Golden Canyon Trail

You start in a narrow wash between walls of golden mudstone that look like they belong on Mars, not Earth. The first mile is flat and easy — almost suspiciously so — as the canyon walls rise around you and shift from butterscotch to deep crimson. Then the trail starts climbing through eroded badlands where every turn reveals another improbable color: ochre, rust, violet. If you push the full out-and-back to Red Cathedral, you'll be rewarded with towering red cliffs that glow like embers in afternoon light, plus views back across the valley floor to the salt flats far below. The moderate elevation gain sneaks up on you in short, steep pitches rather than one sustained grind. This trail is perfect for photographers and geology nerds who want dramatic desert scenery without a death march.