Utah’s Unexpected Pit Stops

3. Twin Rocks Trading Post, Bluff

913 Navajo Twins Drive

Whether you’re on your way to Bears Ears National Monument, the Four Corners Monument or Monument Valley Navajo Tribal Park, a stop at Twin Rocks Trading Post is worth your while. You’ll want to stop to take photos of the two strikingly similar rock pillars, known as the Navajo Twins anyway. As long as you’re admiring the binary monoliths, take a stroll through the trading post to shop for handcrafted Native American and Southwest art. They have folk art, pottery and paintings, along with Navajo baskets and rugs. You’re in luck if you’re hungry because there's also a cafe next door that serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week (hours vary during summer and winter) with specialties like Navajo Tacos made with fry bread and vegan rice bowls.

4. Toadstools Hoodoos, Big Water/Kanab

Toadstools Trailhead Highway 89

The Toadstool Hoodoos are an oft-overlooked and underrated adventure break between Lake Powell and Kanab. The trailhead is roughly 1.5 miles west of the Paria Ranger Station on Highway 89. An easy 1.5-mile out-and-back hiking trail leads to more than a dozen toadstool-shaped red sandstone formations that seem to have emerged straight from a wizard’s invocation. However, it actually took 30 million years of erosion to create them. These geologic wonders are just within the southern boundary of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.

7. Kayenta Art Village, Ivins

851 Coyote Gulch Court

The best part about this place is that it feels like a secret because unless you are looking for it, you might not know it’s there. On your way to or from Snow Canyon State Park, be sure to make time to explore the treasures of this bohemian village. There are art galleries, a spa, cafe, theater, arboretum and outdoor labyrinth. Do yourself a favor and go to Xetava Gardens Cafe (open daily, hours vary) during brunch on the weekend so you can nosh the Heaven Waffle — an organic Belgian-style waffle, served with fresh berries, organic peanut butter, agave nectar and homemade whipped cream. Pair it with a Lemonade Mint Supreme or some brown bean life juice from the full espresso bar and then take a stroll in the Desert Rose Labyrinth.

8. The French Spot, Cedar City

5 North Main Street

Cedar City isn’t too far from Bryce Canyon National Park or Cedar Breaks National Monument, so chances are you’ll stop there along the way (Read: "24 Hours in Cedar City"). Cedar City mostly features all-American eateries, but if you’re after something a little more avant-garde, head to The French Spot. This unassuming family enterprise is more cabana than cafeteria, but don’t let its subtle stature fool you. It features haute cuisine from a French Michelin star chef. Get a salad if you must, but do not miss the crêpes and seasonal tarts made with local, fresh organic fruits. They’re open Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. 

9. Parowan Gap Petroglyphs & Dinosaur Tracks, Parowan

Petroglyphs: 37.909722, -112.985556

Dinosaur Tracks: 37.896944, -112.950833

Chances are you’ve driven past Parowan a bunch of times on your journeys north or south to Brian Head Resort, but have you ever stopped to check out the Parowan Gap petroglyphs or the dinosaur tracks? This detour is a quick 15-minute drive from Exit 75 on I-15 and makes for a fun diversion. No one knows for sure how many centuries have passed since the Parowan Gap petroglyphs were first etched by the native peoples of the area, but in 1849 the Parley Pratt Expedition discovered them. What makes this particular cache so interesting is its plethora of geometric designs, as compared to the more commonly depicted human and animal figures. The bonus on this stopover is that you can also see dinosaur tracks. They are about two miles east of the petroglyphs. You can see a Hadrosaur’s footprints that have been there for approximately 65 to 75 million years.

10. The Creamery, Beaver

165 South 500 West

Here’s the deal. The fresh milk, cheese and ice cream you can get at The Creamery is life-changing and you may find it difficult to go back to the regular stuff. You can absolutely taste the difference, plus your patronage supports Utah family farmers. Not only can you have breakfast, lunch or dinner at their full-service cafe, you can also buy fresh local cheeses and other tasty Utah-made goods at the shop. After you’ve had the best grilled cheese sandwich of your life and a scoop or three of your favorite flavors of ice cream, grab some bags of squeaky cheese curds for the road and challenge yourself not to eat them all by the time you get to Fishlake National Forest. The Creamery is open daily year-round but hours vary. 

11. Redmond Salt Mines, Redmond

2725 North 100 West

Have you ever wondered how salt is harvested? Good news, you can take a tour of the Redmond Salt Mines (Est. 1958) in Redmond, near the Manti-La Sal National Forest, and fill your brain with salty facts. Fun fact: salt was so valuable in ancient Rome that soldiers were often paid with it and when a soldier wasn’t doing his job well enough, they would say, “he’s not worth his salt.” On the tour, you’ll take a special bus down to roughly 400 feet below the Earth’s surface and you might even get to experience some dynamite shooting. Perhaps the most exciting part of the tour is when you get to hunt for a chunk of salt to take home with you, though you are limited to what you can carry. Before you leave, stop by the storefront to load up on Real Salt products to your heart’s content. They are open year-round, but you have to call ahead (435) 529-7402 to book your tour.