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Here you’ll find travel reports about Utah. Discover travel destinations in the United States of travelers writing a travel blog on FindPenguins.

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  • Laurie ReynoldsFall trip to Utah parks
    Day8

    Two more days in Arches

    October 19 in the United States

    We have had two more days of hiking in Arches, yesterday cloudy but today a brilliant cobalt blue sky again. A couple of times, Joe read in the car while I added a more strenuous loop, and he says Christopher Browning’s “Dismantling Democracy 1933 vs. 2018” in the New York Review is a must-read. So he was not wasting time while sitting in a parking lot, even though once I could have sworn that I saw his eyes closed when I returned to the car.

    The park is crowded, lots of families, lots of retired couples, lots of international visitors. It is good to see how many people are up for taking a three hour walk with some elevation gain just to see a hole that erosion has made in a rock.

    Last night’s dinner has to set the record for the best customer service ever. We went to a very crowded and busy pizzaria with a real wood burning stove no less, and found that the two tables next to us had turned over twice and we still had not gotten our pizza. Joe had a big bowl of toscana soup which took some time, but even so, we were starting to wonder what was going on. The waitress came and apologized, saying that something had happened to our ticket. Then the head cook brought out the pizza and apologized again. We said we were fine, not a problem, we are on vacation. Then the manager came to apologize and we told him the same thing. About ten minutes later, the waitress told us that our pizzas were on the house because of the bad service, but that under Utah law we would have to pay for our glasses of wine. Fine, but really not necessary. Then ten minutes later, the owner of the restaurant came and told us he wanted to treat us to dessert. Never in all my days have I gotten such attention over a late pizza! Forma Antica is the name of the place, and in addition to the service, their pizza was excellent. And tasted good after our morning hike as well!

    Tomorrow, we’re out of Moab and on the way back!    Read more

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  • Laurie ReynoldsFall trip to Utah parks
    Day5

    Made it to Arches

    October 16 in the United States

    Today was our first day in Arches. It was about a three hour drive from Capitol Reef, through lots of very punishing territory. We stopped for breakfast at a breakfast diner type place that had John Wayne plastered on every available square inch on the wall.

    Once in Moab, we went straight to the park. The weather was beautiful, we are on a roll (though some rain is forecast for tomorrow). To take advantage, we went straight to the Delicate Arch trailhead. About a 3 mile roundtrip with some elevation up to the iconic arch that adorns Utah’s license plate. Joe got some more kudos from people at the top. No other people within a decade of him, I would wager. We felt lucky to be there, with the snow covered La Sal (?) mountains in the background. For the rest of the afternoon, we drove and stopped at various places with short walks to, you guessed it, more arches. With the bright blue sky in the background, everything was just beautiful.

    Doing laundry and thinking about dinner, but most of all thinking about how lucky we are to do this.

    PS. The sign at Arches said that discharging your firearm is illegal inside the park. Apparently bringing it in locked and loaded isn’t.    Read more

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  • Laurie ReynoldsFall trip to Utah parks
    Day4

    Last Day in Capitol Reef

    October 15 in the United States

    We finished out our visit to Capitol Reef with a couple of hikes and a saunter. First thing in the morning, Joe and I hiked the Chimney Rock Loop. Good elevation, great views, both of the chimney rock and the canyon it borders. Then once again my cooperative husband stayed down in a parking lot at the Cassidy Arch trailhead, and I went up to a pretty awesome site. A bit of scrambling at the end, nothing technical, but just terrific views. And thanks to the encouragement of a couple from upstate New York, I dared to walk out on the top of the arch itself, and have pictures to prove it.

    For our last park visit, we walked a few miles around a place named Goosenecks, with views of yet another canyon, and its Sunset Point, with probably the most complex and prettiest view of the whole park — all sorts of geology and canyons, pine trees, snow covered mountains in the back, just beautiful.

    Since we had finished our walking by 4:15, I decided we would probably have time to make it to Bicknell, about 15 miles away, to a pharmacy to pick up some medication Joe left at home. It had taken a while to get our pharmacy in touch with the Wayne County Health Center Pharmacy, but luckily it all worked out. The people were great, and when I picked up the medicine, I asked the pharmacist about the center. Is it a public health center? Yes, he said, it serves people county-wide. How is it funded? By the state of Utah, he said. But, he said, it it NOT a government clinic. Oh well.

