Ride with Me through Utah

Travels and Trucker Life

When asked about my favorite states, people seem to be a bit shocked when Utah tops my list.  Those who have had the privilege of visiting, totally get why, but if you haven’t- here’s what you should know.

Utah is really diverse when it comes to it’s scenery. Northern Utah has gorgeous mountains, the Salt Lake, and the Salt Flats. Southern Utah has deserts, arches, red rocks, and plateaus.

Utah is absolutely full of ranches, farms, and little towns. Really, the entire state has a rural aesthetic, even in Salt Lake City. The city sits between the Wasatch Mountains and the Great Salt Lake itself, and it’s massive with almost 200,000 people.  There’s a noticeably laid back vibe here,  but the people sure aren’t lazy. There’s five National Parks surrounding the city, and the people definitely put them to good use, and keep them very tidy.

Below, I have a rough map I built of Utah, showing some of my favorite stops along the way. The numbers coordinate with the pictures, to help you better understand where my photos came from.

1. The Great Salt Lake & Bonnieville Salt Flats

One of the coolest parts about driving through here, is seeing all the rocks people have arranged along the roadside. You find lots of ‘I Love You’, ‘Will You Marry Me’, and even political stances such as ‘#NoDAPL’. Though you feel like you’re hundreds of miles from civilization (and in some places- you are!), these rock notes make you feel like you’re near all these people and their intricate life stories.

The Great Salt Lake State Park, with a massive rock and tourist vehicles surrounding it in Utah
Rocks along the Interstate writing #NoDAPL in Utah between the Great Salt Lake and the Salt Flats
Rocks and Notes along the Highway in Utah
Rocks and Notes along the Highway in Utah

The Great Salt Lake State Park:

Read this:  The Best Truck Stop for Drivers
Looking into the Sunset through our windshield, near the Great Salt Lake of Utah
The bottom of the Great Salt Lake, looking North towards the far away mountains in Utah

The Sculpture in the Desert:

A random art sculpture in the middle of Utah Deserts

The Desert itself:

The Desert between the Great Salt Lake and the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah

And Finally, the Bonneville Salt Flats:

A tumbleweed crystallized in Salt on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah
Two People standing on the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah
Devin walking Blair on the Salt Flats
The Salt reflecting far away Mountains on the Bonneville Salt Flats

2. Saint George and the Sun River in Southern Utah- close to the Arizona line.

Saint George and Sun River in Utah
Saint George and Sun River in Utah

3. Zion National Park, in South Western Utah

Photo Credits to NPS / Candace C Cook. Big Bend in Zion National Park
Huge Cascading Waterfall in Zion National Park – in Utah
Red Rocks and Frosty Trees in Zion National Park, Utah
Zion National Park in Utah

4. Devil’s Canyon Wilderness Study Area in Central Utah

Photo Credits to Julia V Phillips Pothole National Arch

5. Sego Canyon / Moab / Arches National Park in Eastern Utah

Photo Credits to Sandy Brown Jensen Sego Canyon and Fossil Point, Utah
Photo Credits to Jimmy Thomas Sego Canyon (Pictographs)
Photo Credits to Sandy Brown Jensen Sego Canyon and Fossil Point in Utah
Photo Credits to Sandy Brown Jensen Sego Canyon and Fossil Point in Utah
Photo Credits to David Fulmer Landscape Arch, Arches National Park in Utah
Photo Credits to Edward Poon Arches National Park in Utah
Between the Arches in Utah

6. Green River / Monticello / Wilson’s Arch in South Eastern Utah

Devin Jones and Blair hiking Wilson’s Arch in Monticello, Utah
Wilson Arch in Utah, with informative sign
Looking south over an oil tanker from Wilson Arch in Utah
Looking West from Wilson Arch- with Blair photobombing
The hike down from Wilson Arch
Devin Jones and Blair hiking Wilson’s Arch in Monticello, Utah
Red Rocks, the River, and a bridge in Monticello, Utah
A massive well balanced rock in Monticello, Utah