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Black Rock Mountain Resort – Park City, Utah

New dog-friendly resort in Park City, Utah

Black Rock Mountain Resort is a brand new four-season (dog-friendly) resort in Park City, Utah. I highly recommend driving up U.S. Route 189 from Provo, Utah when you visit. The towering mountain and deep canyon views are striking! A few miles before arriving at the resort, you pass Jordanelle State Park and Reservoir, the vast deep blue water resting under the Wasatch Mountain Range is breathtaking. Then, as you come around a corner, Black Rock Mountain Resort is standing tall on the edge of the Uintas Wilderness with the best views of the whole region.

We love this location because it is so close (literally minutes) to Park City but not right in the middle of town. Park City is really busy so I appreciate the easy access to the resort, parking, and use of the resort’s shuttle service. Because the resort is so new, we wondered if they had worked out the kinks and they definitely have. We were impressed and appreciated all the help we received from check-in to check-out. We were greeted at the door and asked if we needed assistance with our bags. Every staff member went above and beyond to make us feel welcome and answered questions about the area. One team member even gave a welcome treat to our dog, Allen. That’s all it took for him, he gives Black Rock five stars.

The best mountain views

The entrance to the resort is beautiful with wide-open space, plenty of seating, a fireplace, and The Market with locally sourced coffee. You can also pick up a quick breakfast, sandwiches, smoothies, tea, and whole fruit at the market.

The On The Rocks bar is gorgeous with more incredible views of the mountains. I could have relaxed here all day. There is also a full-service restaurant. The Overlook Restaurant offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The Chef is passionate about buying locally and is inspired by Utah’s unique environments from the mountains to the desert. The restaurant wasn’t quite open when we stayed but is open now and the food looks delicious (click the restaurant name to see all the mouth-watering pictures – I can’t wait to go back).

Another reason this is an awesome travel destination is all the adventuring. It’s easy to only think of skiing. The area offers hiking, fly-fishing, golfing, mountain biking, kayaking, paddle-boarding, Utah’s Olympic Park, and so much more. It’s nice because there really is something for everyone and something for all skill levels.

The resort offers so many activities, you might not even want to adventure out. 😉 You can relax in the outdoor heated pool or hot tubs, take a temperature-controlled sauna or unwind in the steam room. There are the cutest outdoor fire-pits to cozy up and stargaze at that big beautiful Utah sky. They also have a huge lounge with big-screen TVs, pool tables, foosball, ping-pong, and gaming.

Because we always need more Allen…

Here’s a view from the other direction.

Cheers to traveling and experiencing new places!

Learn more about Black Rock Mountain Resort: www.blackrockmountainresort.com

Another very cool pet-friendly hotel in Utah is Best Friends Roadhouse in Kanab, Utah.

Find more amazing places to explore in Utah by using my search feature on the home page.

©What Stirs Your Soul Media

April 29, 2021
Lake Powell Southern Utah

What an incredible find while traveling in Southern Utah! Our home base was Kanab, Utah because it’s perfectly situated for exploring Southern Utah and while volunteering at Best Friends Animal Society. We wanted to take a short trip to Lake Powell. I did some research but wasn’t finding an ideal location for our dog and to make it a quick trip.

I visited the Kane County Office of Tourism. It’s my go-to information spot in Kanab. They are always so helpful, friendly and have the best advice for your unique situation. They told me about Lone Rock Beach. It was so worth stopping in and asking questions, we would have never come across this spot and it was amazing!

Kane County Office of Tourism

Here are photos from our incredible morning at Lone Rock Beach.

Beach RVing and Camping

I added camping here to my bucket list! I mean…how perfect does that look?

Utah LOVED cooling off in Lake Powell. It was so fun to cruise down to the beach in our car. The fee for a 7-day pass is $30.

Goodbye Lone Rock Beach. Can’t wait to see you again!

Don’t forget…

Take only pictures and leave only footprints. ❤️

©What Stirs Your Soul Media

March 1, 2021
Horseshoe Bend Arizona

Horseshoe Bend Arizona

This is what you see as you walk the 3/4 mile from the parking lot to the overlook of Horseshoe Bend. It’s so flat that it’s hard to believe you will see an awe-inspiring deep canyon. I kept imagining what the first people must have thought as they traveled this flat land and then to come to the edge of this incredible site.

Horseshoe Bend has been on my bucket list for awhile. We’ve driven by many times but haven’t stopped due to overcrowding. This site has become quite the social media sensation. It’s best to go early morning or evening. We didn’t have that opportunity so there were a lot of tour buses and people (see video below). Luckily because we visited in February, we were still able to park in the lot and walk to the overlook to capture this beautiful view.

Horseshoe Bend is part of the Glen Canyon National Recreation Area. The Colorado River carves its way through the sandstone on its way to the sea. The Glen Canyon area covers 1.25 million acres. There is so much to see and do that I don’t think we could do it all in a lifetime (Goals!). The nearby Lake Powell offers tons of water activities including houseboat rentals. Plus there is endless hiking, camping, and backcountry recreation.

Even though it is a relatively easy hike to the overlook, make sure to be prepared with plenty of water and hiking shoes. One of the girls playing on the rock in the video almost slid off. Her friends were quick enough to catch her but it was terrifying. Please respect the land, Mother Nature and the rules.

Horseshoe Bend and this whole area is pet-friendly. They even gave Allen a dog treat as we entered. He loved stretching his legs and the view. 🙂

Best Friends Roadhouse and Mercantile is an amazing pet-friendly hotel in the area, and while exploring this area, make sure to check out Lone Rock Beach!

