Arches, Antelope, and Bryce Canyon
- Anya Bhargava
- 6 hours ago
- 3 min read
As I was telling friends and coworkers about my plans for Juneteenth weekend, I kept hearing the same reaction: “Wow, visiting the national parks has been on my bucket list for so long!” I completely understood the sentiment, because it had been on mine for years too.
Our first stop was Goblin Valley State Park, on the way toward Moab. The rock formations were unlike anything I had seen before, with some resembling animals, creatures, or whatever your imagination wanted them to be. We did arrive about two hours later than planned, right in the middle of the afternoon heat, with temperatures above 100 degrees. So our intended hike quickly became more of a slow, sweaty stroll that left us parched and exhausted. Lesson learned - hiking at 2 p.m. in the middle of June was an even worse idea than I had imagined.
By evening, we made it to Arches National Park, and it was absolutely beautiful. It was also a much more pleasant experience after sunset than in the peak afternoon heat. We took a short walk that evening, then came back early the next morning for sunrise. We stopped at several lookout points and managed to fit in two hikes, including Landscape Arch, before the heat became unbearable again. We had hoped to make it to Dead Horse Point and Horseshoe Bend as well, but time got away from us.
One of the unexpected highlights of the trip was our stay that night at Dreamkatchers Bed and Breakfast near Lake Powell. Our host was incredibly welcoming, friendly, and full of stories. He gave us a tour of the house, shared a bit about his own background, recommended restaurants, and made the most delicious breakfast the next morning. He even sat and chatted with us during breakfast, which made the whole stay feel personal and memorable in a way hotels rarely do.
After breakfast, we headed to Tsé Bighanílíní, also known as Upper Antelope Canyon. The tour was led and managed by Navajo guides, which made the experience feel even more meaningful. Our guide was friendly, knowledgeable, and somehow knew the exact angle for every photo inside the canyon. I had seen friends’ photos before and always thought they looked unreal. Seeing it in person was even more surreal.
From there, we drove to Bryce Canyon and arrived by evening. Bryce felt especially refreshing after several days of extreme heat. The weather was in the 60s to 80s, which, in my opinion, is perfect. Since we were staying at a lodge inside the national park, we spent the evening driving to several lookout points and catching the sunset, which was stunning.
The next day was Father’s Day, so dad and I celebrated by waking up early for sunrise and then hiking part of the Navajo Loop. From the top, we weren’t sure whether the view would really change much once we hiked down into the canyon — but it absolutely did. The perspective from below was completely different, and it blew us away. The hike took about an hour, and after that, we packed up and started making our way back toward Salt Lake City.
On the way, we made a quick stop at Cedar Breaks National Monument, often described as Bryce Canyon’s “little sister,” but with far fewer crowds. It was a worthwhile detour and a nice final dose of red-rock scenery before we reached Salt Lake City that evening.
We weren’t entirely sure what to expect from Salt Lake City, since it didn’t seem like there was a long list of obvious tourist activities, but I do love the reality TV show Secret Lives of Mormon Wives, so naturally, we had to visit the Church History Museum of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (try saying that 3 times in a row). It was actually a very interesting museum. The people there were incredibly kind — perhaps with a slight (strong) hope of trying to convert us, but who’s to say — and we learned a good amount about the history of the church and its role in Utah's history. It was also free, which is always a plus.
We also visited the Natural History Museum of Utah, which had some interesting exhibits, though it felt a bit expensive for what it offered. After that, we wrapped up the trip with a little shopping before heading to the airport for our red-eye flights home.
Overall, it was a packed, beautiful, exhausting, and unforgettable trip — the kind that reminds you why some places stay on people’s bucket lists for so long.