Go Together Life

📍 Out and Back Route | 8 km | 271m Elevation | ~2 hours 15 minutes
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4 stars, plus a bonus one if you score a free t-shirt

We set off on the Mansard Trail one sunny spring morning looking… well, less than heroic. Quinn wasn’t feeling great, Reese was nursing a sore knee, and the rest of us were still recovering from Angel’s Landing the day before. Compared to that adrenaline-fueled climb, this was supposed to be an easy stroll to see 1,000-year-old petroglyphs carved into an alcove at the summit. Spoiler: it was not a stroll.

The Climb

The trail leaves straight from the parking lot, with most of the 271 meters of elevation gained in the first 2 km. The switchbacks are steady but manageable, more friendly zigzags than the infamous Walter’s Wiggles, and to the teens’ delight, included a few scrambles. (Scrambles = instant cool points in their book.) As we climbed, views back over Kanab stretched wide and spectacular.

Unfortunately, Quinn quickly started fading. Fresh air wasn’t the miracle cure we had hoped for, and before long she and Ally wisely turned back, leaving the rest of us to press on feeling a little deflated.

The Game-Changer

Then, something unexpected shifted the mood. We had noticed what looked like a ziplock bag of trash earlier on the trail, muttering about litterbugs, we promised to collect it on our way down. But a second bag stopped us in our tracks. This one wasn’t trash at all — it was a scavenger hunt!

Complete with instructions and prizes, it seemed to be part of some kind of marketing drive (and if it wasn’t, apologies to whoever’s gear we may have accidentally claimed). Suddenly, the teens transformed from reluctant hikers into sprinting treasure-hunters. Even Reese, limping minutes earlier, was suddenly moving like she’d been cured.

The prizes? Candy, pens, flashlights, water bottles, and one much-coveted t-shirt that still rotates through “shared custody” among the teens to this day. It’s not even that great a shirt, but somehow it’s become legendary in our family lore.

At the Summit

The scavenger hunt ended with a cache perched on the Vermillion Cliffs, where the kids collapsed onto rocks to admire the sweeping views. The rest of us caught up at a more reasonable pace. By then Reese’s knee was throbbing, but she gamely pushed through the sandy, wind-whipped stretch leading into the alcove of the White Cliffs.

There, at last, we found the petroglyphs, intricate carvings etched a millennium ago. We spent some time in hushed appreciation before heading down, Reese hobbling valiantly all the way.

The Return

Back at the trailhead, the scavenger hunt loot was triumphantly displayed to Quinn and Ally, who had their own tale of suspense: they were convinced they’d been stalked by a mountain lion on their way down. The rest of us remain skeptical, but stranger things have happened in the desert.

Final Take

The Mansard Trail is absolutely worth it — switchbacks, sand, sore knees and all. The petroglyphs are fascinating, the views are vast, and if you’re lucky enough to stumble upon a scavenger hunt, you’ll never forget it. For us? A solid ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — bumped to five if you’re walking away with a free t-shirt.

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Why We Love It

• 🏜 History + Nature: Ancient 1,000-year-old petroglyphs hidden in the White Cliffs.
  
• 🔀 Manageable Challenge: Steady switchbacks that feel like a workout without being punishing.
  
• 🎒 Family-Friendly Adventure: Short scrambles = instant fun for kids and teens.
  
• 🎁 Element of Surprise: We stumbled on a scavenger hunt — proving hikes can deliver the unexpected.
  
• 🌄 Views for Days: Sweeping panoramas over Kanab and the Vermillion Cliffs.

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🧳 Packing List

• 🎒 Daypack
• 💧 Water bottle or hydration pack
• ⛑ First aid kit
• 🧢 Hat & 🕶 Sunglasses
• 🌧 Rain jacket
• 🧥 Warm top/layers
• 🧦 Hiking socks
• 👟 Proper boots/shoes
• 🍫 Snacks