hills, and arches of layering sandstone. Geologists will appreciate the earthen history in the rock layers. Photographers will love the way the light plays off of the sculptures and makes them, somehow, even more dramatic. And, of course, sci-fi and fantasy fans will thrill at the feeling of being on another planet.

Even though the canyon doesn't take long to explore, no one will be disappointed by what they find there. Another underrated, sci-fi inspired location to consider if you are visiting Utah is the hilariously named Long Dong Silver, with its dusty landscape and iconic spire. But, if you only have time for one, and you have your heart set on some truly weird scenery, Fantasy Canyon is the place for you.