Some of the orthopedists at Revere plan a mountain biking trip to Brian Head each year, and they invited Don to go with them. We decided to make it a weekend thing, and I drove the kids up to meet him! We booked a cute little one-room ski lodge and squished in together.
Out of all of the trips we've planned, this last minute decision ended up being one of our best. It was a perfect getaway from the St. George summer heat, and a perfect couple of days.
Day 1:
We drove separately so Don could bring all of his bikes up and so we could split as needed throughout the weekend. Upon arrival, Don parked his car at the base of the canyon and rode his bike up to the resort! We passed him in our car on his way back down the canyon.
We had no plans, so after buying the kids their first official ski passes (yay!), the kids wanted to ride the ski lift. YOLO...it was an easy decision to say yes. The kids loooved it.
At the top, we were surprised by not only the beautiful view, but also some wonderful hiking trails for the kids. A kind lady told us there were wildflowers all over the trail, and it was fun to pick bouquets along the way. Wildflowers everywhere!
After an impromptu swing/pop-a-wheelie watching session at the park, these two cuties both crashed on the bottom bunk.
Day 2:
The next morning, I woke up early and ran to the top of the resort...10,152 ft elevation! I could not stop taking pictures of the sunrise. It was stunning.
Don left for his mountain bike adventure as soon as I got back. The kids and I had the whole day to explore. We'd heard that Cedar Breaks National Monument wasn't too far from Brian Head, but I didn't really know what to expect. YOLO again, so we hopped in the car to go explore.
We had no idea what a spectacular place we were about to discover! Cedar Breaks is definitely a hidden gem. It's like a more easily accessible, cheaper, miniature version of the Grand Canyon. Or Bryce Canyon. Maybe the two of them combined? Think very large red rock ravine with some hoodoos mixed in. Cool cool.
As I mentioned, one of the best surprises of the weekend was the wildflower-extravaganza-party that we stumbled upon everywhere we turned. Gorgeous wildflowers all over the place!
The Alpine Pond Loop.
Don rejoined us later for an evening walk along the paved trail at the rim. The sky was moody which made for great views.
This is my favorite picture from the whole weekend. Everybody looks so happy! After this picture, Don took Owen to the Airbnb for bedtime, but Auggie and I drove back to the viewpoint for a free stargazing class. He was so excited to look through the telescope and see the Moon and Venus! I'm really glad we chose to stay out late for that neat experience.
Day 3:
On our last day, we hiked to Spectra Point. It was only a two mile hike roundtrip, but it had the best views into the gorge.
Doesn't this look like the Grand Canyon?! Or Bryce? Or perhaps a mixture of both...?
After our hike it was a short drive back to reality. What a fun weekend.
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