Bentonite Hills in Utah: Everything You Need to Know

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The tiny town of Hanksville, Utah has exploded in popularity, due to its unique land features that look like they’re from another planet—or even straight out of Lord of the Rings. For example, its Bentonite Hills look like they should be on Mars—enormous mounds of earth, with dizzying swirls of orange, red, and indigo. If you want to experience these otherworldly features for yourself, here’s everything you need to know about the Bentonite Hills in Hanksville, Utah. 

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Couple standing in a beam of sunlight on the bentonite hills in Hanksville, Utah
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What are the Bentonite Hills? 

The Bentonite Hills are colorful mounds that were formed during the Jurassic Period, when mud, sand, and volcanic ash settled into the lakes and wetlands that once covered the Hanksville area. 

Over the course of the last 140 million years, this sediment has dried into a crumbly clay-like substance that’s rich with minerals, with vibrant striations of orange, brown, gray, and purple. 

Aerial view of couple laying on the Bentonite Hills in Hanksville, Utah

How to Get to the Bentonite Hills in Utah

The Bentonite Hills are located in Hanksville, Utah, right to the east of Capitol Reef National Park—and actually, there are multiple spots near town where you can see them for yourself! 

There are two popular spots where you can see the Bentonite Hills in Hanksville. 

Bureau of Land Management land along the Cathedral Valley Loop

If you’re planning on driving along the popular 58-mile Cathedral Valley loop through Capitol Reef, you can make it a two-’fer and stop at the Bentonite Hills that are along the route. 

Aerial view of Bentonite Hills in Hanksville, Utah

The most popular spot to see the Bentonite Hills in the Cathedral Valley are located here along the western half of the Cathedral Valley loop, about a nine mile drive from this turn-off of Highway 24 down an unpaved and unmaintained road.

You absolutely need a high-clearance 4WD car to make this drive, as the road is ROUGH in some sections and you’ll even need to ford a river shortly after turning off Highway 24.

In full transparency, my husband, Justin, and I were not quite adventurous enough to drive through a river in our beloved SUV, Howard. 

So, instead, we just drove the eastern half of the Cathedral Valley Loop to the Temple of the Sun and the Moon, which can be reached (sans river crossing!) by driving along a bumpy 15 mile road from this turn-off of Highway 24. 

Woman standing on a dirt ridge looking at the Temple of the Moon in Capitol Reef National Park in Utah

Along our drive through this portion of Cathedral Valley, we spotted a series of smaller Bentonite Hills, located here and here.

These clusters of Bentonite Hills are MUCH smaller than the ones you’ll find on the western part of the loop, but, if you’re short on time during your trip to Hanksville and want to hit the Temple of the Sun and the Moon, it’s a time efficient (and less nerve-wracking!) way to scratch your otherworldly-landscapes itch.

I’d recommend having at least a high clearance vehicle to drive on this section of Cathedral Valley, but, at least when we went, 4WD was not necessary. 

SUV driving down Cathedral Road past the Temple of the Moon in Capitol Reef National Park in Utah

If you want to experience Cathedral Valley but don’t have a high clearance vehicle or aren’t comfortable driving off-road, you can let someone else take the wheel (literally!) and join a private 4WD tour to the Bentonite Hills , like this option or this option, instead.

Mars Desert Research Station

The second location is near the Mars Desert Research Station, which is used by the Mars Society to research what living on the Red Planet would be like. Yes, this area seriously looks so otherworldly that scientists literally use it for simulations!

Mars Desert Research Station at sunset in Hanksville, Utah

These Bentonite Hills are located here, about four miles north of Highway 24 along (the hilariously named!) Cow Dung Road. 

The road here is unpaved and had some potholes, but, at least when we drove on it, it was likely passable with a passenger vehicle (driven slowly and carefully!). Accordingly, if you’re nervous to be driving off-road or don’t have a high clearance vehicle, this is probably going to be your best option for getting to explore the Bentonite Hills for yourself. Obviously, use your own judgement and always err on the side of caution—we didn’t have cell service at the Mars Research Station or Cathedral Valley, so calling a (very expensive!) tow truck would be quite challenging! 

Rocks along Cow Dung Road leading to Bentonite Hills in Hanksville, Utah

Shortly before you reach the Bentonite Hills on Cow Dung Road, you’ll pass the Mars Desert Research Station on the left hand side. It’s private property, so unfortunately, you can’t explore the base, but it’s still worth a quick stop to see the facility from afar!

A little under a mile down the road from the Research Station, you’ll see some enormous colorful hills on the left hand side. Here, you can get out and explore the out-of-this-world scenery. 

Man walking on a path through the Bentonite Hills in Hanksville, Utah

If you’re not comfortable driving yourself, there’s a photography tour that will drive you to these Bentonite Hills and actually even provide tips on improving your drone skills (and offer you a drone rental, if needed!).

When to Visit the Bentonite Hills in Utah

In terms of seasons, the best time to visit the Bentonite Hills in Utah is spring through autumn, when there isn’t any ice or snow. 

Couple sitting on a mound with badlands in the background at the Bentonite Hills in Hanksville, Utah

During the winter months (typically December through February), it’s not unheard of for there to be snow on the ground. Given that the roads to any of the Bentonite Hills locations are not plowed or otherwise maintained in the event of snow, it would likely be challenging and probably pretty risky to drive there. And, even if the road is passable, you wouldn’t be able to see the hills’ beautiful colors and striations anyway. 

