Have you been to Mars? It feels like we were there when we went to this section of the Badlands near Hanksville, Utah.

This is located about 10 minutes west of Hanksville or 45 minutes east of Torrey. From UT-24, you’ll take Cow Dung Road. This is an improved dirt road. I think we would have been fine in our old minivan, but it was no problem at all in our Subaru Ascent.

Near Moon Walk Road the road passes the Mars Desert Research Station. Apparently it’s a private company that has people stay out here for a week or two using actual space equipment and practicing to live on Mars.

The aerial of this region is fascinating! Here is a screenshot from Google Maps!

There isn’t a designated place to stop. We drove about one mile further along Cow Dung Road and stopped where the above map is marked purple. The ground where we got out is super dry. There are different colors in the dirt a colored stripes on many of the hills and buttes.

We walked to the left for a while along the barren landscape. We saw one cactus, but nothing else alive. There were some awesome rocks though.

The viewpoint from the top of a tiny hill was amazing!

From this same spot we could look slightly farther south and see this view towards the Moonscape Overlook across the canyon.

This was about 1/4 mile from the road where we parked. Can you see our car at the top left?

Here are a few other photos from this area

This is only about 30 minutes from Goblin Valley and an hour from Capitol Reef National Park and Little Wild Horse Canyon.

Stats: Distance – 0.5 miles roundtrip (hike, drive is about 2 miles roundtrip on Moon Walk Drive)
Approximate hiking time – 30-60 minutes
Elevation gain – 25 feet
Difficulty – Easy
Trail – cracked dirt
Bathrooms – None
Seasons to hike – Year-round (Do not attempt when wet)
Permits needed – None
Pets allowed – Yes

Another unworldly landscape is Fantasy Canyon.

Nearby is Goblin Valley, Little Wild Horse Canyon and Capitol Reef National Park.