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.

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

The Redwoods remind us that we are small, and that’s a gift. They invite us to pause, breathe, and rediscover wonder.

Your adventure begins at Hualapai Hilltop, where the road ends and the trail drops 5,500 feet into Havasu Canyon.