Arches National Park is one concentrated lot of sandstone – filled with arches, rock formations, and incredible views. Unlike many national parks, where you might drive an hour just to get between one hike and the next, Arches is small…
Walking the Zion Narrows
I first did the Zion Narrows in 1997. Or, should I say, I first set foot in the Virgin River in 1997, and we went around the first bend and turned around. The kids were too young; one of the…
5 Best Day Hikes in Bryce Canyon National Park
Rock Formations. Hoodoos. Creamsicles. Ever since our first visit to Bryce Canyon in 1997, it’s been one of our favorite parks in southern Utah, over Zion, Cedar Breaks, and Capitol Reef. It gets crowded these days, but it’s…
The Top 15 Pages on Anne’s Travels in 2017
It’s that time of year again, when we get to look at the most popular pages on Anne’s Travels in the past year! The top performing pages are pretty consistent every year, though there are a few new favorites –…
Pressing On When Failure Looms
One day many, many years ago, we were fleeing wildfires in the west and the smoke that blew in to obscure the view, wrinkle the sinuses, and create some of the most glorious sunsets I’ve ever seen. Sunsets aside, views…
The Waves and Wind Still Know His Name
There’s been a song going around for some time that goes something like this: Grander earth has quaked before Moved by the sound of His voice Seas that are shaken and stirred Can be calmed and broken for my…
Sneak Peak: A California Trip through Desert and Snow
Well, I just got back from a fantastic trip to California! We saw the desert, and we saw snow (lots of snow!), not to mention some truly fabulous views of mountains, cliffs, slot canyons, salt flats, and the beautiful NorCal…
Fun at the Days of ’47 Pioneer Day Parade
Coming up next month on July 24 is a Utah state holiday, Pioneer Day, celebrating the coming of the pioneers into Utah and the surrounding area. It officially marks the day the first Mormons arrived in the Salt Valley, but…
Terrifying Trails of the Western US
Hiking any trail can have its frightful aspects – walking away from civilization and the comfort of your car and into the unknown wilds of who-knows-where (not to mention scary stuff like spiders, snakes, bears, wolves, and sheer drop-offs). But…
Epic Day Hiking Road Trip to Southern Utah
Southern Utah packs so much beauty into a small area. Arches, rock formations, turrets, towers, spires, mountains, canyons, cliffs, meadows – there’s so much to see, and often so little time to do it. So here are some of the…