Hanksville Adventures — From the Henry Pines to the Desert Slots

September 26-28, 2025

Goals:

Goal 1: Meeting with well guy about the new pump and finally seeing our Hanksville property come alive

Goal 2: Exploring slot canyons tucked below the Henry Mountains and between the cool pine forests and the sun-baked desert floor

Goal 3: Quiet solitude miles of open country and not another person in sight

Goal 4: Future dreams standing on the land, imagining what we’ll build there one day

Goal 5: Hide a replications in one of these great places we enjoy

Our latest trip to Hanksville turned out to be a perfect mix of progress and play. We met with the well guy to get the pump installed on our new property — the one we recently purchased that already had a well drilled, but no pump. Watching this come to life with running water will soon feel like a big milestone. It’s one thing to own land out there… but when you see water flowing, it starts to feel real.

We couldn’t resist spending the rest of the trip exploring. From the cool, high pines of the Henry Mountains to the red rock deserts below, the landscape was full of contrasts. One hour we were surrounded by tall trees and crisp air, and the next we were hiking through narrow desert slot canyons carved by time and water.

The Henry Mountains never disappoint. Every time we’re up there, it feels like stepping into another world — quiet, wild, and timeless. The views stretch forever, and when you look down, the desert floor below glows with color and warmth.

We took the scenic route, stopping often to take in the changing views. The transition from mountain pine to slickrock and sand is so dramatic it almost feels like crossing seasons in a single afternoon.

By the time we reached the desert floor, the air was still and hot, and the sandstone walls rose up around us like a maze. We wandered through a few narrow slots, following the light as it bounced between the curves of the canyon walls. It’s a kind of silence that gets into your soul — just the sound of your boots, your breath, and the occasional bird overhead.

Trips like this remind us why we fell in love with the area in the first place. It’s rugged, raw, and full of life in its own quiet way. Every time we return, it feels more like home — a place to work hard, explore freely, and dream about what’s next.

GPS: Already Found, no longer available

This Fremont figurine was found before I could make this post. Sorry!