The legend of Paul Bunyan has been circulating around North America since the 1800s. The story goes that he’s a huge lumberjack who stands at least eight feet tall, and is always accompanied by his faithful companion, Babe the Blue Ox. Paul and Babe are friendly, hard-working characters who were the heroes of turn-of-the-century loggers in the thick forests of the U.S. and Canada.
There are some unique rock formations here in Utah that call to mind Paul Bunyan, and you can take a short hike to see them (and get an amazing valley view at the same time!)
Paul Buyan is a folklore hero who’s said to wander the countryside, chopping down huge trees with his companion, Babe the Blue Ox.
By Dennis Jarvis CC BY-SA 2.0/Wikipedia
If you’ve ever wondered why Juab County doesn’t have lush forests full of towering trees, it might be because the pair tromped through here, chopping everything down and leaving large piles of logs. Take the Paul Bunyan’s Wood Pile Trail to see them!
Loki Andersen/Alltrails
The trail is just 1.6 miles, out and back. You’re welcome to bring your dog along on this hike, as long as he’s on leash.
Steven Strate/Alltrails
As you reach the top of the hill, you’ll see several large fins that are made up of individual lava “logs.”
Adam Cowie/Alltrails
These “logs” were created by lava flowing from a volcano around 30 million years ago.
Loki Andersen/Alltrails
Columns were formed by flowing magma, and each of the horizontal columns measure around 1 foot in diameter. Like real logs, the length varies, but some are as long as 15 feet.
Cory Salmond/Alltrails
The woodpiles appear neatly stacked in several rows, and the view of the valley below provides a stunning background.
Steven Strate/Alltrails
If you hike up a bit farther, you’ll also see a very unique arch that was formed by frost action. Over time, water seeped into cracks in the rocks and froze, then thawed.
Adam Cowie/Alltrails The process repeated over and over until some rock broke off, leaving an arch that’s 20 feet long and 4 feet high.
Use your imagination, and as you soak in this scenery and these unique rock formations, you can almost picture Paul Bunyan swinging his mighty ax and stacking these “logs” neatly in piles.
Cory Salmond/Alltrails
For directions to the trailhead, check out the Juab County website. Have you hiked to Paul Bunyan’s Woodpile? We’d love to read about your adventures in the comments!
By Dennis Jarvis CC BY-SA 2.0/Wikipedia
Loki Andersen/Alltrails
Steven Strate/Alltrails
Adam Cowie/Alltrails
Cory Salmond/Alltrails
The process repeated over and over until some rock broke off, leaving an arch that’s 20 feet long and 4 feet high.
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Address: Paul Bunyans Woodpile, Utah, USA
