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Located in southwestern Utah, Zion’s water-carved canyons, mesas, and rock formations are so astounding they were among the earliest additions to the U.S. National Park System, with President William Howard Taft setting aside some 15,000 acres in 1909. Originally called Mukuntuweap National Monument, it was later renamed and expanded. A few hours’ drive from Las Vegas, the popular park now draws millions of visitors each year.
Adventurers seeking otherworldly realms should aim their sights on a slot canyon called the Subway. Getting to this permit-required wonder is half the fun (and challenge). There are two ways: by hiking nine miles round-trip or by canyoneering, a mix of hiking, rappelling, and other activities. For this image, photographer Josh Hydeman did the latter. “By the time we got there, it was late in the day,” he says. “The canyon looked like a cave. There was a meeting of light and color and moment and beauty.”