The scent of summer, coconutty sweet sunscreen and deep-fried corn dogs fondly known as Pronto Pups, wafts through the air in the desert oasis of Veyo, a small resort town in Southern Utah. In the lush, green Crawdad Canyon, aptly named for the non-native species found in the warm waters of the Santa Clara River, temperatures are generally 10-15 degrees cooler than in nearby St. George, 17 miles to the south.

We'd spent the morning driving across southern Idaho's high desert, where miles of open country stretch beneath an endless sky. Sagebrush rolled past the windows in muted shades of green and silver, and the horizon seemed to breathe in slow motion.

The road narrowed. The horizon widened. Billboards, traffic, and the constant noise of modern life faded into the distance. In their place stood clusters of sagebrush scattered across the valley floor and, rising from the landscape like ancient guardians, enormous granite formations glowing beneath the Idaho sky.

Part of the Thousand Springs area, this little-known gem is a burst of color in the desert-like surroundings. From above, the spring looks like a perfect sapphire heart, shimmering against the earthy tones of the canyon walls.

Rocks leave their ghostly trails across the dry, cracked earth is like seeing the desert’s secret dance unfold. How do they move?

For those who wander slowly, the magic of Joshua Tree comes in the details: a lizard sunning itself on warm stone, the wind whispering through the branches, or the sun melting behind distant peaks at the end of a quiet trail.

Just outside the park, beyond the Dairy Queen and the Elf Refuge, rests the iconic Jackson Hole, home to the Cowboy Bar. The first glimpse of the Grand Tetons is unforgettable, a jagged skyline rising sharply from the valley floor, mirrored in serene lakes and framed by the endless sky. There’s a kind of magic here that feels both wild anWid intimate, where every bend in the road or trail reveals a new perspective on these iconic mountains.

Sometimes the best stories happen when the wind is in your face and the river carries you home.

Bryce Canyon National Park is a red rock wonderland, full of magical views, unforgettable hikes, and stories waiting to be made. Lace up your boots, bring your sense of adventure, and let the canyon work its magic.

Discover Utah’s Mighty Five—Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion. Tips, trails, and adventures await in these iconic parks.

Minnetonka Cave has a history as fascinating as the formations inside.

And hidden just off the highway, tucked into the base of the Floating Island Mountains, lies one of Utah’s most remarkable archeological sites, Danger Cave and its neighbor, Jukebox Cave.

Dock at Lake Minnetonka When I boarded my flight to Minnesota for a week-long work retreat, I’ll admit my expectations were low. I...

I stand on the plateau, my family's bags draped in black garbage bags in hopes of keeping them dry as I watch a blackened storm cloud bubble up in the distance against the azure blue sky.

When she left Denmark, her father was a farmer and if you weren’t Lutheran you weren’t allowed to own land leaving very few options for work to support a family.

Tucked into the Idaho Panhandle, Lake Pend Oreille is more than just the state’s largest lake; it’s a place where wilderness, wildlife, and history all converge.