I’ve been thinking of the move to Utah a lot recently – how I went from really struggling, to finding peace – and how that experience has helped me during this last year of the “new normal” and all the things we weren’t expecting in 2020.

At first, it was at least an adventure, something different. Soon though, I began to feel confused, purposeless, and, despite being newly married and with some friends around, ultimately very alone.

A huge benefit of living in Utah is access to incredible hikes and scenery all over the state. It’s something I loved continuing to discover when visiting and eventually living there. I’ve compiled my favorite hikes near(ish) to Provo.

Primarily the Spiral Jetty is just a really cool place to check out and see another part of the Great Salt Lake as well as an interesting artwork. Plus, on the way there was an unexpected surprise – the Golden Spike National Monument!

I went on a girls trip to Escalante National Monument for a couple days and did a lot of hiking. For those ready to get outside and explore this area, here’s what we did, what I would have changed, and recommendations for being as cautious as possible.