If you’re planning a trip to one or more of the Utah Mighty 5 National Parks, don’t miss out on visiting the otherworldly scenery in Hanksville, Utah.
Located between Moab and Capitol Reef National Park, Hanksville is a tiny town that is home to some lesser-known, hidden gems that most people miss. Some of these places can be a little tricky to find and might require a high-clearance vehicle, but it is well worth the effort.
My husband and I initially visited Factory Butte and Hanksville back in 2021 while on a trip to Capitol Reef and Bryce Canyon National Parks. We were blown away by how different this area felt from the rest of Utah and knew we had to come back to explore more one day.
We did make a return visit in October of 2024 where we hiked to the Long Dong Silver Spire, wandered among the hoodoos in Goblin Valley State Park, and made sure we didn’t miss the Moonscape Overlook.
I seriously think this town is going to become extremely popular over the next few years as social media has started to highlight the attractions here. Visit soon for your chance to see these places before major crowds take over!
Here are 5 unforgettable places to see near Hanksville, Utah.
Where is Hanksville, Utah?
Hanksville is located in south-central Utah, right off of Utah Highway 24. It sits at the junction of Highway 24 and Utah State Route 95, which will take you south to the remote, northernmost point of Lake Powell.
If you’re looking at the Utah Mighty 5 National Parks in a line, Hanksville sits between Capitol Reef and Canyonlands National Parks. It will take you about 1.5 hours to drive to Hanksville from the Moab area and about 1 hour from Capitol Reef.
Related: 15 Best Things to Do in Capitol Reef National Park
How to Get to Hanksville, Utah
If getting to Utah will require a flight for you, your best airport option is Salt Lake City. The Salt Lake Airport is large with lots of direct flights and a large rental car supply. Hanksville is a 3.5 – 4 hour drive from Salt Lake City though, so be prepared for a long travel day.
You could also look into flying into the Moab airport, since it is closer to Hanksville. Flights here are extremely limited, more expensive, and will likely require at least one layover, so the tradeoffs typically aren’t worth it.
It can also be extremely difficult to find a rental car in Moab since the supply is much more limited than airports near large cities and demand is high because of all the tourists.
If you are road tripping, I-70 is the closest Interstate to Hanksville. You’ll take exit 149 and head south on Utah Highway 24 for 50 miles until you reach Hanksville.
Make sure you have a full tank of gas before exiting I-70, as there aren’t any gas stations, restaurants, or amenities along the way.
The Best Time to Visit Hanksville, Utah
The best time to visit Hanksville and this area of Utah in general is typically spring and fall.
Spring and fall bring pleasant temperatures and fewer crowds than the busy summer months, but mid-March and mid-October can also be busy due to spring and fall breaks for Utah schools.
Southern Utah does get brutally hot in the summer, which makes hiking unpleasant and dangerous at times. Shade on trails here is virtually nonexistent, so plan to be in full sun the entire time when hiking.
If you plan to visit during the summer, try to explore early in the morning or during the evening when it is cooler out.
Winter can be a great time to visit if you really want to ditch the crowds, but you’ll want to plan for cold temperatures, wind, and the occasional snowstorm (it is rare for snow to accumulate significantly, though).
The average winter high temperatures are usually between 35 and 50 degrees with the lows often falling below 20 degrees.
Hanksville sits at about 4,200 feet of elevation(with Goblin Valley State Park being closer to 5,000 feet), so you might feel a bit more winded than normal, especially if you’re from a near-sea-level part of the country (like me in Indiana).
Related: The Perfect 10-Day Utah Road Trip: Arches, Canyonlands, and Capitol Reef National Parks
5 Otherworldly Places to See Near Hanksville, Utah
Hanksville sits in the heart of the San Rafael Swell, a geologic area that was formed by tectonic plates over 60 million years ago.
We found parts of this area to have a much different feel than the rest of Utah- there are yellow, purple, and grey colors instead of the typical orange and red you see elsewhere. The scenery and geology is super unique!
These 5 places I’ll go into more detail about below allow you to explore this scenery up close and personal.
1. Factory Butte
Entrance Cost: None
High-Clearance Required? Yes
4×4 Required? No
Hiking Required? No
Related: How to Visit Factory Butte and the Moonscape Overlook in Hanksville, Utah
Factory Butte is a 6300-foot, flat-topped plateau of sandstone that stands alone about 12 miles west of Hanksville.
The Bureau of Land Management owns this land and has designated the Factory Butte area as a 2600-acre OHV recreation area. OHV jumping and motorcycle riding are popular activities, but you can also drive your car here and explore on foot!
If you’re not into off-roading, there isn’t much to do here besides photograph the gorgeous landscape! There aren’t any established hiking trails or amenities to explore. Photos turn out best at sunrise and sunset!
Once you turn off Highway 24, the road here is pretty rough. We have visited this area twice and had high-clearance vehicles but no 4×4 and we were just fine.
It can be a little confusing to find the right turn-off to get here, so I wrote a whole blog post with all the details about visiting Factory Butte here.
2. Moonscape Overlook
Entrance Cost: None
High-Clearance Required? Yes
4×4 Required? Not required, but recommended
Hiking Required? No
Related: How to Visit Factory Butte and the Moonscape Overlook in Hanksville, Utah
The Moonscape Overlook overlooks Utah’s Blue Valley and looks like the surface of the moon. So much so that the Mars Desert Research Station is also located in this area, because the landscape and soil are so similar to the moon’s surface.
