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8 54 9denverlifemagazine.com

adventure | departures

The Corner of

Adventure &Luxury

Luxury resorts, national parks and thoughtful cuisine; all wedged into a little corner of Utah.

By ALison Roth

8 55 9 DENVER LIFE MAGAZINE

Utah is an expansive state that bridges ideal vacation

destinations in Colorado, Arizona and Las Vegas, but it is

certainly worth a visit itself. On a recent trip to southwest

Utah, I was able to relive childhood vacations—long

car rides culminating in hikes through famed national

parks—and explore Utah’s luxury accommodations and

fresh dining. Southwest Utah is a fitting destination for

Denverites who have a gung-ho passion for adventure, the

outdoors and hidden dining hot spots.

The city of St. George, central to Zion National Park

and the Mojave Desert, is the commercial hub of southwest

Utah. Near St. George is Red Mountain Resort, set on 55

acres of black lava gardens and aromatic mesquite. The

resort embodies all areas of wellness, including nutrition,

cooking, anti-aging and stress-management classes; guided

hiking and biking; an adventure concierge; more than

50 fitness classes each week; a spiral labyrinth; indoor

and outdoor swimming pools; and a full-service spa and

salon (voted by Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards 2012

Reader’s Survey as the #1 Destination Spa). Additionally,

the delicious, healthy cuisine at the on-site Canyon Breeze

Restaurant won’t cause the wellness-minded to stumble.

Red Mountain Resort is an easy pit-stop, or home base,

while exploring southwest Utah.

Within this corner of Utah are two national parks

within two hours of each other. Zion National Park’s

diverse landscape of canyons, woodlands and desert are

easily accessible because Zion has the most varied hiking

trails of any national park. Roughly two hours northeast

of Zion is Bryce Canyon National Park. As the daughter of

national park enthusiasts, I believe this is one of the most

overlooked national parks in the country, resulting in

much more solitude than its famous neighboring parks.

Bryce is famous for its rock formations, or “hoodoos,”

soaring toward the sky along a 25-mile plateau rim,

resulting in a natural amphitheater that is well worth a day

hike and an evening stargazing session.

From Bryce Canyon, head east on Hwy. 12, one of

the most scenic American highways—Bryce Canyon

National Park and Capitol Reef National Park are at each

end—and stop at the Grand Staircase/Escalante National

Monument, which exposes 200 million years of the

earth’s history through wide, slanted rock terraces. Make

sure to experience canyoneering in the Escalante region.

Excursions of Escalante is the local guide service, and

their staff will make even the most fearful person a brave

canyoneer within one afternoon. My guide taught me

how to navigate slot canyons and rappel down cliffs; it was

Photo courtesy of Am

anresorts

8 56 9denverlifemagazine.com

exhilarating and unforgettable.

Past Escalante is Boulder Mountain Lodge, a

family-friendly hotel bordering an 11-acre lake. The

rooms are a natural place to rest, with comfortable

beds, full kitchens and views of the quiet landscape.

The on-site restaurant, Hell’s Backbone Grill, has

a cult-following that’s caught the attention of The

Wall Street Journal, The New york Times, Bon Appétit

and more. I had the pleasure of sharing a meal

with Blake Spalding, the co-chef/owner of Hell’s

Backbone. Spalding and Jen Castle, her business/

culinary partner, maintain a noticeable commitment

to Buddhist principles, sustainability and social

responsibility. Their food is organic, local and

seasonal, and many fruits and veggies are grown

on the restaurant’s six-acre farm. I made a vow that

someday I will feast once again on their Moqui Mac

and Cheese with roasted tomatoes, green chili and

organic vegetables, as well as the Dark Molasses

adventure | departures

Gingerbread Cake.

Another can’t-miss area of southwest Utah: Lake

Powell, a reservoir that straddles the border between

Utah and Arizona. I visited on a warm day and Melanie

Webb, founder of Sol Fitness Adventures, led me in

meditation while we stand-up paddleboarded over the

cool water. Webb created Sol to help people connect

to their bodies and the outdoors through fitness and

outdoor activities. She certainly showed me how to slow

down and experience nature.

Mere minutes from Lake Powell is a hidden

gem, Amangiri, of the world-renowned Amanresorts.

Amangiri is set on 600 acres in a protected valley and

is designed to visually dissolve into the surrounding

landscape. Each room has sweeping views of the

canyons and plateaus. Lanterns guide guests through

quiet corridors to the Pavilion where you can sit near

a wood-burning fire and sip a cocktail before savoring

local, rustic-chic cuisine near the open kitchen.

Amangiri made Condé Nast Traveler’s Gold List 2013

and was named the No. 1 Best Resort in North America

and No. 1 Best Hotel Spa Worldwide by The Gallivanter’s

Guide’s 2012 Awards for Excellence. The resort’s trail

system allows guests of all abilities to explore the desert

on foot and—for the more experienced—by a series of

fixed cables and ladder rungs. With a private helicopter

pad, horseback riding, boat trips and more, Amangiri is

the ultimate culmination of desert luxury.Phot

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Photo courtesy of Red Mountain Resort

Phot

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GettinG theRe

Multiple airlines service flights between McCarren international Airport in Las Vegas and Denver international Airport (DiA). As of press time, United Airlines began operating once-daily direct flights between st. George Municipal Airport and DiA. mccarran.com, flysgu.com

sin City siDe tRiP

Begin or end your trip in Las Vegas! only two and a half hours southwest of Zion national Park, there are many unconventional ways to enjoy the city. Visit the interactive Mob Museum, which showcases both sides of the battle between organized crime and law enforcement in the U.s. or, zip-line over the neon lights of historic Fremont street. themobmuseum.org, flightlinezfremont.com