Travel is such a privilege and we are so lucky to be able to explore places like Southern Utah. An important part of making the most of a road trip is good time management and making sure you give yourself enough time to really appreciate everything. Taking your time is so important if you want to enjoy your trip to the fullest extent. I’m a firm believer of having a solid game plan but sometimes it’s good to go with the flow too. Utah is such a big state and I’ve been here many times but there’s always more places to explore. The list is never ending so it’s definitely important to take your time and pace yourself for each trip. While planning a trip, I always do a lot of research to ensure that I'm going to be following all rules and regulations as well as approaching everything as responsibly as possible. Taking photos of beautiful places like this is so rewarding so I want to make sure that I’m always doing my part to protect and conserve these places so generations to come can enjoy them just as we’re able to. Before setting out on our weeklong road trip, we planned our route and booked accommodations ahead of time for about half of the trip. We left some nights in between without accommodations so we could remain flexible and car camp in our rooftop tent. This gave the trip good structure but it also gave us flexibility and allowed us to explore areas off the beaten path that required us to drive off-road and camp overnight. Some camping is necessary if you want to make the most of your time in order to capture images in the best possible light.
We started the trip in Escalante and stayed at Escalante Escapes, a cozy tiny house in a town that’s central to many of the areas we wanted to explore here. It had everything we needed for our stay and it made me want a tiny house of my own to live in. There aren’t many available homes so be sure to book ahead of time since they are often reserved well in advance. We made this our home base for the next three nights. There are so many gorgeous places to explore in the area. Devil's Garden is a must see and easy to access for any age and skill level. The unique rock formations in the area make for an explorer's playground to traverse and photograph. If you’re looking for a more involved dayhike, I would recommend Peekaboo and Spooky Slot Canyon. Allow plenty of time to enjoy the hike into these narrow slot canyons that will leave you in awe and make you wonder how places like this exist.
There’s no shortage of slot canyons in the area so if you’re really up for an adventure, you can hike Zebra slot canyon. Again, be sure to allow ample time for this hike and start early in the day so you have plenty of daylight. This is easily the most narrow slot canyon I’ve ever been in. There are certain spots in the canyon that will make you question if it's actually possible to fit through but it’s entirely worth it. The zebra striations are like nothing I’ve seen before and the natural formations are so impressive. It’s definitely an experience that I'll be sharing with others for a long time.
As with any road trip, prepare for a lot of driving but the journey is half of the fun. There are so many epic views along the roads here and there's always something different to see. There's also an abundance of local businesses like coffee shops and restaurants that are fun to check out along the way. We eventually made our way to Page for an overnight camping adventure at Alstrom Point. You'll definitely need a 4x4 vehicle and to be comfortable with driving on off road trails to make it to Alstrom Point. Once you make it though, it will be one of the best campsites you’ve ever been to with huge wide open spaces overlooking Lake Powell. Set up camp, kick back, and enjoy the views at sunset. Nothing beats waking up with a world class view right outside your tent. This will definitely go down as one of the most picturesque places I've ever camped. Remember to pack out everything you brought and leave no trace. This is especially important when camping in remote areas like this because these are some of the most untouched areas you can find and it's our responsibility to keep them that way. It always makes me so sad when I notice people not following these same tenets while spending time in the outdoors. Our relationship with the earth is symbiotic so we need to do everything we can to take care of it.
Next, we headed to Mexican Hat to look for a good place to camp at Valley of the Gods. I was so impressed by the red rocks surrounding me in every direction and the spire that sits in the middle of the valley is just incredible. There's nothing like disconnecting from the normal stresses of life and really taking advantage of the therapeutic healing power of nature. Even when I'm decompressing, one important thing I always try to remember is to travel responsibly. Look for signs whenever you’re camping to verify if a fire is allowed or if permits are needed. At this particular campsite, there was a sign that made it clear that no fires were allowed. I always try my best to travel responsibly and leave no trace so that others can continue to appreciate these places for many years to come. It’s so important to respect and protect the land and to always try to leave it better than you found it.
After a few nights of camping, it was time to recharge so we stayed at the lovely Bluff Dwellings Resort. This is one of the coolest places I’ve ever stayed. Right in the middle of the desert, your modern pueblo is nestled into the landscape and surrounded by rocks on all sides. This was the perfect place for us to call home for the night. Sometimes you need a place like this to regroup after a few nights of camping. From our homebase at Bluff Dwellings, we were only about 30 minutes away from our sunset location at Goosenecks State Park. From your vantage point, the view of the bend in the river is absolutely stunning and the best shot here is definitely from above. I was preparing to send up my drone to get a better view but first I wanted to verify that it was legal to fly there. It's important to follow all rules and regulations for aerial photography as drones are not allowed between the months of March and October. Luckily, we were visiting at the end of February so we were able to fly safely and responsibly.
We ended our trip at one of my favorite locations of the whole journey. The drive to the Needles District was absolutely stunning. From snow covered mountain peaks to imposing red rocks, the landscape changed dramatically along the way. The Needles District isn't as highly photographed as some of the other areas in Utah so I was excited to be able to have a fresh take on the area and get some unique compositions for my photographs. If you have time for a longer hike, I would recommend Chesler Park Loop which is one of the most phenomenal backpacking trails in the area. We ended up exploring the area around Elephant Hill which takes you to a beautiful view of the Needles after a short walk. All in all, this was an incredibly rewarding trip through Southern Utah. Knowing that I was as responsible as possible throughout the trip is comforting as well because I know that the next person will be able to enjoy it just as much as I did. I can't wait to return to Southern Utah in the future to explore more of the many spots that this area has to offer.
