There are some trips that feel more like a beginning than a break. My journey to Utah was exactly that—equal parts adventure and awakening, beauty and bonding. It was a long-awaited bucket list trip with the kind of people who don’t just come along for the ride—they make the journey unforgettable.
There’s something sacred about spending time with people who truly get you—the ones who’ve seen you at your worst and still cheer the loudest for your best. In a world that moves too fast, this trip was a long overdue pause. A collective exhale.
I’m not a hiker, I’ll admit it. This entire “one with nature” vibe was totally new to me. I chose Delicate Arch for one simple reason: it scared me A LOT. Not the hike itself (though that final stretch is no joke), but what it represented. It was a symbol of stepping out of the grind, out of the comfort zone, out of the mental loops we all get trapped in. It meant giving myself permission to just be—messy, tired, excited, laugh way too hard, and soaking in the kind of natural beauty you can’t capture with a phone camera (though I definitely tried).
The hike to Delicate Arch is more than a physical journey. It starts off smooth, deceivingly simple. Then come the steep inclines, the moments where you wonder if you’re going the right way, if you packed enough water, if your knees can handle one more stretch of slickrock. But you keep going. And when you finally turn that last corner and see the arch standing alone against the wide-open sky—it hits you. Not just the view, but the metaphor.
This is what it looks like to push through. To climb higher. To make it despite the doubts.
And when you’re standing there, it’s impossible not to feel overwhelmed with gratitude. These are the moments that remind you how far you’ve come. Not just in miles, but in mindset.
Utah, with its surreal landscapes and vast silence, has a way of putting things into perspective. Out there, work emails don’t matter. To-do lists fade. The constant pressure to “be productive” dissolves under sunsets that paint the sky with impossible colors. You remember that you are part of something bigger. That nature doesn’t ask for perfection—just presence.
I came back sunburned, sore, and absolutely filled up. The kind of tired that feels earned. The kind of full that doesn’t come from food, but from connection—real, deep, soul-nourishing connection.
If you’re reading this and thinking about your own bucket list, let this be your sign. Go. Take the trip. Call your people. Lace up your boots and climb the hill. Whether it’s Utah or anywhere else that calls to your spirit—say yes. You’ll come back changed. Lighter. Stronger. A little more in love with life.
Because it’s not just about the destination. It’s about who you become on the way there.
Acknowledgments: Thanks to my photographer Besties Lisa @lisakayphoto and Rachel @parsellphotography for taking this trip with me.
Airline: @southwestair
Hotel: @marriottbonvoy Fairfield Inn & Suites 1863 N Hwy 191 in Moab was PERFECT! The location is directly across from the entrance to Arches National Park and had the most beautiful mountain views.
Trysh Jaeger Photography 