There is so much to see in Utah that I am sure we only scratched the surface. It’s pretty amazing!

Layton, Ogden and Salt Lake City (and Our First Dose of Hot Weather in Ages)

Hill Air Force Base

We spent a week in the FamCamp at Hill Air Force Base in Layton, UT which put us very close to Ogden and Salt Lake City. Our campsite was within 50 yards of the running track and 100 yards from the best fitness center we’ve ever seen…so no excuses. Let’s just say we are now almost ready for our 2026 Full-Time RVer Calendar photo shoot. (Ahh, sarcasm.)

The Hill Air Force Base FamCamp is convenient, but the sites are oddly set up. Most are back-to-back, so you back in and are slightly offset from the rear of the RV behind you. Our site was even more odd in that our door faced our neighbor’s door. That means that our picnic tables were facing each other and outdoor time was a bit awkward. Frequent visits to our site by the resident Magpies were a highlight for our catio cats.

Antelope Island State Park

Just down the road from Hill AFB is a causeway leading to Antelope Island in the Great Salt Lake. It was strange to see such still water, like a chemical spill killed everything in the water. The only living thing that can survive in that level of salinity is a type of shrimp. So there are no fish jumping or waves, really. They say it teems with waterfowl at times.

There were many bison on the island, but we didn’t see any of its namesake antelope. We were treated to a lesson in mouse hunting by a coyote on the side of the road. It used its paws to swat at the base of plants until the mouse ran out. Greg even saw two little mouse feet hanging out of the coyote’s mouth as it made its involuntary contribution to the life cycle.

There are several places to camp on the island, some in the backcountry and some standard RV and tent sites (even a water and electric section). The views of the Wasatch Mountains, plains and Salt Lake City across the lake are beautiful!

Salt Lake City

Being so close we just had to go into the big city! It was lovely and exceptionally clean (at least where we were). We walked all around the grounds of the state capitol. There was a ton of construction going on involving cranes which are kind of mesmerizing to watch. There is a beautiful, tree-lined walking path around the grounds and parking was easy.

We visited every floor of the capitol while dodging busloads of field trip groups. I overheard a couple of little girls in the bathroom saying, “Wow, this is a fancy bathroom! I feel like I’m at a big party!” I was very under-dressed.

We drove downtown a bit and were amazed at how large the Temple Square area is and how many deluxe buildings there are related to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. It was larger than some small town centers.

Ogden

A quick trip through Ogden took us to a botanical garden and the “Historic 25th Street” that was once home to houses of ill repute and other goings on. It is now an area known for awesome neon signs, eateries and bars. It reminded me a bit of The Oregon District in Dayton, Ohio.

Helper, Utah

Another cute town along busy railroad tracks. We stayed two nights backing to a great view of long freight trains that needed to use “helper” locomotives in the middle and end of the train to help it through mountains. Hence, the name of the town, Helper. (It’s true!) We enjoyed watching the trains and dipping our feet in the rushing, refreshing and clear Price River.

We also drove through Nine Mile Canyon. This was our first dose of the heat that we were going to experience in the very near future. This canyon is known for its many petroglyphs that were made over 700 years ago by the Ute, Fremont, Navajo and Pueblo peoples. Most are on what is now private property, but you can see many examples right along the road. It was amazing!

Moab Area

We left Helper in 90 degree weather and arrived just south of Moab to windy, cold and drizzly weather. Fear not, the very next day was a skin melter as we spent five hours exploring Arches National Park. This park requires a timed entry ticket, and the only time we could get was 3:00 pm. So we spent the hottest part of the day exploring.

Not only are the rock formations and views amazing, but the park is very well laid out. We were there on a Tuesday and still had a few full parking lots inside the park. It seems like weekends would be miserably crowded.

The warning signs on the trails reminding us that heat can kill and water is life are no joke. We actually ran out of water 3/4 of the way in and contemplated leaving. Then we remembered that there is a campground in the park. Voila! Running water in the campground bathroom and drinking water. This was a very exciting moment.

The town of Moab itself reminded us of Gatlinburg, TN or Leavenworth, WA: crowds, traffic, gift shops, expensive restaurants. Not our cup o’tea. We did the obligatory walk up one side of the street and down the other.

Not far from Moab, just off the road, is Wilson Arch. It is every bit as impressive as anything inside the national park. We parked and climbed up to the arch to enjoy its peacefulness and beauty.

Bluff, Utah

Stormy weather changed our route from venturing briefly into Colorado to stay on a farm to staying near Monument Valley in Bluff, Utah. We snagged a last-minute reservation to what turned out to be one of the best RV parks we’ve ever seen! It is called Cadillac Ranch and is an example of good design, cleanliness and customer service.

An unexpected bonus was being just a few miles from Forrest Gump Point where he ended his long fun in the movie and said, “I’m pretty tired, think I’ll go home now.” We took a photo while driving down the road. We saw tourons standing in the middle of the road forcing highway drivers to slam on their brakes. Insanity for that perfect selfie!

Catio Corner

We’re both working up an extra hairball as payback for all these travel days. We’ve also noticed uninvited feral cats and lizards near our catio at different times.. Um, no…Hissssss! But keep the birds coming. They are always welcome.