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 UtahRocks along the Interstate writing #NoDAPL in Utah between the Great Salt Lake and the Salt FlatsRocks and Notes along the Highway in UtahRocks and Notes along the Highway in Utah
Looking into the Sunset through our windshield, near the Great Salt Lake of UtahThe 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 UtahTwo People standing on the Bonneville Salt Flats in UtahDevin walking Blair on the Salt FlatsThe 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 UtahSaint 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 ParkHuge Cascading Waterfall in Zion National Park – in UtahRed Rocks and Frosty Trees in Zion National Park, UtahZion 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, UtahPhoto Credits to Jimmy Thomas Sego Canyon (Pictographs)Photo Credits to Sandy Brown Jensen Sego Canyon and Fossil Point in UtahPhoto Credits to Sandy Brown Jensen Sego Canyon and Fossil Point in UtahPhoto Credits to David Fulmer Landscape Arch, Arches National Park in UtahPhoto Credits to Edward Poon Arches National Park in UtahBetween 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, UtahWilson Arch in Utah, with informative signLooking south over an oil tanker from Wilson Arch in UtahLooking West from Wilson Arch- with Blair photobombingThe hike down from Wilson ArchDevin Jones and Blair hiking Wilson’s Arch in Monticello, UtahRed Rocks, the River, and a bridge in Monticello, UtahA massive well balanced rock in Monticello, Utah
