Enchanted Fantasy Canyon in Utah

26 Jun

This summer my family and I discovered an enchanted land where odd characters and fantastical creatures seemed to emerge from the rocks surrounding us. It’s a little known place in the middle of nowhere called Fantasy Canyon. We were lucky enough to find out about this treasure from someone’s travel blog before we took our trip to Utah. We had such a great time that I want to share it with you as well. Our primary destination for this trip was Dinosaur National Monument and Flaming Gorge Reservoir. Fantasy Canyon made for a short side trip. It’s just outside of Vernal Utah in the middle of the oil and gas fields. If you stop by the Vernal Visitor Center, they will be happy to point you in the right direction.

Laughing Man

When I see things like this in nature, it reminds me that God has a sense of humor. There’s no uniformity to how the rocks are shaped in this canyon. In some areas, the rocks are thin and flat and in others you can find perfect circles in the center of inches thick rock. Of course, an open mind and imagination help make the experience more enjoyable. As does having someone to share your insights with. My eleven year old daughter especially enjoyed finding animal figures in the rocks.

Gargoyle

Several Boy Scout troops created the paths within the canyon and labeled a few of the formations to help get your creative juices flowing. My favorites were the laughing man above and the gargoyle.

Mice at a tea party

The canyon itself is only about an acre in size. But, we found hours of enjoyment exploring the nooks and crannies and of course taking a bunch of photos.