Our First Stop: Arches National Park

Our adventure began with a stop at Arches National Park—and all I can say is WOW! The landscape was absolutely breathtaking. If you’ve ever been to Garden of the Gods in Colorado, imagine that—but bigger, bolder, and even more dramatic. Towering red rock formations, graceful stone arches, and endless desert views greeted us at every turn. I included a map I found online to help orient you, especially if you haven’t had the chance to visit yet. Trust me—this place is a must-see, and pictures hardly do it justice.

In case you didn’t know, Arches National Park was officially established as a national park in 1971, though it was first designated as a national monument back in 1929 by President Herbert Hoover. The park protects over 2,000 natural stone arches—the highest concentration of natural arches in the world! In addition to its famous formations, it’s home to towering spires, balanced rocks, and breathtaking desert landscapes that feel like something out of another world. On our drive to the park, we listened to Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey, a memoir of his time as a park ranger in Arches in the late 1950s. His writing is raw, opinionated, and deeply reflective—especially the part about his snake encounter, which came up more than once during our trip! The book added an extra layer of appreciation and perspective as we explored this incredible place.

Our Second Stop: Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef National Park was our second stop—and while it’s often considered one of Utah’s more underrated parks, I found it to be absolutely fascinating. Established as a national monument in 1937 and later designated a national park in 1971, Capitol Reef stretches across nearly 241,000 acres of cliffs, canyons, domes, and the striking Waterpocket Fold—a 100-mile-long wrinkle in the Earth's crust. One of my favorite parts of the park was the boardwalk area where we saw several petroglyphs (rock carvings created by the Fremont people over 1,000 years ago). There’s something so powerful about standing in front of ancient messages carved into stone—it's like a whisper from the past. Capitol Reef may not be as well known as Arches or Zion, but its quiet beauty and rich history left a lasting impression on me.

Our hotel near Capitol Reef even had llamas on site—which would’ve made for such a fun hiking companion experience... if only my knees agreed! Unfortunately, that hike didn’t make the cut this time (ah, the joys of aging joints!).

But all was not lost—we did get to enjoy something just as delightful: homemade pie, eaten with our hands, in a gorgeous park setting. There’s just something about sitting outside, surrounded by red rock cliffs and fresh air, enjoying a rustic treat that makes everything feel a little more magical. Capitol Reef may not have given us a llama hike, but it definitely fed our souls (and our sweet tooth).

A Canyon of Hoodoos & History
Bryce Canyon isn’t actually a canyon at all—it’s a high-elevation amphitheater carved into the Paunsaugunt Plateau in southern Utah. The park was first protected as a national monument in 1923 (proclaimed by President Warren G. Harding) and became Bryce Canyon National Park in 1928. It’s named after Ebenezer Bryce, a Mormon rancher who homesteaded in the area during the 1870s; locals joked that his cattle kept wandering into “Bryce’s Canyon,” and the name stuck. The park’s signature formations are the otherworldly stone spires called hoodoos—a term borrowed from African American folk traditions to describe something with mystical or magical power. With their surreal shapes and glowing colors, it’s easy to see why early visitors thought they were enchanted. According to Paiute legend, the hoodoos were once “Legend People” who were turned to stone as punishment for bad deeds. Scientifically speaking, these dramatic spires are formed by over 200 freeze-thaw cycles each year—cracks in the rock fill with water, freeze, expand, and slowly break the cliffs apart into fantastical shapes over time. Bryce’s landscape is like a fairy tale frozen in stone.

A Grand Entrance from the East
Our journey into Zion National Park began from the east entrance—and what an unforgettable drive it was. The towering sandstone walls, dramatic switchbacks, and that famous mile-long Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel built in the 1930s set the stage perfectly for the beauty to come. We stayed just outside the park in Springdale, a charming little town with stunning views, great shops, and easy access to Zion’s main entrance. The night we arrived, the cliffs surrounding town were glowing in the golden light of sunset—it felt like we were already in the park before we even set foot on the trails.

The drive through Utah on our way to Delta was spectacular. The landscape unfolded in a dazzling display of red rock cliffs, sweeping desert valleys, and ever-changing colors that made every mile feel like a new adventure.