Blogs from Utah, United States, North America

Each of us have our favorite national park. Now that they are closed, perhaps we will appreciate them even more. Mine, as you may know, is Bryce Canyon National Park in Utah. In fact, I was just there in November. Above are three of my photos from that trip. The national parks are a true American treasure. When we can travel again, I strongly suggest you place one or more on your travel plans. But Bryce is not in the top five most visited. What are the top five? 5. Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado 4. Zion National Park, Utah 3. Yosemite National Park, California (only about 90 minutes from us) 2. Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona Most visited: Great Smoky Mountains National Park, North Carolina and Tennessee I am sure each of ... read more

You know what they say, travel is all about learning. I think it’s fair to say we’ve all learnt something here at Bryce Canyon... ...the girls have learnt about patience - there’s nothing that tortures Australian children quite so much as driving through miles and miles of pristine fresh snow only to be repeatedly told they can’t get out and play in it because there was nowhere to pull over. ...we’ve all learnt about exhaustion - there’s nothing quite so aerobically challenging as hauling yourself through thigh-deep powdery snow at 9000ft. ...Geoff has learnt about zippered pockets and how they prevent you from losing important things. ...and we’ve all learnt a little bit too much about stress...when you combine items two and three above. A tip for all travellers - 3ft of powdered snow that you’ve ... read more

What is a hoodoo? It is a pillar of rock, usually of fantastic shape, left by erosion. A hoodoo can also cast a spell. Our visit to Bryce Canyon National Park was highlighted by the hoodoos surrounded by the beauty of southern Utah. About ten million years ago, forces within the Earth created then moved large blocks known as the Table Cliffs and Paunsaugunt plateaus. Rock layers on the Table Cliffs now tower 2000 feet above corresponding layers on the Paunsaugunt. Ancient rivers carved the tops and exposed the edges of these blocks, removing some layers and sculpting formations in others. The Paria River and its tributaries still carve the plateau edges and steep slopes of the Paunsaugunt Plateau, on which lies the national park. Any photos you have ever seen, do not portray the hoodoos ... read more

Did they finally make a saint out of my dear Uncle George? He was my Mom's youngest sibling, and definitely, a real saint of a guy. He spent his life farming the very land my Mom and her older sister and widowed mother farmed from pre-Relocation days (WW2). The other St. George is located in southwestern Utah, about a 90 minute drive north of Las Vegas. I have been there numerous times, for golf outings, to visit friends, and most often, to spend the night at a fabulous resort, Entrada at Snow Canyon. I think for most people, the big draw is nearby Zion National Park, about an hour away. But do not underestimate the city of St. George and the surrounding area. Recreation opportunities are numerous, food options plentiful, and the scenery almost everywhere is ... read more

Woke up early to another gorgeous day. Mornings have been in the low 60's for the past few days, then warming up to the mid 80's. There is almost 0% humidity in these parts, and were usually above 5000' above sea level, so everyone is drinking water like a camel. We're signed up for a private tour of both parks today, Aches and Canyon Land, and we arrived at Nav-Tec tours at 8:00. After meeting our guide for the day, Yancey, we took off in a Toyota Land Rover that felt like a tank. As we discovered later, it was good that it was built like a tank. Instead of heading into Arches NP through the main entrance, Yancey took us north, and entered the park via a dirt road. This quickly turned into a "technical" ... read more