Last Updated on: 28th December 2023, 01:25 am
Just east of Capitol Reef National Park – an underrated destination in its own right – are even more obscure geological landmarks that relatively few have heard of. Everyone driving along Utah State Highway 24 will at least see the massive Factory Butte from a distance at some point, though it’s much better appreciated from up close.
Also in the area is the stunning Moonscape Overlook, which is arguably one of the most remarkable overlooks in the United States. And on top of that, there are even more bizarre yet beautiful landmarks in the Upper Blue Hills area which we’ll be mentioning in the guide below.
Parts of the Factory Butte Recreation Area have long been popular with thrill seekers trying to catch air on their dirt bikes. But the area is becoming increasingly well-known amongst travelers who simply want to admire and photograph the strange colors and formations.
The following locations are all situated on Bureau of Land Management Land, which means they’re free to enter. But getting around is a challenge, and having a 4×4 is a must for this adventure.
At the end of this guide, you can also learn additional info about recommended tours and the best places to stay in the area at the end of the article.
The Moonscape overlook
The Moonscape Overlook is becoming increasingly popular due to social media. But it’s still not that easy to visit, and it doesn’t even seem to appear on Google Maps.
To get there from Highway 24, you’ll want to turn onto Factory Butte Rd. As you might expect, you’ll get great views of Factory Butte itself along the way.
Eventually, make a right onto Skyline View Rd and simply drive it all the way to the end.
The roads can be quite rough here, so renting a 4×4 is highly recommended. Also remember that conditions can always change on these remote unpaved roads, so you might want to check with the Bureau of Land Management in advance.
Or, you could simply take a tour (learn below).
As with much of Bureau of Land Management land, you’re free to camp just about anywhere. And upon arrival, we encountered a group of people camping at the overlook, which would be the only way to see it at sunrise.
But even having missed the sunrise, the surreal landscape still looked incredible upon our arrival around 7:30. Given the direction of the shadows, the formations had a strange glossy look to them.
Much of the badlands around here are comprised of a sediment known as Blue Gate shale, which gives many of the hills a blueish or dark grey hue.
Believe it or not, this entire region was once submerged under water millennia ago. And the shale here was deposited during the Late Cretaceous Period no less than 90 million years ago.
No plant life can grow on this shale, resulting in completely barren hills for as far as the eye can see. As such, many have likened this area to the Moon, hence its current moniker (it used to be known as the Skyline View).
Many people also liken this general area to the landscape of Mars. In fact, the Mars Desert Research Station is a short distance away. But to me it doesn’t quite look like either, but more like a planet in a far-off galaxy that we have yet to discover.
One can easily get lost in all the details. Looking closely, you’ll notice new shapes that you hadn’t seen before. If you have a zoom lens, this would be a great place to bring it.
In total, we just spent about thirty minutes here before it was time to move on. But you could probably relax at the overlook for hours and not get bored.
The Salt Wash
For this particular excursion, we decided to book a tour with the same guide who’d taken us around Cathedral Valley a few days prior. And before heading over to Factory Butte, he took us to a special area that very few people have heard of.
Known as the Salt Wash, it features bentonite hills reminiscent of, well, the Bentonite Hills in Cathedral Valley. But the color palette is completely different, featuring striped pink hills that look like some kind of dessert.
We largely enjoyed this portion from the vehicle, though we did pull over a couple of times for photos. If you’re planning on visiting this area yourself, just be forewarned – it requires fording a river considerably larger than that of nearby Cathedral Valley!
While beautiful to view from the car, the Salt Wash area is also known for its hiking trail, which is even labeled on Google Maps as the Salt Wash Trailhead.
Unfortunately, however, information about this hike is very hard to come by online. And to make matters more confusing, there seem to be multiple other Salt Washes elsewhere in southern Utah.
Factory Butte
Back on Factory Butte Rd, it was finally time to check out the area’s most prominent formation. Despite its name, Factory Butte is not actually a butte (a formation that’s taller than it is wide), but a mesa (a formation wider than it is tall).
From its most photographed angle, it does indeed appear as a butte. But seeing it from the side reveals how long it really is. It’s also incredibly tall, reaching up to 6,302 feet (1921 m) high.
