travel diary: Zion National Park, UT [utah pt. 1]

I honestly don't even know where to start.  I got back from a four-day trip to southwestern Utah early last week, and spent the latter half of that week recovering from getting sick.  (That's what happens when you get around 4 hours of sleep max every night on a trip.  But it's worth it when I see these pictures :) 

These pictures were taken in Zion National Park, a fabulous national park.  I laugh as I write "fabulous national park", because that doesn't even BEGIN to describe it.  That's such a majorly inadequate statement to describe this majestic, glorious piece of nature.  The first few days I couldn't even begin to say it was beautiful, because the mountains, deserts, and canyons were honestly so overwhelming.  It's majestic.  It's commanding.  It's awe-striking.  And it's a beauty all its own.  And, yeah, Zion is pretty crowded with tourists, yet, somehow, the mountains don't seem to care.  I find it impressive how these mountains have been around for thousands of years.  They stood tall and stately before men even discovered them.  They stood powerful and firm whenever the government finally decided, "hey, let's make this a national park." And they still stand towering and splendorous, as millions of people visit them each year.

Nature is inspiring.  I realize that when I go out to my front porch and look out across my neighbor's beautiful pond.  But when I travel to new places and see insane beauty like this that was formed BY NATURE, it's hard for my mind to comprehend that this isn't fake.  God made this.  Wow.  What a God.  Places like these remind me why I love nature.

And I only saw one national park on this trip.  Utah has so many national parks, national monuments, scenic byways.  DUDE.  What a ride.  So, yes, I want to go back.  I want to hike Angel's Landing.  I want to camp out for a week in Zion...or somewhere out there.  I finally understand "the mountains are calling and I must go." And honestly, the mountains are good for the soul.  I firmly believe that everyone needs to get out there and clear your mind at least once a year.  It does something for you.  Puts things in perspective. 

Zion National Park is amazing.  A natural 360° view of mountains.  You look around you, and all you see is mountains towering above you.  I remember thinking, "Manhattan's got nothing on this." The difference between "country" and the city has honestly never been quite more apparent to me.  

There's some beautiful land out there.  Just saying.

xxxxx

1) next week's post is the q&a vlog! if you want to ask me any questions definitely leave them down below :) i'll be filming it next week.

2) the week after that will be another post with pictures from escalante, UT.  guys.  escalante is 2 million acres of sprawling desert and mountains.  it's good for the soul.

3) i already miss utah.  but you could've figured that out.

4) you have no idea how many pictures i have from this trip.  like, i had to narrow it down so hard to just pick these for this post.  

5) HI HOW ARE YOU WHAT'S THE MOST BEAUTIFUL PLACE YOU'VE BEEN TO.  have you ever been to utah? i was just like wow some people literally get this beauty to be their backyard.  count your blessings.

xx

autumn