by Ellen Heyn, Communications Associate
Manicured lawns are the gold standard for Easter egg hunts, but if you ask us, astroturf has nothing on the plateau’s canyons when it comes to hiding spots. This year, bring your eagle eye, along with baskets and eggs, for a destination egg hunt—canyon style!
How to play
- Pack your egg hunting gear (picnic fixings also recommended) into a backpack and hike into your canyon of choice (see below for ideas).
- When you find a good spot, define your upstream and downstream boundaries.
- Hide eggs in sandstone pockets, underneath logs, and between rocks—be creative! (Note: lichen makes great camouflage)
- Send your friends searching, and make sure you don’t leave any behind!
Destination Ideas
Of course you can always head to your neighborhood canyon, but if you’re looking for supreme egg hiding potential, you’d best head to one of these:
Big Spring Canyon
Between the fractured sandstone spires and ribbon of cottonwood trees lining the floor, Big Spring Canyon in the Needles District of Canyonlands National Park offers infinite egg-hiding options. But you better take note of where you put the pastel orange ones, or you might end up a few short! Check out this eggcellent hike ›
Chute Canyon
Eggspect to play hot–and–cold to find eggs hidden in the nooks and crannies of Chute Canyon, which slices through the eastern flank of the San Rafael Swell. The honeycombed walls and sandstone fins are a egg hunter’s delight! Check out this eggcellent hike ›
Coyote Wash to Buckskin Gulch
Squirrel away your easter eggs in Vermilion Cliffs National Monument! The crossbedded sandstone walls of Coyote Wash make for some difficult hiding places, but they also guarantee a fun hunt. Check out this eggcellent hike ›