In between our visits to Canyonlands and Arches, acting on a solid tip from a friend, we took a less-traveled road to Castleton Tower, about 25 miles northeast of Moab.
In scouting our trip to Utah, we never read a word about it. That’s ironic because the Internet calls Castleton “probably the most famous desert tower in the world…”- particularly among rock-climbers.
The drive there is itself a treat. The road out of Moab hugs the Colorado River all the way, threading its way through massive canyon walls.
The tower, which is actually a sandstone rock, rises 400 feet above the cone-shaped hill it sits on, putting its tip 6,660 feet above sea level. A short semi-circle hike provides views from all sides of the tower.
On a Saturday evening, with plenty of daylight left, Sharon and I were the only ones there.