Epic Utah Adventure: Hidden Caves and Scenic Wonders Await!

Epic Utah Adventure: Hidden Caves and Scenic Wonders Await! | Roadtrip With Us!

Рет қаралды 12,097

Күн бұрын

Join us on an unforgettable road trip from Kanab's charming Parry Lodge to Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, exploring the magical Sand Caves and the mysterious Belly of the Dragon, with a few surprises along the way!
Our road trip between Kanab and Escalante Petrified Forest State Park began at the historic Parry Lodge, a charming and nostalgic hotel that has hosted numerous Hollywood stars. Setting out from this iconic location, we drove northeast along US-89, eager to explore the natural wonders of southern Utah. Our first stop was the Sand Caves, a series of striking man-made caves carved into the soft, orange sandstone. The short hike to the caves was well worth it, as we were rewarded with stunning, wave-like formations and sweeping views of the surrounding landscape.
Continuing our journey, we soon arrived at the Belly of the Dragon, an intriguing man-made drainage tunnel further formed by water erosion. The cool, narrow passage offered a unique and somewhat eerie experience, contrasting sharply with the sun-drenched desert above. As we made our way further, we planned a visit to Mossy Cave near Tropic. Unfortunately, upon arrival, we found the area crowded with visitors, leading us to skip this stop. While it was a bit disappointing, it didn't dampen our spirits for the rest of the trip. We continued on Scenic Byway 12, soaking in the breathtaking scenery, until we reached Escalante Petrified Forest State Park. Here, we marveled set up camp right next to the water and immersed ourselves in the afternoon light. This road trip, filled with diverse landscapes and fascinating stops, was a memorable adventure through one of Utah's most beautiful regions.
VIDEO FILMED: 05/19/2024
▬▬ R E L A T E D V I D E O S ▬▬
⚪ • SOUTH CAMPGROUND at ZI...
⚪ • A Completionist's Guid...
▬▬ T I M E S T A M P S ▬▬
00:00 The Historic Parry Lodge
08:50 Sand Caves
16:17 Belly of the Dragon
22:41 Scenic Storytime
30:25 Bryce Canyon County
38:14 Onward to Escalante!
▬▬ L I N K S ▬▬
⚪ Gear we use - www.amazon.com/shop/thecactus...
⚪ onX Offroad App - alnk.to/gKQ0FLG
⚪ See where we've been - www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mi...
⚪ Music from Epidemic Sound - www.epidemicsound.com/referra...
(As an Amazon Associate and onX Affiliate we earn from qualifying purchases.)
_____________________________________________________________
✅ Find us on Instagram, Twitter & Facebook - @cactusatlas.
✅ Check out our website - cactusatlas.com
Welcome to the Cactus Atlas! We are Glenn and Amy and invite you to join us as we visit all sorts of locations across the American West. We tour both natural and man-made attractions.
Our base of operations is in the Phoenix, AZ area. We do a lot of hiking, day trips, and campground reviews and hope that we will be a great resource if you are planning a trip to the American West. We also hope to delight you with our exciting adventures!

Пікірлер: 72

@SwiftyTravels Ай бұрын

Beautiful country up there in that part of Utah! I’m looking forward to this series! 👍😀

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

More to come! Some REALLY epic views! 😄

@kennethbrinkerhoff9245 Ай бұрын

I have the great pleasure of living in Kanab

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

That's some luck. Gorgeous landscape! 👍

@summermazzettia2955 Ай бұрын

That's where I grew up. Love it there❤.

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Beautiful area to grow up! How lucky! 😊

@susanasalinas4273 Ай бұрын

Wow. Such wild beauty. Love the adventures. Hi Amy . Take care everyone n on to the next adventure.

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Thank you! Will do! 😊

@krishavice2655 Ай бұрын

My son-in-law grew up in Kanab. He participated in many of the Westerns filmed there. What fun!

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Oh, how cool! SUCH a rich movie history there. How fun for him to be part of it! 😄

@joywyse6996 Ай бұрын

Glenn just beautiful. This is on my bucket list thanks to you. Utah is so beautiful. Nothing like it anywhere. Thanks for all the surprises. Amy and Glenn, I look forward to your videos.

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Our pleasure! And thank you. Hurray for bucket list additions! 😄

@joywyse6996 Ай бұрын

@@CactusAtlas I have you and Amy to thank for the long bucket list. It's never been this long. Thanks

@votrolacres8526 Ай бұрын

Another great adventure! Those sand caves were amazing and so beautiful. Thanks for taking us along. Looking forward as always to the next video!

