We LOVE Utah!

 October 5, 2026

People who know we travel extensively in our own country often ask us what is our favorite state.  We loved Alaska and have returned to New Hampshire and Pennsylvania fairly often, but Utah is the state we come back to over and over.  We usually say Utah is our favorite.  So many different types of geology, prehistoric history, and national parks galore.

Now, a bit more of our time in Arizona before singing the praises of Utah.

After Tucson, we continued on to Phoenix.  We camped at Lost Dutchman State Park below Superstition Mountain.  We visited the state Capitol and had breakfast with a friend from high school days.

model of the USS Arizona

While in Hawaii with our son, Joel, in 2012, we were able to visit 

the USS Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor.

Here are some of the silver pieces from the USS Arizona.

While it was about 100 degrees while touring the Capitol grounds, 

we didn't want to pass up the anchor and gun from the USS Arizona.

Not out of saguaro country yet - photos taken from our campsite at Lost Dutchman.

Martha and Brian - friends for more than 50 years.

On the way to Kanab, Utah, we stopped to hike out to Toadstool Hoodoos.  We had the trail all to ourselves and enjoyed this magnificent land in its quiet glory.  Rain on the way back to the trailhead made the footing dicey - it is not called "slickrock" for no reason.

There I am in my purple rain jacket and trekking poles, keeping my eyes on the trail.

Most of you know that we are National Park Service devotees.  The parks, especially the ones in Utah, are so crowded with limited parking, and visitors must ride shuttle buses. We did that on our last visit to the main attractions.  Our intention on this visit to Zion National Park was to drive in from the east entrance and driving the Zion-Mount Carmel highway through the tunnel.  Two days later the highway had to be closed due to rockfalls.  We lucked out, but feel very sorry for those vehicles that had to turn around and take the long route to the south entrance.  With just a quick stop at the Visitor Center, we left the park.

We decided to camp at some amazing Utah state parks that we always saw on the atlas over the decades, but were focused on the national parks.  We spent two nights at Snow Canyon State Park near St. George and were not disappointed.

Early morning hike on the Petrified Dunes trail - crossbedded sandstone

all around us as the morning sun began to light up the landscape.

Hummingbird watching from the rocking chairs at the park office.

When we left St. George, we traveled north on I-15 and pulled off in the far northwest corner of Zion NP for the Kolob Canyon scenic drive.  As many times as we have visited Zion, we have never visited this part.  

More of Utah to come!

Mountains, Deserts, and Saguaros - September 2026

 

Sunrise at Seminole Canyon State Park, TX

We planned this trip three months ago and dreaded the I-10 drive across west Texas.  We have driven it three times in the past three years, so it was a no-brainer to drive U.S 90 through southwest Texas.  We could not drive through Uvalde without stopping to pay tribute to young lives lost in 2023.  There are small shrines around a fountain and murals of each Robb Elementary student lost to the mass shooting.

After Uvalde, we camped one night at Seminole Canyon State Park and loved sleeping with the van's sliding door open to the cool air, no screen needed.

Pecos River High Bridge, U.S. Highway 90

Before reaching Marfa, we made a fun stop and chuckled at the sign, especially the last line.

In planning this trip, our first reservation made was for Indian Lodge in Davis Mountain State Park.

Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1933 and recently reopened after renovations, we checked this off our bucket list.  It was fun exploring the various terraces and courtyards. The tarantula was a bonus.  

aoudads resting on the hillside behind the lodge

Shelter built by CCC at the end of Skyline Drive

We were up early the next day and really enjoyed the scenic drive through the Davis Mountains in the cool low 60s temperature with the windows down.  We didn't encounter any other vehicles, but did have to slow down for wild turkeys in the road.

Morning sunrise from a terrace at Indian Lodge

Reluctantly, we joined the throngs of 18-wheelers on I-10 to get through El Paso and Las Cruces, NM.  When we reached Deming, NM and got off the interstate, we made our way to City of Rocks State Park - a place we discovered in the dark on a previous trip.  We made a side trip to Silver City, a thriving tourist town with lots of public art.  Back at the campground for a near full moon and sleeping with the van door open again all night.

5:00 a.m. with the setting moon framed between two outcroppings - City of Rocks SP

I sprinkled cremains of two sisters in the desert

City of Rocks in the early morning sunlight.

On to Arizona . . . I eagerly scanned for my first glimpse of saguaros as we approached Tucson.  We made a visit to each unit of Saguaro National Park.

We camped one night at Catalina State Park just north of Tucson.

Datura blooming all through the campground (channeling Georgia O'Keefe).

Downtown Tucson at 7:00 a.m. - perfect light to photograph this 150-foot tall mural.

You have probably guessed that I LOVE saguaros.