Leaving Arizona
Leaving Arizona was far more bittersweet than I anticipated. We fell in love with the warm weather and almost constant sunshine, but even more than that, we cherished the time we were able to spend with family.
We made so many sweet memories with my brother and sister-in-law—hiking, sharing meals, hosting visiting family, and simply enjoying being together. We also spent a lot of time with Derek’s parents, boondocking not far from their home so we could see them often. Those everyday moments quickly became some of our favorites. Trygg especially loved being able to visit them whenever he wanted—and his golf cart rides with Papa Steve to hunt for golf balls were definitely a highlight.
It’s never easy to leave a place you’ve truly come to love—especially when it’s filled with people you love just as much. But as hard as it is to say goodbye, there’s something about the pull of new places and new adventures that we just can’t ignore.
Utah was Calling
Utah had been calling my name for a while… even if Derek needed a little convincing. The hesitation was fair. Almost five years ago, we had a pretty rough experience in Salt Lake City when our beloved VW camper van, Pokey, lost its transmission. It was stressful, expensive, and not exactly the kind of memory that makes you want to rush back. I kept reminding him that Utah is so much more than that one moment—and this time, we were rolling in a much more reliable ride.
And honestly? Utah has completely won us over. It might even be one of our new favorite states. The scenery here doesn’t even feel real at times—every turn looks like something out of a different world, and we’ve caught ourselves more than once just stopping to take it all in.
Zion National Park & St. George
We made it to four of the five national parks during our stay in Utah (Bryce Canyon is officially on our “next time” list), and kicked things off in Toquerville, just about 35 minutes from Zion National Park. We spent 7 nights at a campground here so we could enjoy the sites as much as possible.
I know Zion is a favorite for a lot of people, and while I can absolutely appreciate how beautiful it is… it wasn’t my favorite stop. Part of that was timing—we hit it right in the middle of spring break, and the crowds were intense. I also wasn’t a huge fan of the shuttle system required to access most of the hikes. As someone who gets car sick, the idea of riding a packed bus into the park didn’t sound all that appealing, so we opted for the scenic drive instead. And I will say—the drive alone was incredible. Still, I’d love to go back during the off-season when we can explore more of the trails at our own pace. It’s definitely a place worth seeing, and I’d like to experience it a little differently next time.
We also made a stop at Pioneer Park in St. George, and this ended up being such a fun place to explore. It’s full of massive red rocks that you can climb, scramble, and wander around on—basically a giant natural playground.
After that, we headed over to the Dinosaur Discovery Site, which was honestly such a cool experience. The museum is built right on what used to be a lakeshore, and it showcases Early Jurassic tracks and fossils that were discovered back in 2000. There are thousands of preserved footprints, fossils dating back around 200 million years, and even a fossil prep lab that you can peek into through a window.
We originally thought this would be something Trygg would really love—and he definitely did—but I think Derek and I might have been even more into it. It’s pretty incredible to stand there and see history preserved in that way, knowing those tracks were made millions of years ago.
Finding Community on the Road
One of the unexpected highlights of our time in Toquerville was getting to reconnect with some friends we met at the Fulltime Families Gathering back in March. They happened to be camping just about 10 miles from us, and we were able to get together a few times while we were there.
There’s something really special about finding your people on the road. It was such a good reminder of how important community and connection are in this lifestyle. Seeing familiar faces, catching up, and watching Trygg run around playing with his new friends—it just filled my cup in the best way. Moments like that make this whole journey feel even more meaningful, and I’m already looking forward to more of it as we continue our travels this fall.
What’s Next
As our time in Toquerville started to wind down, we realized this leg of our journey was far from over. Ahead of us were places we had only just begun to discover—unexpected gems that weren’t even part of our original plan, but quickly became some of the highlights of our entire time in Utah.
In our next post, we’ll take you along as we explore Goblin Valley State Park—a place that truly feels like stepping onto another planet—and Capitol Reef National Park, where towering rock formations and scenic drives reminded us just how wild and beautiful this state really is. Between the two, we found adventure, quiet moments, and a whole lot of awe in places we never expected to fall in love with. And through it all, we were reminded that every challenge brings growth, every adventure adds to our story, and in the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take.