This scenic viewpoint will take your breath away. You can spend as much or little time here as you’d like taking in the scenery.
The Moonscape Overlook is located on BLM land, so dispersed camping is allowed here. What a cool experience that would be!
Getting here begins the same way as getting to Factory Butte. There is a turnoff from Factory Butte Road that you will travel 3 miles down before it dead-ends at the Moonscape Overlook.
We found this 3-mile road to be significantly more rough than Factory Butte Road, so you might want 4×4 here for some spots.
Since the Moonscape Overlook is so close to Factory Butte, I combined all of the details about visiting both areas in this blog post.
3. Goblin Valley State Park
Entrance Cost: $20 per vehicle
High-Clearance Required? No
4×4 Required? No
Hiking Required? Optional
Related: The Complete Guide to Visiting Goblin Valley State Park in Utah
Goblin Valley State Park is located 30 miles north of Hanksville. It’s famous for its giant valley of hoodoo rock formations, formed by wind and water erosion. You will feel like you’re on another planet when visiting here!
Exploring the Valley of the Goblins and hiking are the best things to do here. We loved the Goblin’s Lair Trail!
You can view the Valley of the Goblins from a viewpoint that looks out over it, but it is much better to walk down into the valley and wander around up close. You can climb on the hoodoos, take photos, and really take in the scenery without any distractions here.
We visited Goblin Valley State Park in the late afternoon on a weekday and pretty much had the place to ourselves.
I have heard that the line to get into the park can get quite long on weekend afternoons, though. I’d recommend planning for a weekday visit if you can, or visiting first thing in the morning.
4. Long Dong Silver Spire Hike
Entrance Cost: None
High-Clearance Required? Yes
4×4 Required? No
Hiking Required? Yes
Related: How to Hike to the Long Dong Silver Spire in Hanksville, Utah
Hiking to the Long Dong Silver Spire (yes, that really is its name) at sunrise is one of my all-time favorite Utah experiences.
The Long Dong Silver Spire is a 350-foot tall, pointy rock formation that has survived a lot of erosion events over millions of years. It’s located 7 miles west of Hanksville.
You can hike directly up to the spire via a 2-mile unofficial trail. You’ll hike on top of bentonite clay right up to the base of the spire and then over to an incredible viewpoint with the perfect lighting for sunrise photography.
Getting here is tricky, and you’ll want a high-clearance vehicle to get to the trailhead unless you want to add some extra distance to your hike.
I wrote a whole guide on the Long Dong Silver Spire hike, including how to get there, what to expect, and more so make sure to read that post before planning your trip!
5. Little Wild Horse Canyon
Entrance Cost: None
High-Clearance Required? No
4×4 Required? No
Hiking Required? Yes
Little Wild Horse Canyon is a slot canyon located within the San Rafael Swell. It’s located about 5 miles from the Goblin Valley State Park Visitor Center.
There is an 8-mile loop that takes you through Little Wild Horse and Bell slot canyons. Alternatively, you can hike in as far as you’d like and turn around for an out-and-back hike.
There is one small rock scramble at the beginning of the trail to get into the canyon, but the rest of the hike is relatively flat after that.
Watch for standing water in slot canyons, especially if it has rained recently. Slot canyons pose a huge flash-flood risk, so don’t plan on hiking this trail if rain is in the forecast.
We initially planned to do this when we visited Goblin Valley State Park, but unfortunately we ran out of time. When we come back, I will update this post with our experience!
In the meantime, you can find more details about this trail on the BLM website here.
Where to Stay in Hanksville, Utah
As you can see, there is a lot of cool places to see near Hanksville, Utah. This might warrant an overnight stay in the area so you can have ample time to explore everything on your list.
It won’t take you long to figure out that there aren’t many amenities in Hanksville (yet).
There is one motel in town, the Whispering Sands Motel. Accommodations are basic, but it has everything you need. We stayed here for one night and had no issues.
Additionally, there is one gas station and a small handful of restaurants. Make sure to eat at Outlaw’s Roost for fresh, Mexican food and great service with a fun atmosphere!
If you’re looking for more amenities, staying in Torrey, Utah is a reasonable option as well. It is located an hour west of Hanksville on the other side of Capitol Reef National Park, though. There are plenty of hotels, a general store, restaurants, and gift shops.
I hope this post inspired you to explore some of the wonderful, otherworldly places to see near Hanksville, Utah! There is so much more to this state than just the 5 National Parks.
I hope you can find time on your next trip to Utah to fit in some of the things on this list! Let me know which place on this list you’re most excited to see in the comments below!
-Megan
More Information on Utah
UTAH ROAD TRIPS: Visit Capitol Reef, Bryce Canyon, Grand Staircase Escalante, and some incredible Utah State Parks with this epic 9-day Utah Scenic Byway 12 road trip itinerary, or combine your Capitol Reef trip with Hanksville and Moab to explore the areas on this list along with Arches and Canyonlands National Parks.
MOAB: Only 1.5 hours from Hanksville and home to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Moab is an outdoor lovers hub and serves as a great home base for exploring both parks.
