As part of our “Canyon & Cactus Road Trip” in October-November of 2020, we spent two weeks exploring the National and State Parks in southwest Utah. This “video/slideshow” encapsulates our two week trip through this fabulous state.
In southwest Utah, we: met with our son and his girlfriend in Green River. Hiked the narrow slot canyon, Little Wild Horse Canyon, in the San Rafael Swell. Wandered amidst goblin-shaped rock formations at Goblin Valley State Park after picnicking at a red picnic table. Hiked throughout Capitol Reef National Park and learned about the Mormon community and the orchards there. Stopped for astounding scenic overlooks at Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument. Strolled among towering sandstone chimneys at Kodachrome Basin State Park. Encountered more bulbous columns called hoodoos at Bryce Canyon National Park on the Queen’s Garden and Navajo Loop Trail. Celebrated my 65th birthday, officially becoming a senior citizen in Bryce. Climbed ever upward in snow and 4°F temps to Cedar Breaks National Monument, where my fingers nearly froze off in just a few minutes of being outdoors. Hiked the Scout Lookout Trail at Zion National Park, where Ariana was the only one of us to make it to the top of Angel’s Landing. Hiked the Kayenta Trail and the Emerald Pool Trails at Zion, where we had fabulous views of the Virgin River. Decked myself out in neoprene socks, water shoes and waterproof pants to hike and wade up the Narrows at Zion. Observed changes in plant species from wildflowers and willows on the canyon floor to cacti and pinyon pines at higher elevations. Enjoyed a fabulous bacon-wrapped meatloaf Napoleon at Switchback Grille in Springdale, and said our goodbyes to Alex and Ariana as they headed back to Denver the next morning. Squeezed in a couple more hikes in Zion and then drove to Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park. Enjoyed an excellent belated birthday dinner in St. George at the Painted Pony Restaurant. Hiked the Petrified Dunes Trail at Snow Canyon State Park.
Our top 10 sights to see in southwest Utah were (in descending order):
10) Cedar Breaks National Monument & Cedar City
9) Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
8) Dixie National Forest & Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument
7) Goblin Valley State Park
6) Snow Canyon State Park
5) Kodachrome Basin State Park
4) Capitol Reef National Park
3) Little Wild Horse Canyon in San Rafael Swell
2) Bryce Canyon National Park
1) Zion National Park & Springdale
We explored southeast Utah in 2018; I’ll make another video about that trip later.
Below is the map showing our route through southwest Utah.
Thank you for watching! 🙂
~ wander.essence ~ 
Loved this – it was really well done and brought back such happy memories. I think S Utah was my favourite North American road trip and I’d happily repeat it.
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Thanks so much, Anabel. I’m glad it brought back happy memories for you. I could do another whole video on southeast Utah, which included Arches and Canyonlands and some other national monuments. We were there in 2018. I’ll have to do that one at a later date.
So much great hiking in these parts!
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That will be good! It was 2010 when we visited – doesn’t seem like nearly 12 years.
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How time flies, right? It’s hard for me to believe it has been almost 10 years since I was in Oman. 🙂
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Living life as an adventure, Cathy! You’ve certainly seen some amazing sights. Are you enjoying the video process and do you think you’ll look back at them more, or less often than your photos? It must have taken quite a while to cull them.
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Hi Jo, yes, I’m having great fun with the videos. I just wish I had more actual video footage. In the future, I’ll have to take more videos. But it was much faster this time because I didn’t have quite the learning curve. I did learn transitions this time, and also how to cut short a video clip, which I did because I was doing a lot of mumbling in the last half! The music part is the most fun.
I definitely think I’ll look at these videos much more than my old photos because the video with music not only tells a story but sets a mood. I just wish I could use some of my favorite songs, but alas, there is copyright to consider! I can only use a licensed sound provider (Epidemic Sound) so the music is limited. However, I was happy with the selections I did find. I showed it to Alex and he felt rather nostalgic about the whole trip as he’s since broken up with his long-time girlfriend. xx
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Oh, no! Just when things are going well. Her idea or his? Glad you’re having fun with it though 🤗💕
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They broke up before he left Denver in April, so it was part of the reason he moved back here; also to go back to school. It was mutual. Their living situation in Denver was quite horrible, which is part of the reason it didn’t work out; it was also part of the reason he decided he needs to make more money to have control of his destiny. He just got a part-time job which he starts tomorrow; I hope he’ll be able to do that and his classes at the same time. He seems very motivated these days, which is wonderful. 🙂
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Money being the root of all evil, but life’s jolly hard without it! Hope it works out well for him.