Regardless of what season you visit Hanksville, it’s incredibly important to note that you should not drive to the Bentonite Hills (or any of the other popular backcountry landmarks in Hanksville, like Long Dong Silver or the Moonscape Overlook) if it has recently rained or there’s rain in the forecast.

The clay-like dirt here is super soft, even when it’s dry, so there’s a very good chance your car will get stuck in the mud here if there’s even a small amount of precipitation. 

Cow Dung Road leading through the desert in Hanksville, Utah

In terms of the time of day, it’s best to visit the Bentonite Hills for either golden hour (the period of time right after sunrise or before sunset), or blue hour (the period of time right before sunrise or after sunset), where the orange, red, and blue hues of the mounds appear much more pronounced and saturated. 

I’d avoid visiting anytime when the sun is high in the sky—the harsh sun will wash out the color of the hills, making them appear much more dull than the periods of time where the light is softer and glowier. 

Tips for Visiting the Bentonite Hills in Utah

Follow the Leave No Trace Principles

The landscape at the Bentonite Hills is made of extremely soft and fragile ground that takes a long time to heal when disturbed by tires or foot traffic. Accordingly, please stick to driving on designated roads and only walk on areas of the mounds that are firm and have been clearly walked on by previous visitors. 

Woman walking on a path up a mound on the Bentonite Hills in Hanksville, Utah

Additionally, please be sure to follow all other Leave No Trace principles—pack out whatever you pack in, be respectful to other visitors, and don’t remove any rocks or other materials from this delicate landscape.

Lower your expectations

Truth time—most of the photos you see online (yes, even in this article) have been edited to some extent, making the colors of the Bentonite Hills appear much more saturated than they are in real life. 

Aerial view of couple walking across a sunspot on the top of Bentonite Hills in Hanksville, Utah

Additionally, to be honest, the Bentonite Hills definitely look their most impressive from an aerial view (i.e., from a drone). So, unless you happened to be born with wings (in which case, I have some questions!), your view of the hills from the ground will be much less impressive than what you’ve seen on Instagram and TikTok.

That being said, even without photo editing and having a birds-eye view perspective, the Bentonite Hills are extremely cool and unique-looking—just not quite as otherworldly as the Internet would have you believe. 

You can fly a drone there

Great news if you have a drone—all of the locations listed in this article are outside of Capitol Reef National Park and drone-friendly. We flew our drone while visiting the Bentonite Hills and got some of the COOLEST footage we’ve ever captured. 

Aerial view of Bentonite Hills in Hanksville, Utah

Of course, if there’s other visitors around, be respectful and limit your flight time to avoid negatively impacting their experience. Don’t be one of those drone pilots who give the rest of us a bad name! 

You can camp here

All of the Bentonite Hills locations listed in this article are located on Bureau of Land Management land, where you can enjoy dispersed camping around the hills for up to 14 days a time. How cool would it be to have Mars as your backyard for a few days?! 

Couple sitting in front of a Safari Condo Alto F1743 Expedition at a dispersed campsite along a river and with colorful badlands in the background in Hanksville, Utah

There aren’t any amenities on this land, like water or dump stations, so you’ll need to be self-contained and self-sufficient if you elect to camp here. Additionally, in case it isn’t clear, do not camp directly on the Bentonite Hills themselves and rather, only camp on the flat, hard pull-offs from the main road that others have previously camped on.

Come prepared

Even if you’re not planning on camping, I’d strongly recommend coming prepared with plenty of water (especially if you’re visiting in the summertime), snacks, some blankets, and, ideally, a satellite communication device, in case you encounter car trouble while you’re visiting the hills. 

Couple sitting on top of an SUV in front of the Factory Butte in Hanksville, Utah

The roads here really can be quite rough. Plus, there’s no cell service here and, in the event you break down or have some kind of issue, it definitely isn’t out of the realm of possibility that you might not see other people driving nearby for a LONG time. 

Where to stay near Hanksville, Utah

There’s SO much to do in the Hanksville area, from checking out some of its otherworldly land features and exploring Capitol Reef National Park to seeing some of the more off-the-beaten path destinations here, like Goblin Valley State Park. 

Road leading through colorful rock formations in Capitol Reef National Park in Utah

Accordingly, I’d recommend spending at least a few days here—so if you’re not the campin’ kind, here are some accommodations in the Hanksville area to consider. 

  • Muddy Creek Mining Company: There’s extremely limited accommodations in Hanksville itself, but one of the best options in town is this collection of cute cabins. Each unit has everything you need for a short stay—a well-equipped kitchenette, private terrace, and even barbecues. 
  • Broken Spurr Inn and Steakhouse: This is my favorite hotel in the Capitol Reef area—in large part, because you can actually stay in a room that looks like a Conestoga Wagon! Beyond the cheeky accommodation options, there’s some really nice features, like an indoor pool and hot tub, onsite restaurant, and fire pit.
  • Skyview Hotel and Terrace: Skyview is one of the most updated hotels in Torrey and offers stellar views of the surrounding rock formations, including from its cozy hot tub! You have your choice of standard rooms or some of those cool geo-dome glamping tents and there’s lots of thoughtful touches, like robes, complimentary snacks and coffee, and the comfiest beds. 

I hope you enjoy this incredibly unique and beautiful corner of our planet. Do you have any questions about visiting the Bentonite Hills in Utah? Let us know in the comments below!

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