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Glad you like them! We appreciate it. 🙌😄

@MissAstorDancer Ай бұрын

Just stunning, as usual!!! The editing is so good, as usual! And while I always enjoy the music you pick, this episode is really UP THERE in terms of music choices.....ESPECIALLY the beautiful music you used for the Sand Caves! What a fun and beautiful way to spend an hour of my evening!!! (I re-watched several sections!!) Thank you both so much!!❣

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Oh my goodness... that means so much. Thank you! 🥲

@user-hs6kv2il2q Ай бұрын

This is an awesome trip. Love that you are stopping along the way. I think of the trips I have taken and what I missed by not stopping.

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

That's how a LOT of our trips have been because we're always on a tight filming schedule. This trip was kind of the opposite. 😅

@janlillis3676 26 күн бұрын

Thanks for taking me along. I really enjoy your videos. When you do the fast-forward. I feel like I’m a superhero and can run that fast. I have a very good imagination. Love the music and the scenery.

@CactusAtlas 26 күн бұрын

Love that! We kind of do/think the exact same thing. Arms out like Superman and flyyyyy! 😂

@charleshicks3492 27 күн бұрын

Well done, thanks and be careful out there🤩😎⭐️

@CactusAtlas 27 күн бұрын

Thank you, we will! 😊

@shannanichols2642 Ай бұрын

Really enjoyed the video, it was peaceful, beautiful and entertaining. ❤😊

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Thank you so much! We're happy you enjoyed it. 😊

@marshmallows5641 Ай бұрын

Beautiful landscape as always! Loving seeing all the nature it's so calming. Thanks for the adventure.

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Our pleasure! As always, we thank you from the bottom of our hearts for watching. ☺️

@RangelandRebel15 Ай бұрын

Prime grade Cactus Altas right here! You could spend a very long time in that area of the country and still not see it all. Thanks for the ride along yall!!

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

You're not kidding. I don't think we'd ever run out of places to see there. 😂

@shirleyrichards2514 Ай бұрын

Love that southern Utah ❤ thanks for sharing 👍

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Us too! Soooo much to do there. 👍

@jameshouse1268 Ай бұрын

I really enjoyed this latest episode. We love the Kanab area and then Zion, Bryce, and Red Canyon. It was so fun seeing your take on the Sand Caves and Belly of the Dragon. We enjoyed the Mossy Cave hike. It was very pleasant early in the morning (only 2 other people were there)! Hopefully, you’ll fit it in while Bryce. I’ll be looking forward to your future episodes of your summer adventures. Southern Utah can’t be beat! Our “travel styles “ are the same! Take care always. 😊

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Thank you! We're going to have to make it to Mossy Cave one of these days, especially given how many people are recommending it! 😅

@quinlama Ай бұрын

Awesome video! Met you briefly in the Escalante Petrified Forest State Park. Thanks again for your videos! My family and I stayed at Fort Churchill State Park in Nevada after watching your video there. Cheers and keep up the good work!

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Oh, how fun! I just edited the footage where Glenn mentioned meeting a viewer at that park! Hi! 👋 We hope that you had an enjoyable visit to Fort Churchill! 😄

@user-naturegirl Ай бұрын

Thank you, Cactus Atlas, for doing road trips that are "doable." We have been following your channel for a little while and really appreciate your giving suggestions for road trips that one can manage and still enjoy the beauty of nature without tearing one's vehicle up. (smile)😊

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Our pleasure! Offroading is still fun for us but can be tiring. Sometimes, we like the easier things as well. Lots more of that kinda stuff coming soon! ☺️

@lauraslanesvanlifetravels 29 күн бұрын

Thank you for showing and sharing the sand caves! I'm planning a big trip that includes stopping in Kanab and now I know those are there too...my photos are going to be awesome from there! I just looked up Mossy Cave...it's more the waterfall that makes it amazing...another cool place tho...too bad you weren't able to go check it out! This was another great one...but it IS Utah...really cannot go wrong w/Utah!

@CactusAtlas 28 күн бұрын

So very true. And there's always a million reasons to return because of that. 😅

@bobdurna3588 Ай бұрын

Wonderful video of one of my favorite routes anywhere. According to a Kanab local I spoke with the sand caves are man made. He said they were mined briefly and that the quality of the sand was conducive to making bullet proof glass…his story anyway. Mossy Cave along with some of the Valley of Fire hikes ranks as one of the best short hikes in the southwest. The cave is actually kind of meh, but the hoodoos, waterfall, and river make for a lot of bang for the short distance hiked. Thanks again for taking us along to this beautiful part of the country.

