Discovering Serenity During Turmoil at a Desert Retreat in Utah

“Oh no,” my friend gasped as she noticed an incoming call on her phone.

It was late September, and we were en route from Las Vegas to southern Utah. We had been laughing uncontrollably, the kind of laughter that only long-time friends share after being apart for a while. As we left Harry Reid International Airport, we were eagerly searching for an In-N-Out Burger, a special treat for my friend from the East Coast. I insisted she look for one right away, but she suggested we wait until we got a bit further from the city. I reminded her that the desert surrounded Las Vegas. Just in time, we made a pit stop at the very last In-N-Out on the outskirts of Vegas before the city faded into sandstone cliffs and tumbleweeds. We couldn’t stop laughing about how close we had come to hours of hunger.

“What?! What’s happening?” I inquired, noticing the panic on her face.

“It’s from my mom’s assisted living home. Things are going south. I’m not answering it. I’ll let it go to voicemail. I can’t handle this right now,” she replied, clearly distressed.

A heavy silence settled in. I had no words to offer, knowing everything she had endured with her mother in recent months. We both understood that the call likely carried distressing news. The real question was, just how distressing?

“Do you need me to stop the car?” I asked, breaking the prolonged silence.

“No,” she responded. “I just need a moment.”

Fortunately, she had more than just a moment. We had at least four hours ahead of us on the road, and three days in Utah to embrace a much-needed escape filled with canyons, laughter, exploration, and connection—with each other, with strangers, and with the stunning landscape of southern Utah. There was ample time to confront the trauma of losing an aging parent to rapid-onset dementia, becoming an unexpected caregiver, and facing the uncertainty of it all. I remained quiet, wanting to provide her the space to share whatever she felt or to say nothing at all. I had no strategy for navigating the flood of thoughts and emotions she must have been experiencing. Neither of us did. We were simply moving forward with something we knew we had to do, no matter the chaotic circumstances that brought us here.

Months earlier, when I first learned about my friend’s mother’s swift decline, I felt utterly powerless. Living in California while she was in Connecticut made it impossible for me to offer any physical assistance. No one in my circle had ever faced a neurological condition as severe as her mother’s diagnosis, leaving me without any wisdom to share.

Somewhere along the journey, I started nurturing the idea that once things calmed down, we would escape together. I understood she would need a break more than ever, even if I couldn’t pinpoint when that would be.

A few months later, after she had secured a more stable living situation for her 79-year-old mother, the opportunity finally arose.

In April 2021, a fresh vision for modern outdoor adventure emerged in southern Utah’s Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument. A former drive-in movie theater, nestled among desert brush and vibrant sandstone cliffs, was transformed into a 20-acre desert lodging experience now known as Yonder Escalante.

“The idea is deeply rooted in the essence of the American road trip, aiming to connect travelers with timeless Americana—the nostalgia of our history, an appreciation for the present, and an optimistic view of the future,” says Charles Tate, the founder of Yonder.

In this secluded spot along Utah’s picturesque Byway 12, visitors are taken back in time through refurbished Airstream trailers from the 1960s, each featuring midcentury decor, a queen-size bed, a twin daybed, and a dining area, along with colorful vintage cars parked at the original drive-in theater, where guests can enjoy screenings of classic films.

However, the property also boasts a modern touch. Stylish black glass A-frame cabins, complete with cozy queen beds and twin daybeds, alongside spa-like communal bathhouses featuring outdoor rain showers, are designed to highlight the true star—the breathtaking desert landscape, characterized by striated, jagged plateaus in shades of deep red, orange, and brown.

The property features pull-in sites for RVs and campers, with all guests granted access to laundry facilities, a general store, a swimming pool, a hot tub, and the open-air lodge—the heart of the property, filled with comfy couches, board games, a vintage record player, and firepits. An on-site food truck offers delicious breakfast sandwiches and burgers, and guests can purchase meal kits at the general store, including seasoned chicken and flank steak, perfect for grilling over their private firepits.

Part campground, part resort for outdoor lovers, Yonder Escalante is primarily a haven for road trippers. The journey there isn’t straightforward, which adds to its charm. It’s almost a five-hour drive from the nearest major airports in Vegas to the west and Salt Lake City to the north. Whether you’re traveling cross-country, exploring the national parks of the West, or heading directly to Yonder, you’ll be on the road for several hours, providing ample time to shift into a new mindset.

After a brief silence and some deep breaths, my friend began to update me on her mother’s situation. As she spoke, she mustered the strength to call her sister, who was back home managing things. She informed her sister that their mother’s assisted living facility had reached out, that she had let the call go to voicemail, and hadn’t yet listened to the message. Her sister reassured her that she was in touch with the facility and that there was no need to worry. They had previously agreed that their trip to Utah would happen come what may, with her sister handling any arising issues. Hearing that reassurance over the phone moved my friend to tears.

“It’s just overwhelming,” she confided after ending the call. “Everything that’s happening and what I had to go through just to be here.”

