Well, I’m officially back from my 11 days from the west: a couple days in Colorado, but mostly in Utah. It was different than I had in my head, but that isn’t always a bad thing. I had a weird headspace going in, I unexpectedly started my period early, I had a weird thing with my asthma combined with altitude in Colorado at the beginning and I wasn’t sure that this was going to be something I enjoyed at all. I missed my family more than I thought I would… But as with all adventures, I hit a turning point, and it was the day I stopped being scared… well, I guess I didn’t stop being scared, I just did it anyway. But I feel like I missed out on a lot, but that in itself was a lesson in resting mentally and physically when I needed rest.
Weird, Unexpected Anxiety
I have gotten very accustomed to hiking solo near home. I feel very confident in hitting my local greenways or state forests or conservation areas. I don’t think twice about lacing up my boots, putting one Airpod in and taking off. It made me feel powerful and fearless to do this. Like I could pick up and do this literally anywhere still feeling no fears and having that I am woman, hear me roar kind of mentality.
But, when I got somewhere that was a little “unknown”, even a place like Moab that I’m super comfortable in, I found myself unsure of myself. It finally took just getting out and hitting some trails that made me feel motivated, more sure and more like me. But before I hit that stride, my very first “challenge” I set for myself did not go anywhere close to as planned.
Failing the Manitou Incline
I got to Denver the first night, and I had intended on car camping near the Manitou Incline in Manitou Springs because I had the incline permit for 7-7:30 start time. Instead, though, I decided to stay with my uncle and I’m so glad I did; it was so good to see him! But that meant that I was further from the Incline for the morning. But, his fiancée, Natalie, agreed to do the Incline with me, so even though it meant I had to leave earlier, but I was really excited to have someone to do this with. I’d had very little sleep and I’d not been feeling the best. I’d barely eaten for a day and lucky me I started my period. All the things were aligned to set me up for failure.
First of all, you do not need a permit. I don’t know why that is even a thing. We could’ve slept more and gotten a much more rested start. Secondly, the parking situation up there sucks. We had to park about a mile away in town, and then we were afraid that we were going to miss our permit time, so we booked it. Natalie and I started on our journey up the Manitou Incline and good lord, I struggled. I struggled hard. I couldn’t catch my breath and I could not get my heart rate down below 188. I thought I was going to pass out. We tried to start again a couple times, but as soon as I would start moving, I felt like shit all over again. So, we bailed out at 1300 stairs. I hate that I didn’t accomplish something that I had been excited about, but the trail down was beautiful, and I do feel good about the fact that I made a choice for my health and my safety, and Natalie was very gracious about it. Natalie and I had an absolutely wonderful brekkie and then I went back to Brad’s and slept for the next 5 hours since my Garmin watch told me, on a scale from 1 – 10, that my training readiness was a literal one. So, not to be dramatic, but I was in no state to be taking on the Manitou Incline.
Getting to Moab Just in Time for a Flash Flood
I have been to Moab a lot… Like, I started getting local discounts on this trip, seriously. But I had never experienced a flash flood here. To be honest, I was in a weird headspace upon arriving there, so, the insane downpour kinda mirrored it. The desert in torrential rains is odd. Every local business had their sandbags out, the temp in the air dropped significantly and the streets rushed with iron-rich orange waters. Almost as quickly as it arrived, though, the rain blew out and after watching the rain fall from a restaurant downtown, I headed into Arches National Park. The skies were still gray, sand was packed down in a way I hadn’t experienced and the rocks were wet and some small puddles had formed. What a welcome back to Moab. She always gives to me.
Checking Off A Couple Moab Bucket List Hikes
People are always really surprised that I go back to Moab as often as I do. Since September 2020 we’ve also been in May 2022, September 2024, June 2025 and now this September. But Moab is just the perfect jumping off point for so many adventures within a 2.5 hour drive of downtown. And it feels like every time we repeat some favorite things, but there are always new experiences to be had as well! On this trip I did eight hikes I’d never done before, and found myself amazed by each and every one of them for their own unique qualities, but two of the hikes I did were truly bucket list hikes: the Fiery Furnace in Arches National Park and Druid Arch in the Needles of Canyonlands National Park. These two were much more “off grid” and I loved getting to tackle some challenges solo in my favorite place. I have so much that I still want to do in this area, but it felt so incredible and so empowering to know that I can do those things, even alone!
Will I Be Taking Another Solo Trip in the Future?
Absolutely yes. That said, I don’t know that it’ll be 11 days. I think I’d like to take a long weekend at least once a year, or maybe twice a year instead. 11 days was a really long time to be away from Matt and the kids. I felt like I missed out on a lot and even though we FaceTimed every day, that feeling got more intense each day. I think especially at the age they are right now, I only want to be gone for potentially extended times if I’m on a trip with someone that feels big (like my dad’s and my trip to Patagonia next year). But I learned so much about me. I learned about how I want to live. I learned about how I want to be more intentional with my time. I’m so grateful to Matt and our parents for helping out to let me do this trip!
Quick Roundup of What I Did Over These Eleven Days
HIKES IN ARCHES NATIONAL PARK: I did the Windows Trail and primitive loop, I hiked the Fiery Furnace for the first time, and I did the primitive loop of Devils Garden – it was my first time doing the primitive loop! I also did the unofficial Ring Arch Trail, which was really incredible!
HIKES IN CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK: I did Aztec Butte and Murphy Point Overlook in the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands. Lastly, I Druid Arch in the Needles District, which was a Moab bucket list hike for me. All of these were the first time I’d done these hikes.
HIKES IN DEAD HORSE POINT STATE PARK: I’d never visited this state park before and had heard a lot about visiting here for mountain biking. But, I decided to spend a morning up there hiking. I did literally every hiking trail except the Big Horn Overlook – which now that I realize I was that close to having them all checked off, I really wish I had just tacked that trail on… I was just hungry. Haha.
SCENIC DRIVES I TOOK: I drove up into the La Sals up to Oowah Lake. I love this little mountain lake and I was lucky enough that the aspens up there were starting to change. It was so pretty. I did about 94% of the Gemini Bridges 4WD road. I did realize that I actually needed a 4WD vehicle, and I couldn’t quite climb a rock that I tried to. I left a little tire mark on the rock trying my hardest to climb it. Lastly, I did the Long Canyon Drive. I love this drive. It’s my favorite we’ve done thus far. I love the wide array of desert features you see, encounter and pass through.
OTHER TRAILS / ACTIVITIES: I did the Fisher Towers trail again for the first time in a few years. I loved doing this again and really enjoyed the solitude of it. I shopped in Moab finding some really cool things like jewelry, stickers, gifts for my family, and some really cool crystals and rocks!
Thanks for coming along on this ride and for reading a little of what I did, what I experienced and what I learned on this first solo trip of mine in the last 12 years. I will be writing a lot more detailed posts on the trails I did and updating other Moab and national park posts over the next few months. I’ve got quite a bit to catch you all up on!
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