Explore the journey — one trail, museum, meal, and memory at a time.
Lamoille Canyon and Wells Nevada
On a clear March morning I drove into Lamoille Canyon in the Ruby Mountains of northeastern Nevada hoping to reach the top of the scenic road at more than 8,000 feet. Snow stopped me halfway up the canyon, so I turned toward the small town of Wells and later visited the California Trail Interpretive Center along Interstate 80 to learn about the wagon routes emigrants once followed across Nevada on their long journey to California.
Cathedral Gorge and Pioche, NV
From the narrow slots of Cathedral Gorge to the silver mining scars above Pioche, this eastern Nevada road trip blends geology and Wild West history. I hiked Moon Caves and Miller Point, explored original Main Street buildings, ate at the Historic Silver Café, toured the Overland Hotel, and drove north into a storm after missing Great Basin National Park.
Valley of Fire State Park
I spent the day hiking Natural Arch Trail and Rainbow Vista Trail in Valley of Fire State Park, navigating deep sand, red rock washes, and hidden sandstone arches. In eighty-degree heat, the solitude of Natural Arch contrasted sharply with the crowds at Rainbow Vista. A bighorn sheep sighting and an evening drive toward Cathedral Gorge rounded out a long desert day.
Davis Dam and Laughlin, NV
I started the day above Lake Mohave watching sunrise, explored the history and engineering of Davis Dam, walked the Colorado River in Laughlin, drove through vast Nevada solar fields, and ended the evening on BLM land outside Valley of Fire State Park with warm desert air and an early night.
Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument Hike
I hiked to the old Victoria Mine before 8 a.m., walking four miles through saguaros, organ pipe cactus, cholla, and creosote bush in the Sonoran Desert. After signing out at the trail register, I left Arizona, stopped in Ajo for coffee, photographed a massive desert aqueduct carrying Colorado River water, and made my way toward Lake Mohave for the night.
Drive to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument
I left Benson, Arizona debating whether to drive south to Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. The desert drive revealed abandoned buildings, desperate handwritten signs, and miles of roadside graves. Inside the monument, I learned how organ pipe and saguaro cacti sustain birds, bats, and Indigenous communities. It was a day of beauty, weight, and reflection in the Sonoran Desert.
Chiricahua National Monument AZ
I hiked the Echo Canyon Loop in Chiricahua National Monument on a perfect spring day. The Grotto, Hailstone, and Ed Riggs trails wind through towering rhyolite columns, balanced boulders, and pine forest. A narrow canyon crossing, a quiet moment with a horse, and nearly four hours on the trail made this one of my favorite Arizona hikes.
Saguaro National Park
I hiked Wasson Peak in Saguaro National Park’s western district via King Canyon and the Hugh Norris Trail. Eight miles, mostly uphill, through dense stands of saguaro cactus, early desert wildflowers, volcanic ridges, and wide Sonoran Desert views. The climb was hard, the summit expansive, and the conversations along the trail unexpected.
San Xavier del Bac Mission
I drove south to San Xavier del Bac Mission and stepped into one of the oldest churches in Arizona. Inside, centuries-old artwork still covers the walls. Outside, a nearby cemetery reminded me this is still an active parish, not a museum. I ended the day camped on BLM land in Ironwood Forest National Monument, surrounded by desert silence and open sky.
Quartzsite, AZ
After finishing taxes near Bouse, I drove into Quartzsite, Arizona — winter home to massive RV gatherings, gem and mineral shows, and long-term BLM camping. I explored the town, learned about Hi Jolly and the Army’s camel experiment, and settled into quiet dispersed camping under the desert sky.
Antelope Canyon - Page, AZ
I woke at Walmart in Page, Arizona and headed to my Deluxe Tour of Lower Antelope Canyon. With only one lens allowed, I chose the 14–24mm and stepped into sculpted Navajo sandstone shaped over thousands of years. The tour covered Navajo culture, flash flood history, and the famous images that made the canyon iconic. By afternoon, I was driving south toward Sedona and editing photos by evening.
Horseshoe Bend
Leaving Hurricane, Utah, I headed south into Arizona, driving through the charred remains of the 2020 Mangum Fire in Kaibab National Forest before stopping at the historic Cliff Dwellers Stone House. The day ended at Horseshoe Bend, where the Colorado River curves 1,000 feet below the rim near Page, Arizona.
Escalante to Capitol Reef
A reluctant departure from Deer Creek Campground turns into an unhurried drive toward Capitol Reef National Park. Along the way, quiet roads, frequent photo stops, and a chance ranger discussion about geology, glaciers, and early settlement slow the day to exactly the pace it needed.
Page, AZ to Escalante, UT
A quiet Walmart night in Page turns into a long, winding drive through Kanab, Bryce Canyon country, Henrieville, and Grand Staircase–Escalante. Familiar places, unexpected history, small-town pauses, exposed roads, and a calm evening at Deer Creek Campground bring the day to a thoughtful close.
Valley of the Gods to Page, AZ
A quiet morning in Valley of the Gods turns into a long, unhurried drive past Mexican Hat, Monument Valley, and fading desert light. Failed star trails, empty roads, grazing horses, and a last-minute stop in Page, Arizona shape a day that never quite goes as planned, but feels exactly right.
Puebloan Ruins, Dino Tracks, and Valley of the Gods
A quiet morning in Blanding, UT led to a full day across deep time—Ancestral Puebloan ruins at Butler Wash, dinosaur tracks preserved in ancient stone, and a slow drive into the Valley of the Gods. I photographed cliffs, towers, and stars, and spent the night alone among formations that asked nothing and offered everything.
Leaving Canyonlands NP
I set out expecting a straightforward drive toward Cedar Mesa and instead spent the day arguing with Google Maps, second-guessing ChatGPT, and rerouting around roads I refused to drive. Somewhere in the middle was an excellent Thai meal in Monticello and a quiet night in Blanding, Utah.
Arches National Park - Day 2
A calm winter morning at Devils Garden Campground leads to an unhurried hike to Landscape Arch, conversations with other photographers, a slow afternoon in Moab, and a silent overnight stay on BLM land near Canyonlands National Park.
Arches National Park - Day 1
A quiet day exploring Arches National Park, from the visitor center geology exhibits to driving the park road and stopping at formations like petrified dunes, Balanced Rock, the Three Gossips, and Double Arch, ending with a sunset hike to Delicate Arch and a late campsite at Devils Garden.
Drive To Arches
A day spent mostly driving from Heber City toward Arches National Park, stopping at Tie Fork Rest Area, reading the landscape of Carbon County, and noticing what remains along the old rail and mining corridor. With fewer photos than usual, the day unfolded through observation, history, and a quiet BLM stop as the sun dropped.