    Tip of the day. Though the air is so dry it will crack the inside of your nose, here is one bit of advice. Do not leave the hot shower on for a while to add moisture to your room, or the fire alarms will go on. OOPS!!!    Read more

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  • Laurie ReynoldsFall trip to Utah parks
    Day9

    Hunting for petroglyphs

    October 20 in the United States

    I had messed up the day of our return home, thinking it was Sunday instead of Monday. So we suddenly had one more day to enjoy Utah. I found that right on the way to Salt Lake from Moab, there is a canyon with endless numbers of petroglyphs from the Fremont and pictographs from the Utes. The oldest are from around 1000 A.D. We got a little brochure in the gas station at the junction and headed into Nine Mile Canyon, which is actually about 50 miles long. I was a little creeped out because about five miles before the turnoff, up on a hill on the side of the road was a sign that looked like a painted sheet that said “White men kill.” Because we were below the sign, I couldn’t see if there was a direct object to that lovely sentence, nor could we decide whether it was a statement of fact or an exhortation, but in any event it was creepy.

    The road through the canyon was all dirt till a few years ago when mining companies volunteered to pave it as part of their mining concession. There are about 25 miles of rock faces and if you look closely, you will see tons and tons of drawings. It was really fun, kind of like where’s Waldo — lots of walking up and down hills looking at rock faces, trying to identify animals. Definitely saw some elk, some bison, bighorn sheep, something that looked like a turkey. We met a guy in an orange truck at the first site, who really knew all about these sites, and so we just got in the habit of stopping along the road wherever we saw his truck. He didn’t seem to mind.

    Joe has suggested a Greek restaurant in town, the number 3 rated restaurant in Price, Utah. But a Subway is number five, so I don’t think we should get our hopes up!    Read more

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  • RosscoeLower 48
    Day13

    Monument Valley

    October 20 in the United States

    Like every true cowboy we road into Monument Valley at sundown.
    I know you’re supposed to leave town at sundown but arriving at sundown still had a certain western theme.

    Not being able to find the local saloon we tried the RV Park to feed, water and bed down our trusty RV for the night whilst we rustled us up some bacon ‘n beans.
    It was good to see the people here were into the spirit of the Wild West too as they fleeced us just like any crooked gambling house would to a couple of green horns new to town. They made the casinos in Las Vegas seem like amateurs as far as squeezing tourists go.

    Our opinion of the US being third world remains.
    Here they have converted old pickups into tour vehicles. The conversion consists of bolting three rows of old school bus seats to the back, that’s it, not even seat belts are added.

    There is a part of Monument Valley that is a loop road, this has been closed off with a gate and entry booth as this is all traditional land.
    It costs $US20 to pass here and go a 100 metres to a car park.
    Here for the privilege of paying $US80+tax per person first you make sure you are rugged up against dust and the cold before climbing aboard one of these rat rod limousines that travel over roads so bad they must be deliberately made that way so no other vehicles can use them because even nature can’t be that mean.

    This tour lasts for a couple of hours and most of it seems to be taken up watching some poor Navajo woman who has been roped into weaving traditional Navajo rugs, using traditional Chinese wool on a traditional loom made in Taiwan.
    This is unless for $US140 + tax, you take the all day tour. I couldn’t find any sadists, well still alive that is, to find out about this harrowing experience but it didn’t matter as we left all this stuff pretty much alone.

    What we did do though was to drive along the public highway that runs through Monument Valley, pulling over every few hundred metres for photos, tea and meal breaks or just to stop and gaze.
    Thats the way to do it and at one stop we were approached by an American family asking us if we knew about the tours. This was our big chance, having been done over in Deadwood we decided to return the favour and put the boot in.
    A few others picked up on the conversation and in the end we had a small crowd gathered around listening to us describe the best way to tour Monument Valley.
    They all took us seriously and said how fortunate it was to run into us for advice. This made us realise how easy it is to get tourists in, just like the locals have been doing for years with their over priced junker tours.