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

I believe you heard right. After I was editing, I checked info and found it was man-made for glass making starting in the 70s. 👍

@DeborahFlorian-gy6lw Ай бұрын

The sandstone caves look like a palace. Imagine torches on the walls, oriental rugs on the ground.....of course you'd have to get rid of all that sand. first! Thanks Amy and Glenn for this road trip! ⚡️🏜⚡️

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

That would be cool! I can absolutely see it in my mind! ☺️

@jane112wedge Ай бұрын

Great video! Been to Belly of the Dragon....there is a short dead end trail after you go through the cave...just fyi. Also, the Mossy Cave trail is fabulous and worth the stop.....and take note for next time, there is an overflow parking lot about 1/4 mile down the road. I'll be in the Zion National Park area for three weeks mid July to end of July....maybe I'll see you and Slim! Make sure you go to the Pizza and Noodle in town for dinner one evening ...best pizza! Stay safe!

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Thank you! Just might bump into one another, indeed! One of these days will hit up Mossy Cave. 😂

@ThomasTremmel Ай бұрын

Much thanks for this trip! I grew up in CA and we really enjoed travelling the states in the 80s in rented rvs or privat car. I still have a big chunk of petrvied wood on my chiney "stolen" from AZ, Shame on me. Greetings from Bavaria

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

😬 One of these days when we can afford it, we want to get a piece of petrified wood as well. And Bavaria! Long way from CA! 😊

@kathietee291 Ай бұрын

Thanks, Glenn and Amy, for this very interesting road trip video. Loved the Parry Lodge and its history! And what a beautiful place to end the video at the Escalante Petried Forest state park. Thanks for letting us come along!

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Anytime! We love having you all coming along with us. 😄

@tommyphillips6584 Ай бұрын

We stopped at the sand caves in December and had a few tricky spots to get to. Had to some crab walking and some sliding on way back down.

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

I hear you. It's not a super simple little climb to get up there. 😅

@WillySmith-sd4em Ай бұрын

Utah is a beautiful state. In the late 70's i lived in Vernal, Utah in the northeast part of the state. Very close to SKINWAKER RANCH! :)

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Absolutely agree. Utah is one of our favorite places. 😄

@WillySmith-sd4em Ай бұрын

@CactusAtlas much different than it was in the old days. I remember when Moab was a boarded up ghost town basically. Now there's brew pubs!

@steveh.5055 Ай бұрын

Thanks for sharing your videos. I really enjoy the Utah scenery! FYI, the Red Canyon campground has beautiful views, but the traffic noise from Highway 12 can be annoying.

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Oh, well that is very good information. Thanks for sharing! 👍

@japponica Ай бұрын

Excellent, thank you ❤ from London UK

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

You're very welcome! 😊

@baronessbooks9909 Ай бұрын

Yeah Bryce is high

@richardbeee Ай бұрын

Way up yonder in them sandstone cliffs you can see pick marks on the walls. The way i understand it was that cave is actually an old mine. That sand could only be found in that location. I don't remember for what purpose. Maybe a dam? I'll browse through my old stuff and see what i find. It even has pillars in it. I think i know and since i don't like to advertise other peoples videos on the one I'm watching I'll get with you later. When you see pick marks and pillars, it's usually been mined. Running across the grass brings out the primitive man. Like swinging on a vine.😂 Sounds like Slim will get a work out. Tell him i said Howdy!

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

From what I found, they were mining that area for silica to use in glass making. I forget why they stopped, though. 🤔 It's hard to tell what's pick marks and what's aged grafitti honestly. Probably why it went unnoticed. 😅

@janinemaurice6199 Ай бұрын

Make time for Mossy cave trail next time

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

I know. We keep missing out. But I guess we finally made time for the other two that we kept passing up so one of these day!

@ao8352 Ай бұрын

They should rename that colon cave as it resembles the image from a colonoscopy!

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

😂😂🤣 Glenn actually DID mention the latter part in a clip I didn't use while editing. 😅

@baronessbooks9909 Ай бұрын

Petroglyph on ceiling

@CactusAtlas Ай бұрын

Hmmm. Both caves are more modern age but I wonder if someone made an attempt to create one?

@bartcutler5195 Ай бұрын

Mining

@hightidelowtide4300 27 күн бұрын

Another great video from the Cactus Atlas... I'm excited for you're Capital Reef in July trip video.. Its definitely our #1 area of Utah and that's saying something... The views of Capital Reef from Boulder Mt, Burr Trail, Notom road, Scenic drive in CR, cathedral valley drive... hwy 24 (underrated).. the incredible byway 12... AWSOME TRAILS.. INCREDIBLE PIES AT THE GIFFORD HOUSE ect.... ITS EPIC!... JMO but you saved the best of Utah for last..

@CactusAtlas 26 күн бұрын

We're definitely looking forward to it. That park has been a missed opportunity for too long. 😊