© What Stirs Your Soul Media

February 19, 2021
Glamping – Yellowstone National Park

Glamping Yellowstone National Park

We turned off Highway 20 in West Yellowstone onto a dirt road and drove under the log archway for Bar N Ranch. We could see the canvas tents in the distance of this beautiful, secluded, wide-open space. There were pops of colorful wildflowers, horses running in the pasture and the mountains layering the horizon. From that moment, we knew we were in for a unique camping experience.

The Under Canvas Yellowstone safari-inspired glamping accommodations are located on the Bar N Ranch property and are only 10 minutes from the West entrance to Yellowstone National Park.

Luxury Camping Experience at Under Canvas Yellowstone

We checked in at the lobby tent which is open 24 hours a day and offers coffee, tea, hot chocolate, and a happy hour in the evening. This is a high-end camping experience so our service expectations were high and were exceeded from check-in to check-out. The lobby tent is also filled with cozy couches and blankets, fun oversized swings, board games, albums and a record player, plus a little store. There is an awesome patio with beautiful lights to enjoy the views.

Parking from the individual tents is a good distance so the staff meets you at your parking location with a golf cart to bring all your belongings to your tent. We stayed in the Safari tent which comes with a king-size bed and wood-burning stove. The community bathrooms (with private stalls, hot showers, flushing toilets, and sinks) are very nice and clean. There are plenty of stalls so there was no waiting.

The Deluxe, Stargazer, and Suite tents have their own ensuite bathrooms plus private decks. They also offer tents for larger families that include an adjacent hive for extra beds and space.

We arrived just as a storm was moving through and we were fortunate to see a rainbow. The sunsets in West Yellowstone, Montana are incredible and when the sky turns dark, the milky way lights up the big sky.

Where to Eat and Things to Do while Glamping Yellowstone National Park

Dinner is served at the Bar N Ranch restaurant with a nice variety of options. We had the Fries with Trio of Dips, Pan-Roasted Trout, and Bruschetta Grilled Chicken.

After dinner, you can enjoy s’mores around the campfire or relax in a hammock. There’s also volleyball, horseshoes, and badminton. You can rest, play, or plan your adventures at Yellowstone National Park.

The resident fox greeted us early in the morning as we walked over to the lobby tent for coffee!

The breakfast buffet is included in the rate and also served at the Bar N Ranch. It was a lovely chilly morning and all the smoke from the wood-burning stoves created a fantastic view.

Ranch reflections…

After breakfast, we walked down to the other hammock hangout by the river.

Thank you, Under Canvas, for such an easy and unique camping experience! And for all of the small touches and customer service. We look forward to seeing you again!

Learn more at Under Canvas Yellowstone. Enjoy the road!

If you’re a fellow Minnesotan or visiting, here is one of our favorite unique camping experiences locally – Whitetail Woods Regional Park.

Originally posted on September 3, 2019.

© What Stirs Your Soul Media

February 19, 2021
Fay Canyon Trail Sedona Arizona

Hiking Fay Canyon Trail Sedona Arizona

Fay Canyon Trail – Sedona, Arizona in the enchanted Coconino National Forest is an easy to moderate trail without much elevation gain. The moss and greenery among the red rocks stood out to us along with the awe-inspiring sandstone formations overhead.

The trail is an out and back 2.4 mile hike. There is a secret natural arch to keep an eye out for or you will miss it. Check out the Sedona Hiking App for directions and details. On this hike, we decided to bring our ukulele just for fun. I don’t know how to play it yet but it’s one of my goals. I wanted to snap some pictures with it against the red rocks. The ukulele ended up bringing us much more than we expected!

When we made it to the end of the of maintained trail, we met a couple who asked us about the ukulele.

We chatted a little bit and the gentleman asked if he could play it. He even tuned it for us and then…

It was so fun to listen to him play on the trail with the sound echoing off the rocks. We had a great conversation and exchanged some recommendations. It continues to amaze me how we can meet complete strangers on the trail and become fast friends. We started working our way back and then met a woman who asked us about the ukulele. She also asked if she could play it.

She was such a sweetheart and helped Terry learn a few chords.

This ended up being one of our all time favorite hikes because we got so much joy out of listening to people play and our conversations. Sometimes it’s more than the trail. ❤️

Use the search box on the right to find all of our Sedona blogs.

Safe travels! Don’t forget – leave no trace.

Life is short, keep searching for what stirs your soul. ❤️

©What Stirs Your Soul Media

January 26, 2021
Parks in Minneapolis Minnesota

Parks in Minneapolis Minnesota

One of the best things about living in Minnesota is all the parks in our hometown Minneapolis. In fact, did you know that Minneapolis features 180 park properties?!

This sunrise skyline view is from Bde Maka Ska park. The lake is the largest in the chain of lakes and has three beaches. The park is 518 acres with a 3.1 mile loop for pedestrians. We love walking and running around this lake in every season. It’s the perfect distance with nature views, neighborhood views, and the skyline. If you want to add distance, you can keep going around the chain.

The full chain of lakes covers 1555 acres with a total of 14.81 miles of pedestrian trails along with 15.27 of biking trails.

The lakes include Cedar Lake, Lake of the Isles, Bde Maka Ska, Lake Harriet and Brownie Lake.

There are endless activities: Concerts, Boating, Fishing, Volleyball, Archery, Tennis, Grilling, Ice-Skating, Cross-Country Skiing, Playgrounds, and more. You can see all the amenities by clicking HERE.

This area is definitely one of the highlights of Minneapolis, Minnesota. Make sure to visit and take it all in!

Read more about another one of our favorite parks in Minnesota – Bryant Lake Regional Park.

©What Stirs Your Soul Media

January 5, 2021

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