    With the aura of Las Vegas still around and dollar signs spinning like slot machines dials in our eyes we couldn’t help but think of the possibles in the tourist trade here. One thing our friendly crowd said was how funny it was that we Australians were telling Americans how to tour their own country, they thought that was great.
    Now this gave us a great idea. Our company has to have an Australian flavour yet be relevant to what people are use to here... you’re already guessed it, Ned Kelly Tours.    Read more

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  • Laurie ReynoldsFall trip to Utah parks
    Day10

    Last Day -- In Salt Lake City

    Yesterday in the United States

    We got to Salt Lake in late morning and spent a few hours walking around town, to the Temple Visitor’s Center, and to the State Capitol. I was surprised that the capitol building was open on Sunday, and more surprisingly, that there was not one security guard in sight nor was there any security to get in. The other capitol buildings I’ve been in lately have metal detectors and agents going through bags. The building itself is a classic state capitol, but not nearly as ornate and gilded as the Illinois or Colorado buildings. There were several murals of westward expansion to Utah, including Brigham Young dressed in a white dress shirt and tie pointing the way ahead through the wilderness surrounded by others who looked much less spiffy and more realistic.

    Since our Greek dinner last night had been less than spectacular, we were planning to go to a standard known chain or something, but our daughter texted that we had to go to the Red Iguana. So with her recommendation, off we went, for what was an excellent mole meal. Poblano Mole and Mole Verde were the two choices. Turns out we were lucky to waltz right in, since the hostess told us the wait had been more than an hour just a while ago. And when we left, people were again lining up outside, so we must have found the Iguana sweet spot.

    Not much left here in Utah for me except an elliptical workout and dinner. I saw a notice that the two Florida gubernatorial candidates will be debating tonight on CNN. Since I have spent probably more than a hundred hours this year working on amicus briefs on different Florida state law issues, I am geeky enough to want to spend my last night on vacation watching Andrew Gillum debate Ron DeSantis!    Read more

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  • Gerald and Sophie around the WorldA Life of Saturdays
    Day66

    Bryce Canyon

    August 16 in the United States

    Nachdem wir bisher nur einen kurzen Blick über den "Tellerrrand" in den Bryce Canyon geworfen haben, starten wir heute eine komplette Erkundungstour. Wir laufen erst einige Kilometer entlang des Canyonrands und durchqueren ihn anschließend in einer Halbtageswanderung.

    Die Aussicht von oben ist phänomenal und im Canyon kann man aus der Nähe die Größe, Farbe und Struktur der Felsblöcke erleben. Nachdem wir unser Tagesschrittziel locker erreicht und viele schöne Eindrücke gewonnen haben, klingt der Tag gemütlich am Lagerfeuer aus.Read more

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  • Gerald and Sophie around the WorldA Life of Saturdays
    Day63

    Utah

    August 13 in the United States

    Das Bett war zwar bequem, aber die Nacht trotzdem irgendwie zu kurz. Aber immerhin musste man nicht fünf Minuten über einen Campground laufen, um auf Toilette zu gehen. Clevere Wahl nach dem Abend in der Cowboy Bar. :) Nach einem Frühstück und ein wenig Kaffee in der Stadt starten wir unseren Road Trip.

    Nächstes Ziel ist Salt Lake City, aber da wir dafür länger als einen Tag benötigen, ist unser Ziel heute der Bear Lake kurz hinter der Grenze zu Utah. Die Landschaft auf der Fahrt heute - im Wesentlichen durch Wyoming - ist geprägt von eher trockenem Gras, Büschen und Hügeln. Bäume gibt es eher wenige. Wir sehen auf unserem Weg keine größeren Orte, dafür aber viel Farmland. Unsere Übernachtungsmöglichkeit direkt am genannten Bear Lake sorgt für einen angenehmen Ausklang des Tages.Read more

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  • Gerald and Sophie around the WorldA Life of Saturdays
    Day64

    Salt Lake City

    August 14 in the United States

    Ein paar Stunden fahren wir heute vom Bear Lake bis zur Hauptstadt Utahs: Salt Lake City. Die Stadt ist uns hauptsächlich wegen der Olympischen Winterspiele ein Begriff. Sie scheint auch alles zu bieten, was man in einer Stadt so erwartet. Die Highlights beschränken sich allerdings eher auf die Gebäude der mitgliederstärksten Vereinigung/Kirche des Mormonentums, die hier mitten in der Innenstadt ihren Hauptsitz hat.

