I never thought I’d step foot in Utah.
Yet, there was no backing down now as my plane began its descent into Salt Lake City. I took a look out of the window and gasped as the Great Salt Lake entered my field of vision — a beautiful and jaw-dropping welcome to America’s 45th state. I saw snow-capped mountains turn into dried-up saltwater patches with little mounds of red-coloured sand. The mountains faded into the distance as my plane approached the runway.
I didn’t know what to expect from Utah, but was ready to disembark and spend a whirlwind 72 hours exploring the “Beehive State.” This trip served as an unofficial reunion between me and a high school friend who studies at the University of Utah.
I told myself I was in Utah to see Alex, everything else was a bonus.
Carrying a comically large backpack, I stepped out of the plane and sped through the terminal, walking past missionaries and their families reuniting after completing their mission and listening to Erin Mendenhall, the mayor of Salt Lake City, welcome me to her city. I caught a glimpse of Alex and we embraced, promising to tell each other everything that has happened since we last saw each other.
I couldn’t believe that this trip actually materialized.
After a pit stop at Alex’s place, we were off to explore. We drove by East High School, the home of the Wildcats in High School Musical, as Alex spit fact after fact about the city and the state. I learned Chipotle-style restaurants were all the rage in Utah and Mendenhall was running for re-election in the ongoing municipal election.
The whole city is set against the backdrop of the Wasatch mountains. We stopped to tour the University of Utah campus, where I realized just how big college sports are — the size of the Utah Utes’ football stadium was truly mind-boggling. We then trekked to the letter ‘U’ in the mountain, which lights up after a Ute victory — Utah loves putting letters on mountains when visiting Park City and Provo later. A stop by the State Capitol building, a drive down an eclectic street filled with churches of almost every domination and then we were off to explore the rest of the state.
We planned a two-day journey to Moab with pit stops in Park City, Midway, Provo and Goblin Valley State Park.
In Park City, home of the Sundance Film Festival and ostentatious art galleries, snow littered the ground. We gawked at the price tags of the paintings and sculptures in one gallery before walking around the town, looking to spot Banksy drawings on a wall. As we drove out, I spotted giant letters — 'PC' for Park City — on the rocks. In Midway, I indulged in a classic all-American moment, eating a burger at a local dinner in small-town America.
In Provo, home of BYU (yes that BYU), I spoke to students who informed me they would rather drink a cup of coffee than a cup of oil. I also learned people love running — understandable as the mountain backdrop seems so soothing — and artisanal soda shops. I also saw another letter on a mountain, this time the university's 'Y.'
The scenery in Utah was stunning. I can’t speak enough about it. From Midway to Provo, the road is carved into the mountain. From Provo to Goblin Valley, we switched biomes and the stone became vibrant Mars-red. The mountain retreated and a flat desert landscape appeared.
As we arrived at Goblin Valley around two before sunset, the park was sparsely occupied. It felt surreal seeing this vast expanse of space so barren. With whimsy-filled steps, I ran through the out-of-this-world red sand and rock formations, filling my shoes with sand I’m still trying to shake out. The goblins in the park are actually hoodoos, geologic rock formations created by the erosion of Entrada sandstone. They’re smaller compared to neighbouring ones in Bryce Canyon National Park, but so much cuter since they look like mushrooms. We continued to hike through the park as golden hour approached, bathing the rocks in a gorgeous light.
We hopped back into the car, the sun went down and stripes of red, yellow and purple appeared in the sky. We later reached Moab in total darkness. Moab was once home to the Moabosaurus — a long-neck herbivorous sauropod dinosaur discovered in 2017. I would have to wait until tomorrow to see the surroundings.
At dawn, light began filtering into the cracks of the window, revealing looming rock cliffs. As we made our way to Arches Natural Park, where erosion and weathering have cut through the rock to form geologic masterpieces. Standing at the base of these natural features, I felt fortunate to live in the tiny sliver of geologic time where these creations exist. It is humbling to think about how much these rocks have experienced, the history they hold within them and what will happen to them over the next million or so years.
Utah, I’ll be back soon for more adventures.
