I left my heart....

in UTAH...

it is known as the land of the Mormons... and dinosaurs. But for me, Utah is the most fantastic place on Earth (that doesn't kiss the sea). The Mormon churches are gorgeous against the orange and red background of the rocky southern section of the state. This one happens to be in the great town of St. George. This southern welcoming town hosts several hotels and...A CRACKER BARREL!!! (that's a big thing for a southern girl that is away from home)

 

 

Taking I-15 north to rt 9 I found a quaint and ...weird little motel that was made from fixed up trailers all hooked together in a "L" shape and a restaurant/store that served a great steak dinner. The place lays just outside of the Dixie National Forrest...and featured this spectacular view from my porch. When the sun was setting in the late afternoon it magnified the orange glow from the red sandstone rock spirals of the canyon lands that lay ahead for exploration the next day!

 

 

 

 

 

Much of central and southern Utah features this crazy vibrant orange rock and many arches--it feels like you are in Bedrock and going to pass Fred and Wilma's house at any turn.

Dixie NF hosts the setting for Bryce Canyon and Zion National Park. Both feature many trails, climbing and camping options. The early morning sun peeking through the rocks seemed to set the world on fire!

 

 

 

 

 

Driving to the Colorado Plateau's rim, you can't imagine what lays ahead.  The land  seems to flatten hosting land for farming. Golden grass danced in the breeze under the bright blue skies above.

 

--Bryce Canyon--

 

Entering into Bryce Canyon you peek over the edge of the rim and see what looks like the edge of the Earth. The views are breathtaking and jaw dropping and worthy of hours of photography and hiking. There is a great park map full of information of each stop along the paved road so you can peer over the edge into the vast rolling cliff of hoodoos. Once your eyes drink in these pillar rock formations, a spell is cast over your soul and you will forever be changed by the view. This area is thought to have been made over thousands of years ago by rock slides, rivers, snow and wind. 

 
 
 

<*Zion National Park*>

 

On through the canyon and further up the road you will find Zion National Park. There is one central welcome center and from there you can collect your guides and information, food and water and hop on a shuttle that takes you to many stops in the park that you can get out and hike to different areas. The main area in the park is at the end --where you can start your journey into the "subway". Here you will follow the Virgin River further into the promised land of Zion.

This can turn into several days and highly suggested to have a guide and gather information due to risk of flashfloods, need for camping and backpacking in your own gear. If you don't plan on going for a few days, hike down the water trail a little ways to cool off, swim, play and have the experience of what the park has to offer!

 

 

 

~*Moab*~

 

This is in central western Utah and holds some famous sites that look pretty familiar from the Coyote and Roadrunner cartoons! It is the mecca for outdoor sports enthusiasts featuring canyoneering, climbing, hiking, rafting, camping, trail biking, atv-ing  and much more! If you want to sleep under some spectacular stars, this area is a must! One of the biggest parks in the area to tour is Arches National Park. This is a drive through/self tour park of some of the most concentrated arches in one area. Here you are sure to meet face to face with some excellent rocks and nature made wonders.

 

 

Many of the scenes you will take in will remind you of what we "easterners" think of how the wild wild west is supposed to look (according to John Wayne). Imagining living here and having to ride in a wagon pulled by horses and grow food is quite grounding of how hard these people had it! This is the true grit of how the world once was when the dinosaurs and our ancestors roamed the land.  

There are many parks located in Utah that will continue to woo you in to wanting to spend a lifetime there! I fell in love with this land and day dream just about every day of the free time I need to be able to get back and explore more canyons. The Wave is an area in southern Utah/northern Arizona that has been calling my name for a long time...its a google search must! So, if there is ever a time you need to get away and become one with nature, find yourself and feed your soul...UTAH is the place to go! Pack up your camping gear and set out to sleep under the stars exploring the lands of the wild wild west and fall in love...