    Nach dem Sightseeing und einer ausgiebigen Mahlzeit inkl. 1700 kcal Oreo-Milchshake für Gerald fahren wir zum Salt Lake, der nicht ohne Grund so heißt. Der See hat sich im Sommer anscheinend etwas zurückgezogen und so laufen wir über verkrustete Erde und an Salzresten vorbei zum Seeufer, wobei wir allerdings das ein oder andere Mal einbrechen. Zum Sonnenuntergang sieht das sehr schön aus, allerdings trüben der Geruch und die Scharen an kleinen Fliegen nahe des Wassers die Romantik ein wenig. Landschaftlich ist es aber eine interessante Gegend.

    Zum Abschluss des Tages fahren wir noch eine Dreiviertelstunde und übernachten dann mal wieder auf einem Walmart-Parkplatz.    Read more

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  • Gerald and Sophie around the WorldA Life of Saturdays
    Day68

    Zion Canyon

    August 18 in the United States

    Für heute haben wir uns eine Wanderung im Zion Nationalpark vorgenommen. Wir haben ihn gestern auf der Durchfahrt bereits ein wenig gesehen und
    auch einen Mini-Auslug gemacht. Er unterscheidet sich deutlich von den vorherigen Nationalparks, da die Landschaft von riesigen, massiven Felswänden bestimmt wird, die nur von einem Tal in der Mitte durchzogen werden. Teile der in den Fels eingearbeiteten Wanderwege wurden wohl erst vor drei Wochen in einer sog. flash flood (~Blitzflut) zerstört.

    Unsere Wanderung heute und wohl die beliebteste im Park, The Narrows, ist davon zum Glück nicht betroffen. Es ist einmal eine etwas andere Erfahrung, da wir entlang des Canyons und zu einem guten Teil auch im bzw. durch den (max. kniehohen) Fluss gehen und waten. Dafür leihen wir uns vorher noch passende Ausrüstung in Form von Neoprensocken und passenden Schuhen, sowie einem Wanderstock. Die Sachen machen sich schnell bezahlt, da das Flussbett aus eher größeren Steinen besteht und gerade dort wo ein wenig Strömung hinzukommt doch eher unwegsam ist. Bis zur Hüfte geht das Wasser (für Erwachsene) aber an keiner Stelle, wenn man nicht unbedingt möchte. Insgesamt macht es uns daher riesigen Spaß und bietet eine willkommene
    und natürlich eher erfrischende Abwechslung bei der Hitze. Dazu kommt das Ambiente mit den zu beiden Seiten aufsteigenden Felswänden, die stellenweise auf kleinster Fläche von Pflanzen bis hin zu Bäumen beherbergen und je nach Himmelsrichtung im Sonnelicht erstrahlen.

    Als wir wieder trocken und zufrieden nach Hause fahren (naja, unser Zuhause ist ja eigentlich immer bei uns, aber wir meinen damit meist den aktuellen Campingplatz), entscheiden wir uns für einen spontanen Abstecher in eine nahegelegene Geisterstadt. Eigentlich handelt es sich nur um die Überreste eines sehr kleinen Dorfs, aber es ist trotzdem ganz spannend in dieser heißen und trockenen Gegend um und in ein paar alten (teilweise restaurierten) Gebäuden umherzulaufen. Zum perfekten Westernflair fehlt nur der umherfliegende Heuballen. Wie so häufig rundet ein kühles Getränk am Lagerfeuer (warum auch immer bei der Hitze...) den Abend ab, bevor wir, während Backis Anwesenheit zum letzten Mal, in Keji übernachten. Morgen geht es ab nach Vegas!    Read more

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You might also know this place by the following names:

Utah, UT, ዩታህ, يوتا, ܝܘܬܐ, Utah suyu, Yuta, یوتا ایالتی, Юта, Штат Юта, ইউটা, ཡུ་ཊ།, یووتا, Γιούτα, Utaho, یوتا, Yù-thâ, Uka, יוטה, यूटा, Youta, Յուտա, Yútạh, ユタ州, იუტა, ಯೂಟ, 유타 주, Uta, یوٙتا, Juta, Jūta, Юто, Јута, യൂറ്റാ, युटा, ယူးတားပြည်နယ်, Yutah, युताः, Áshįįh Biiʼtó Hahoodzo, Ютæ, ਯੂਟਾ, उटाह, یوٹاہ, Utá, यूटाह, யூட்டா, యూటా, รัฐยูทาห์, Yuta Shitati, Йуута, יוטא, 猶他州, 犹他州

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