Utah National Parks are something you don’t want to miss.  Truly.  I’m not sure why it took 31 years of adventures for Doug and I to make the trek to this part of Utah.  Maybe it was that he and our son, Matthew, just returned from a canyoneering trip, and it was April…the right weather to see this part of our beloved America.  As soon as Doug returned from that trip with Matthew we said it was time to see the National Parks of Utah.  We’d always thought about it.  It was on our list.  We loved Bryce and Zion when Matthew was just a small kiddo.  It was time.

A Utah National Parks adventure should be on your Bucket List, if for only the geological phenomenon that makes it so unique.  They are somewhat like the Grand Canyon.  They look like a much grander version of the Garden of the Gods (Colorado Springs).  And yet, they are unique.  There are Arches, the vastness of Canyonlands and the oddness of the rock formations of Capital Reef.  And, while Natural Bridges is a National Monument and not a National Park, I encourage you to stop and see them as they are so rare and interesting that they should not be missed.  They are all close enough in proximity to each other that the drive is not bad at all.

Arches – Our favorite, because the way the arches are formed it is something you cannot see anywhere else.

Canyonlands – So huge it’s hard to imagine that people lived and mined for uranium here.

Capital Reef – Not so big as the others, but the unique rock hole formations makes it well worth the drive though.

Natural Bridges – Bigger than I thought, worn by water, and Indian habitat ruins!

All of the Utah National Parks have campgrounds.  During peak seasons it is advisable to book your reservations well in advance (up t 180 days) of your stay.  BLM land is available if you don’t need “facilities”.  Each of the Parks has very nice and clean ranger stations.  The rangers and volunteers, as we’ve seen throughout the Park system, are friendly, knowledgeable and helpful.

We are big fans of the National Parks and now Utah is added to the list of great adventures we’ve had, right here in America!!!

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Our “Bucket List” has National Parks on it.  America has so many breathtaking National Parks spread across the country and each and everyone has its own beauty.  In April, Doug and I made a week-long trek to Southeast Utah to see the parks.  Many (many) years ago we had spent time in Bryce and Zion parks, but had never experienced Arches, Canyonlands and Capital Reef.  All the reports from friends and family had been very positive so it was an easy decision to make a Spring trip to our neighboring state of Utah.  After Doug and Matthew shared their stories and pictures from a late March canyoneering trip to Poison Springs (south of Hanksville) I couldn’t wait to get on the road and see this area for myself.

Matthew (our outdoor/hiking/mountain climbing/canyoneering son) gave us a hot tip to take the side trip off of Hwy 70 through Cisco to get to Moab and it was every bit worth the drive. The pillars of red rock and the sparse desert make for countless OMG moments.  We highly recommend that if you’re coming from the east into Utah during the day that you take this road into Moab.  You won’t regret it!  As you get closer to town you’ll be following the Colorado River and you’ll see lots of camping sites.

Just outside of Moab is Arches National Park.  I had seen pictures.  I thought it would be pretty.  We drove through the park in the late afternoon and I was absolutely blown away with the size of the park and the rock formations and absolute uniqueness of the arches.  Ok, I will say it.  We were giddy at all the photographic possibilities.  We planned out what we wanted to see on the following day and made our way to camp.

Ladies:  First off, I want to tell you that Utah National Parks have the cleanest bathrooms of any National Parks I’ve seen so far!!!

Everyone that visit Arches National park will have a different perspective on what’s important and what’s special to see.  If you’re an active outdoorist, walking/hiking type folks, I’d recommend 2-3 days there.  There are short and long hikes that are easy all the way to difficult.  There are many pull offs to just view the mountains in the background with the rock formations in the foreground.  Countless, and I mean countless, photographic moments.  We went back 2 days at sunset at Windows to capture the way the rock changes color and the moon rises through the arch.  We had to come back to capture the incredible uniqueness of Double Arches in the daytime.  We made the .8 mile hike to Landscape Arch and learned that it had been formed in 1991.  Can you imagine being there when the rock broke away???

North Window, South Window, Delicate Arch, Landscape, Turret, Double, Balanced Rock, and so much more, offer an unforgettable vacation for folks of all ages.  Get this one on your “Bucket List”.  It was my favorite of all the Parks we visited.  Make it a part of a wonderful Utah adventure!

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Aspen is, well, Aspen.  It’s not only for the rich and famous.  It’s for all of us.  There is so much to see, to take in, to explore if you are just – shall I say it – a tourist.

Let’s just start with Maroon Bells.  It’s so famous as a picture post card spot.  It’s so majestic.  It’s just so OMG!  We’re happy to say that Doug’s picture of Maroon Bells made the local news.

Go very early in the morning.  Go at sunset.  Just go.  The times we have been there it has been very un-populated with local spectators. It has been remarkably shy of people.  This is what makes this place soooo amazing.  There is the lake.  There is the beaver lodge.  There are the trails.  There is Crater Lake.  There is the wildlife, like blue heron, and geese.  There is an abundance of flora and fauna.  There is peace and tranquility.  Don’t ever come here without a camera.

You can hike here.  You can fish here.  If you are especially outdoor/hiking inclined, you can backpack in here.  You can walk and you can hike.  You can just stand at the lake and look at the Maroon Bells and just take it all in.  This is Colorado at it’s finest.  This place alone is worth the trip to Aspen.

The town of Aspen is like none other.  It has all the high priced stores you’ve heard the names of.  There are plenty of restaurants. (Our Favorite is Little Annie’s Eating House) There is an abundance of gazillion dollar homes.  There are also many back streets that have such charm and Victorian homes that make walking the streets a sensory trill.  Try not to look at the price tags on the homes for sale.  Look at the architecture. Look at the gardens.  Look at how they decorate the gardens.

Did you know there is actually camping – Forest Service Camping Grounds in Aspen???  The Difficult campground is really nice.  It has all the amenities of most Forest Service campgrounds. Along Maroon Creek, leading up to Maroon Bells also has campgrounds but you’ll need reservations in the summer.  Camping will make your trip to Aspen much more affordable.  While there are many rental condos/homes available – it is, afterall, Aspen, and it can be expensive.  I’ll recommend Snowmass (the ski village right next door) as a less expensive alternative if you’d prefer a condo for your stay. The place we love is the Crestwood Condos.  They have great package deals and it has been recently renovated inside and out!!!  One time we stayed at Silvertree  Hotel which was also nice.

I encourage anyone who is vacationing in Colorado to make the stop in Aspen.  It’s beautiful.  You’ll probably never see a movie star, but there is so much more to experience there.  It’s definitely one of my favorite places go to.

Aspen has 4 world class ski areas: Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass (the second largest ski area in the USA).

Plan your any season trip to Aspen Colorado – you won’t be disappointed. Visit the links below!

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Map of the Aspen Colorado and the Maroon Bells.

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