Factory Butte is largely comprised of the same Blue Gate shale mentioned above. Its uppermost layer, meanwhile, is comprised of Emery sandstone.
This massive and rather unusual formation towers over its barren surroundings and can be seen from much of Highway 24. It’s no wonder then, why many people feel compelled to see it from up close.
But ‘many,’ is a relative term, and there’s a high chance you’ll have the place to yourself like we did. And to be clear, you can’t really get up close – at least not with a vehicle.
Heading west from the main Factory Butte Rd, you’ll eventually reach a point beyond which no vehicles can go. And separating you and Factory Butte will be an endless series of shale hills.
One could technically walk up close to the formation on foot, but it would probably take a tremendous amount of time and energy to get there and back. As such, many people are going to just enjoy the view from a distance.
It was around 10 in the morning by the time we got close up to Factory Butte, and it was a lot more colorful than expected. Based on pictures and videos I’d seen, I expected the whole area to appear a lot more gray – not unlike the Moonscape Overlook mentioned above.
Most footage online seems to have been taken around sunrise or sunset. But while not quite what I was envisioning before my visit, seeing all the colors at Factory Butte was a pleasant surprise.
At the formation’s base is what could best be described as a large collection of wrinkles. And while I knew there wouldn’t be nearly enough time to go all the way there, I tried to figure out a way to at least get a little closer.
I observed a path (which may have been left by a dirt bike) going across the ridges of several hills, and I followed it to see how far I could get. But I ultimately reached a dead end.
To get any closer to Factory Butte, I’d have to carefully make my way down a hill and then climb up the next one.
I tried this several times. But despite exerting so much energy, the view had barely changed, and Factory Butte didn’t seem to get any closer. Realizing the futility of my plan, I tried to retrace my steps and make my back to the vehicle.
Factory Butte, as well as the Moonscape Overlook, are places where you could spend as long or as little as you like. But with so much else planned for the day, we had to keep moving.
There’s plenty more to do and see in the area around Hanksville, Utah. While I didn’t end up visiting, another highlight off of State Highway 23 is a humorously titled Long Dong Silver formation (also known as Dark Spire).
While I didn’t realize how easy it would be to visit at the time, it’s supposedly just a couple of miles on foot past the parking area near Highway 24. You can learn more details here.
A bit further east is the Mars Desert Research Station, but it’s apparently closed to the general public and can only be visited with prior permission.
For those on their way to Moab, the Little Wild Horse Slot Canyon and Goblin Valley State Park are both further north off of Highway 24.
While I’d hoped to visit both of them, I only ended up seeing the latter, as there was a lot more to see at Goblin Valley than I’d expected. Learn more in our dedicated guide.
Additional Info
I visited the above locations with Meridian Photography Tours, one of the prominent tour companies in the Torrey area (you don’t need to be a photographer to take their tours). Everything went smoothly and I’d highly recommend them.
The closest town to Factory Butte is Hanksville, but there’s just one accommodation there at the time of writing.
Therefore, it’s best to base yourself in the town of Torrey, about a 15-20 minute drive west of Capitol Reef National Park. Finished with your tour of Capitol Reef, you could then visit Factory Butte, the Moonscape Overlook and additional locations on your way to Moab.
Despite being a small town, Torrey thrives on tourism, so there are plenty of options in the area.
While not exactly budget options, Capitol Reef Resort and The Noor Hotel are as close to the park as you can get. While I didn’t stay there, I did eat a few times at the Rim Rock restaurant across the street, at the views were fantastic.
Closer to the quaint and charming town center, meanwhile, are the Red Sands Hotel and the Broken Spur Inn, both of which are highly rated. Of course, there are a number of good Airbnb options to choose from as well.
For those interested in camping, the main developed campsite within the park is the Fruita Campground which offers picnic tables, fire pits and a few restrooms. It’s possible to camp there with either a tent or RV (if you don’t have your own, consider renting one on a site like Outdoorsy). You can learn more about camping at Capitol Reef here.
As mentioned above, it’s also possible to camp on much of Bureau of Land Management land, but don’t expect any amenities near Factory Butte of Moonscape Overlook.