bellagio conservatory gardens
on october 1st, jim and i got engaged on the tip-top of brian head peak at 11,312 feet in the air overlooking shimmering golden aspen trees where the views extend into three states. it should not shock anybody that after 5,475 days (i just did the math 😝), i said yes 💍.the autumn foliage around brian head was absolutely beautiful even though we had technically arrived a few days "past peak". i had been watching the autumn foilage tracker online for the last few weeks. it's hard to plan when you have such a short window! i'm so glad we made it in time. i live in the desert, so we don't have a true autumn experience. i had to travel to another state for it. utah is said to be one of the top places for leaf peeping, and the closest to me. i had spent several weeks watching the colors change on the brian head webcam, so it was a little surreal to finally watch ourselves appear over the live feed!
aspen mirror lake in the dixie national forest was my favorite location. you can see why it has the name. i could of spent hours here along the peaceful shores gazing into the crystal reflections of the red and gold aspens. it made it feel like there were even more trees.
hidden within the mountains above cedar city is the brilliant geology and vibrant environment of cedar breaks national monument. the geologic amphitheater and surrounding environs are home to cool hiking trails, ancient trees, high elevation camping, and over-the-top views along the “circle of painted cliffs.” cedar breaks’ majestic amphitheater is a three-mile-long cirque made up of eroding limestone, shale, and sandstone. situated on the western edge of the markagunt plateau, the raised area of earth located in southern utah between interstate 15 and highway 89, the monument sits entirely above 10,000 feet. the amphitheater is like a naturally formed coliseum that plunges 2,000 feet below taking your eyes for a colorful ride through arches, towers, hoodoos, and canyons.
the parowan gap petroglyphs are a nationally recognized extravaganza of petroglyphs-- a superb gallery of native american rock art. here one can witness what is at least a 1,000-year accumulation of artwork pecked into the rock. geometric designs, images of lizards, snakes, mountain sheep, bear claws, and human figures adorn the smooth canyon walls of the pass. the most impressive panel is named the zipper. it is located on the northeast side. recent studies have put forth the idea that it is a map, a calendar of solar alignments, and a system of outer cairns. the zipper is thought to be an inverted man with an arrow in his skull. to visit them, you have to drive through the narrow, 500-foot deep pass through the red hills in the escalante desert. the gap was created by erosion due to wind and rain. 15 million years ago, a stream ran through but it disappeared creating a waterless wind gap. inscriptions made by early settlers have become, in a sense, part of this site's historic record. but now that people understand just how remarkable and irreplaceable the petroglyphs are, this site protects that heritage. any writing on the rocks today is vandalism, punishable by law. it is important to note that while the petroglyphs are historic, and while the groups that created them are often referred to in the past tense, indigenous people are not merely a thing of the past. respect and admiration of indigenous culture needn't be limited to only historic content.
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| view from brian head peak | view from brian head peak | view from brian head peak |  |  |  |
| view from brian head peak | view from brian head peak | view from brian head peak |  |  |  |
| view from brian head peak | view from brian head peak | view from brian head peak |  |  |  |
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| aspen mirror lake | aspen mirror lake | aspen mirror lake |  |  |  |
| aspen mirror lake | aspen mirror lake | aspen mirror lake |  |  |  |
| aspen mirror lake | aspen mirror lake | aspen mirror lake |  |  |  |
| aspen mirror lake | aspen mirror lake | aspen mirror lake |  |  |  |
| cedar breaks monument | cedar breaks monument | cedar breaks monument |  |  |  |
| cedar breaks monument | cedar breaks monument | cedar breaks monument |  |  |  |
| cedar breaks monument | cedar breaks monument | cedar breaks monument |  |  |  |
| cedar breaks monument | cedar breaks monument | cedar breaks monument |  |  |  |
| cedar breaks monument | cedar breaks monument | parowan gap petroglyphs |  |  |  |
| parowan gap petroglyphs | parowan gap petroglyphs | parowan gap petroglyphs |  |  |  |
| parowan gap petroglyphs | parowan gap petroglyphs | parowan gap petroglyphs |  |  |  |
| parowan gap petroglyphs | parowan gap petroglyphs | parowan gap petroglyphs |  |  |  |