Earlier this month David and took a road trip to Utah in search of some fall color. We were eager to enjoy all things fall – hikes through the changing leaves, bundling up in sweaters, sipping cider by the firepit, plaid everything, and crisp mountain air. Sundance is an 12 hour drive from San Francisco and while the beginning and end of that drive are beautiful the bulk of the trip is through Nevada and rather barren. That said, when we approached Salt Lake City and started to see color we knew the drive was worth it.
We spent three nights and four days at Sundance Resort in their Mountain Home #10. I loved the rustic-chic aesthetic of the resort and our home looked like it was decorated by Ralph Lauren himself – full of of antique rugs, cowhides, antlers and natural decor. The quintessential mountain retreat in my book! David pointed out that the decor had a lot of similarities to our style and he’s right. We love worn leather seating, old rugs and mounted antlers. No wonder we felt so at home here! The house had three bedrooms and would have easily slept eight due to the loft above the living room with lots of beds. It would be the perfect spot to gather with family over the holidays.
Two of our favorite activities while at Sundance were driving Alpine Loop Road (one of the most scenic drives in the country) and fly-fishing on the Provo River. Though we were told the fall color was past it’s prime we reveled in the beautiful landscapes as we hiked, drove, fished and lingered on our porch with our morning coffee.
After Sundance we wanted to explore Utah for a few more days but we didn’t have firm plans or hotels in place – a new and slightly scary experience. We ended up glamping in a safari tent outside of Zion National Park before hiking 5 miles of “The Narrows” in our fishing boots the next day. The Narrows is unusual in that most of the hike is IN the river – sometimes wading through water that is waist deep. On our drive home to SF we stopped through the Mojave Desert to visit my grandparents and tour the naval base my grandpa used to work on. It’s been thrilling to see this part of America, and discover how incredibly be-UTAH-ful this country is.
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xx, SF