“I understand,” I replied. “But somehow, we made it. We’re here now, and there’s no turning back.”

The reality was, my journey hadn’t been effortless either. My challenges paled in comparison to hers, but just as I was about to leave, my three-year-old daughter had come down with a stomach bug. It’s already tough knowing my husband has to handle our two young kids alone while I’m away, but with illness added to the mix, it’s hard for me to fully enjoy the road trip knowing my family is at home dealing with such difficulties.

After a couple more hours on the road, chatting about everything and nothing—work, kids, pets, home projects, and fond memories from our two-decade-long friendship—we realized it was time to refuel. We stopped at a roadside gas station seemingly in the middle of nowhere, marked by a sign that read, “Warning! Please do not feed the Sasquatch.” We couldn’t resist taking a photo of it amidst our laughter. Our playful silliness was resurfacing.

Later, we pulled over at the entrance to Dixie National Forest to capture our first views of the stunning rock formations and hoodoos that make this southwestern corner of Utah so renowned. As I reached into my purse to grab my phone, I discovered it was completely covered in warm yogurt that I had inexplicably packed after not finishing it on the plane. “The yogurt!” I exclaimed to my friend, who had already questioned my decision to bring it up earlier in the trip.

“Noooooo!” she exclaimed upon seeing the mess that had overtaken my belongings. We tossed the purse to the side of the road and began to sort through and clean the contents. We were laughing so hard we were in tears, causing passersby to stop and check if we were alright. No, not really. But we were going to be fine. Because we were on this adventure together, somehow finding joy despite the tragedy, trauma, and everyday challenges waiting for us back home.

Blending the essence of camping with comfort, balancing ruggedness and resort-style living, is what makes Yonder Escalante both unique and unforgettable. For travelers like us seeking a genuine escape from reality, this is the perfect place to disappear. I had cautioned my friend that while our cabin would undoubtedly be picturesque (hello, glass walls offering panoramic desert views) and cozy (plush bedding for the win), there would be no bathrooms in any of the accommodations. This meant venturing outside to the on-site bathhouses whenever nature called, even in the dead of night.

While the bathroom situation was certainly a bit inconvenient at times, it deepened our connection with the surroundings, compelling us to gaze at the night sky in all its splendor and appreciate the vastness of the desert at all hours. The serene quiet and stillness of the morning sunrise was especially breathtaking. We shared many laughs about our bathroom escapades, like when my friend attempted to shower in the cold, dark pre-dawn hours and returned to the cabin admitting that it wasn’t her brightest idea. (I opted for post-hike showers under the warm afternoon sun, which were honestly a dream.) The good news for those who prefer indoor bathrooms: new cabins featuring their own bathrooms and showers are currently under construction and will accommodate up to four guests, set to debut in March. (Yonder is closed for the winter season and will reopen on March 15.)

After getting settled at Yonder Escalante, complete with public bathhouses, my friend and I quickly fell into a routine over the next few days: a blissful escape filled with nature-packed adventures and minimal cellphone service, allowing us to fill our souls with immense joy and wonder . . . only to be jolted back to reality when our phones buzzed with incoming messages, often leading to tears of stress.

The emotional ups and downs of traveling amid personal struggles made the highs feel incredibly uplifting and the lows as profound as the depths of Bryce Canyon National Park that we traversed (both on horseback and on foot). We celebrated our triumph over fears of heights, challenging ourselves physically as we tackled the steep ascents of Peekaboo Gulch, and endured some of the toughest hikes we had ever faced, including the gut-tightening narrow slot canyons of Spooky Gulch, only to return to the weight of our home challenges.

Even if brief, these excursions into surreal landscapes and rugged adventures were invaluable. They provided a therapeutic escape like no other. When we ran out of words, reasons, and explanations for the “whys” of our situation, we simply hiked. And hiked. And hiked—until we were dirty, sweaty, exhausted, yet fulfilled. It didn’t matter that we had no solutions, no grand plans to fix the chaos. That wasn’t our purpose here; we came to escape, to hike, to find distraction, and to be awed by something far greater than ourselves—the boundless and often unimaginable beauty of nature.

At the end of each day, we returned to the warm and welcoming embrace of Yonder Escalante, our magical basecamp where our troubles from home remained unknown. Here, we could seamlessly blend into this idyllic no-man’s-land among nature enthusiasts, sharing daily adventure stories over delicious food-truck burgers and sips from a shared bottle of wine picked up at the general store. During those utterly delightful desert evenings—whether lounging in the hot tub, gathering in the lounge, or sitting under the stars in a classic car watching an old western—we were able to momentarily forget our cares in a place and time that felt wonderfully distant. For that, we will be eternally grateful.

Getting There

Yonder Escalante is nestled within Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument in southwestern Utah, approximately a five-hour drive from both Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Salt Lake City International Airport. It’s also 46 miles from Bryce Canyon National Park. Travelers who aren’t already on a road trip will likely need to rent a car at the airport to reach this secluded destination.