Hite Overlook ~ Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

When using a mapping system to plan a trip into uncharted territory out west, most people only chart locations of accommodations along with the primary destinations. There will be a lot of space between the dots when only a few National Parks and campgrounds are plotted on a map and filling those voids actually is easy to do. All it takes is expanding the search options to include interesting points of interest. Browsing for recreation areas, wildlife refuges, landmarks and even doing a search for scenic overlooks can provide endless opportunities to experience much more when traveling long distances. There is nothing worse than breezing by a golden opportunity, just to suffer from regret at a later date, so always go for broke and try to experience everything possible when planning a big trip!

​Plotting the scenic overlooks on a map does require zooming in to see the finer details. Once these spots are found the rest is easy. There is nothing better than knowing that there is a great place just a few miles ahead for stretching legs, which also offers majestic views. On the flip-side, those who do not include these points of interest in the travel itinerary will likely end up taking a break from the road in a fast food parking lot, which is not exactly the way to enhance the long journey.

One such roadside overlook that truly must be noted can be found on Utah Highway 95 in the north end of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The Hite Overlook signage is easy to spot, facilities are nearby and there is a large parking area. Just like the name suggests, this viewpoint on top of the Colorado River red rock river bluffs overlooks the Hite Outpost, campground and boat launch. The features of the entire White Canyon Region and part of the Canyonlands  landscape can be seen from this towering overlook too. Pictures say a thousand words and all it takes is one look at the photo album to see that the Hite Overlook belongs in the travel itinerary when driving the long distances in this picturesque region!