Utah pulls me back over and over and over, like a strong magnet. While I adore the PNW mountains and forests, I also find so much beauty in the canyon country and desert of Utah. While each of the 5 National Parks there are like no place else on Earth, there are also some other wonderful gems outside of the Big 5 that are well worth exploring. (Links at the bottom of this post.)

In an attempt to postpone my annual winter spiral into the darkness of Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD), I spent 5 weeks in the St. George area of Utah in November 2022. Daylight is critical for my health and well-being, especially in winter time. I knew it would be cold, but at least in that area there is SUN and LIGHT and so many opportunities for spending time outside. It’s a gorgeous place in the late fall/early winter, and I will most definitely be spending more time there in future years. I don’t mind bundling up for the cold, as long as I can be outdoors walking (not on pavement!) and hiking and biking daily in sunshine. It’s by far the best mood-booster in the world for me.

Unlike other trips, I stayed in one place for 5 weeks, exploring out from that base like spokes in a wheel. While the weather sometimes was cold (below freezing), there were only THREE non-sunny days in a 5-week period. I am solar powered. I can deal with the cold as long as I can be outside and get light. Success!!!

Virgin River bike trail

I went to Zion National Park 4 times, Snow Canyon State Park more times than I could count (what an incredible place to bike and hike – Wow!), Valley of Fire State Park in Nevada, and many other areas in the region like Yant Flat and Hellhole Canyon.  Travel virtually with me to some fantastic scenery in the far southwest corner of Utah. Please link to the individual posts by clicking on the names above.