Factory Butte — Attraction in Four Corners States

Location: Factory Butte, Hanksville, Utah. It's an iconic rock formation in a "moonscape" of bentonite clay badlands, managed by the Bureau of Land Management (BLM). Best Time to Visit: Time of Day: The golden hours—30-60 minutes before sunrise and before sunset—are essential for photography. The low-angle light creates dramatic contrast and highlights textures. Season: Spring (March-May) and Fall (September-November) are ideal. Temperatures are mild (60s-70s°F), and spring may even offer wildflowers. Summer (June-August) is brutally hot, and winter (December-February) can be very cold, with potential road closures due to snow or mud. Vehicle & Road Conditions: The main access road, Factory Butte Road, is a wide, graded dirt road. While a 2WD vehicle can typically handle it, it's often very washboarded, so a high-clearance vehicle is recommended for a smoother ride. For exploring the surrounding area, especially viewpoints like the Moonscape Overlook, an AWD or 4WD vehicle with high clearance is necessary. The side roads are rough, rutted, and can become impassable when wet. Avoid driving on these roads after rain or snow to prevent getting stuck in the soft clay. Navigation: You can navigate to the general area by searching "Factory Butte Road, Hanksville, UT 84734" on Google Maps. The butte is a prominent landmark, visible from miles away. Be aware that once you leave the main paved highway, you are on a dirt road. It is highly recommended to download an offline map of the area as cell service...

Picturesque, beautiful, amazing and definitely one of nature’s coolest formations. Make sure you have a high clearance SUV or Jeep before heading out to this place. You will have to drive at least for about 6-7 miles on gravel/Rocky road, do not venture out to this place if you have a two wheel drive sedan. Cellphone service is sketchy but works on certain parts of the gravel road. Check weather conditions before planning your visit, download maps or carry an actual map with you, carry loads of water if you plan of spending some time in the area exploring. There are no trees so no shade and during the afternoons it can get pretty hot and nasty depending on the time of the year. Definitely worth your time and effort if you are up...

This is a really cool area to explore. Factory Butte stands out well for photography. Just make sure you cut over to the lunar overlook area, there is a spot there popular for people taking pics for social media. Barely down the road is the Lonely Spire which is also a very surreal place to visit. The soft powdery slopes give a sensation of hopping on the moon. The spire area itself gives off a sense of Mordor from Lord of the Rings. Very desolate and not much vegetation. Road to Factory Butte is in good condition, cutting over to the Lunar overlook can be bumpy, but not too far to walk, and Lonely Spire does have a parking area that gets you closer to it, just not...