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I hope so too! Thanks Jo!
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An excellent video Cathy. What amazing scenery. I smiled at the Goblin formations. The music was well chosen too. I’m amazed at how much you fitted into 2 weeks.
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Thanks, Pauline, I’m so glad you enjoyed the video. It was a busy time there in Utah, and we were quite active the whole time. It was a great trip. 🙂
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So you were in St. George/UT and ate not far from where we stayed [Mulberry Inn] and ate [George’s Corner Restaurant] at the end of June last year!
I’m still in the process of writing about that trip and have only managed to get as far as June 26.
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Wow, what a small world, Pit. So funny that you stayed near where we ate. I loved the restaurant where we ate, the Painted Pony; the food was delicious and it was a belated birthday dinner for me because we were in Panguitch on my actual birthday, a Sunday night, and nothing was open in that small town!
By the way, I tried to comment on your post about the bike club and the “Summer Houses” but I couldn’t for some reason. Anyway, I liked those little summer houses and the history of them. 🙂
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I’m sorry you couldn’t comment on my blog. Sometimes it happens and I don;t know why. I checked my spam folder, though, but your comment didn’t end up there.
Sometimes you really get the impression that it’s a small world. We spent a day i St, George for bicycling – on the Virgin River Trail. Mary and I have the aim [we haven’t given up on that yet] to bicycle at least 10 miles in each of the states of the USA, and Utah was still on our to-do list for that. On our way from Carson City to Cortez St. George was quite convenient.
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I couldn’t even write the comment! I kept clicking on the box and trying to write, but nothing happened. Maybe it was something wrong with my computer. I didn’t have problems commenting on other blogs though, so that was weird. I remember your goal to bike 10 miles in each state. In how many states have you accomplished that so far?
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Very timely, Cathy, as we’re planning a trip to southern UT for early April. Years ago I went to the Capitol Reef area via SLC, but not to any of the other parks. We’ll fly to Las Vegas because that’s easier from here so we’ll be driving up through SW UT with opportunities to stop at Zion & Bryce on the way up to Torrey. I’d like to see that area again – it was about 20 years ago that I was there. Your photos are beautiful and you did a great job putting this together, thank you.
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Hi Lynn! So glad to hear from you. You will love that area of southwest Utah. I hope you’ll also find time to see some of the state parks. There is one not far from Las Vegas, in Nevada (so I didn’t include it in this video) called Valley of Fire State Park. Then the one I featured here, Snow Canyon State Park. We LOVED Zion and Bryce; there is a reason those parks are so popular. If you can hike the Narrows, don’t miss it (we had to wear Neoprene b/c it was so cold). And that Little Wild Horse Canyon (near Goblin State Park) is amazing. I wish we could have hiked some through Grand Staircase Escalante, but I think it is mostly back country hiking there. I hope you have a fabulous time! I wish I were going there again. 🙂
I’m so glad to know you enjoyed my little video. I’m having fun climbing the learning curve on videos/slideshows!
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We’ve actually been to Valley of Fire on a previous trip to Death Valley and other LV area attractions. It’s a really nice park. We’ll try to avoid large parks on weekends and we’ll be exploring BLM land as well as smaller parks, as time allows. Snow Canyon is a good possibility. Thanks for the advice about the Narrows. I haven’t looked into Little Wild Horse Canyon so thanks for that, too – haven’t even heard of it. The West just has too much to see! I’m sure you’ll be getting more and more professional with the videos, have fun!
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I haven’t been to any other places in Nevada; that’s another trip, another time! I think hiking in Grand Staircase Escalante would be fabulous, but I think there are mostly longer distance backcountry hikes there. As for Little Wild Horse Canyon, it’s near Goblin Valley State Park. Here’s a link: https://www.americansouthwest.net/slot_canyons/little_wild_horse_canyon/index.html
I hope you enjoy your trip!
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Even if we don’t get to that canyon the link is great – I don’t think I had that source. Thanks again!
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You’re welcome. I hope you enjoy your trip!
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