Moses and Zeus

From the pulloff along Taylor Canyon Road, you'll scramble up a rocky slope that gains about five stories of elevation in well under a mile — short but surprisingly steep. The trail is more of a use path than a maintained route, weaving through slickrock and sandy washes as it climbs toward two massive sandstone towers that look like they belong in a mythology textbook. Moses is the taller, thinner spire; Zeus is the broader, more fortress-like formation beside it. The desert varnish streaking down their faces catches light differently throughout the day, shifting from burnt orange to deep crimson. Once you reach the base, Taylor Canyon unfolds below you in a panorama of layered red rock that makes the effort worthwhile. This one rewards scramblers, photographers, and anyone who likes their hikes concentrated — maximum scenery per step.