Canyonlands National Park is a diverse desert playground located near the town of Moab in southeastern Utah. The park offers views unlike anything I’ve ever seen and excellent hiking trails through primitive landscapes.
Arches National Park is one of the most popular parks in the United States. It’s located in southeastern Utah just outside of Moab. The unique rock formations and natural stone arches found throughout the park and the rugged landscape make it a desert wonderland.
Great Basin National Park is a remote park in the middle of the Nevada desert with several unique ecosystems. This peaceful park is the perfect place to go if you’re looking to get away from the crowds.
We couldn’t visit Salt Lake City without seeing the Great Salt Lake. We decided to make a day trip out to Antelope Island State Park. The park has miles of hiking, camping, and beaches on the lake as well as a historic ranch. There are also plenty of opportunities for birdwatching and spotting wildlife.
On May 10, 1869, in the middle of the desert at Promontory Summit in Utah Territory, Leland Stanford drove the last spike to complete the First Transcontinental Railroad. Although the tracks have been removed and the trains no longer pass by Promontory Summit, the location where the Golden Spike was driven is celebrated by the National Park Service for its significance in American history.
After spending some time in Ogden, we drove through nearby Brigham City and made a quick stop in the small downtown. Originally named Box Elder, Brigham City is named after Brigham Young, who gave his last public sermon there in 1877 before he died.
While Martin stayed back in Salt Lake City to catch up on some work, Gönül and I headed north of the city for the day. Our first stop was in Ogden for a quick look around.
Timpanogos Cave National Monument is a real treat to visit. Not only are the cave formations spectacular to look at, the tough walk up is a great workout.
The This Is the Place Monument marks the approximate spot where Brigham Young ended the long journey west for the Vanguard Company. He was thought to have said “This is the right place. Drive on.”
Temple Square is the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, more commonly known as the Mormon Church. There are a lot of beautiful and important buildings open to visitors.