here comes the sun: exploring nature during quarantine

If I were to sum up this article in just two short and simple words, they would be: GO OUTSIDE!

Breathing fresh air, stepping on grass or dirt, sweating a little, and even swatting away some pesky mosquitoes does wonders to a body that has been cooped up inside for what feels like years. I know this because I myself ventured out into Utah’s great outdoors so I could write this article for you and I have concluded that my state’s wonders are indeed great. Over this self-distancing period I have gone on many hikes, including one conveniently named “Corona Arch Hike” located in Moab, Utah.

In the last few weeks, I put on my Chacos, grabbed my sunglasses, cracked open a Redbull (my signature beverage) and headed out the door into the mountains and deserts for a change of scenery. My granola experiences include Vernal, Utah, where I did a hike called “Red Fleet” and saw some incredible fossilized dinosaur tracks. I visited Goblin Valley, where I played and explored in a playground of “hoodoo” formations until my Chacos were covered in the signature red rock dirt that characterizes Southern Utah. I made the trek to Juab County in order to see “Paul Bunyan’s Woodpile,” made of fossilized, neatly stacked, lava flow from 30,000 years ago. My best friend Ke’ea and I drove through all of Antelope Island and then discovered “Farmington Canyon''. I ventured up Neffs Canyon with my friend Ana in order to eat homemade acai bowls and take sunset pictures. And I even went up to Northern Utah to see Bear Lake and did a hike on the way back home. (Note: The two people I mentioned have been in quarantine for weeks and so have I, so we decided that it would be okay if we saw each other. Remember to safely social distance).

My favorite of these adventures so far was the Corona Arch Hike in Moab. This 1.5 mile hike is definitely fit for thrill seekers with its slightly dangerous cliffs, semi-challenging climbs, and working railroad that you must cross at the beginning of the hike (LOOK BOTH WAYS!). I highly recommend doing this hike if you live in Utah or ever come to visit. The terrain is made of slickrock (with that familiar red dirt) and desert flora. At the end, you arrive at not one BUT two arches. The main and largest one, Corona Arch, is 105 feet tall and 140 feet wide. The second is the Bowtie Arch, which is less like an arch and more like hole in the mountain but maintains its natural mystery and speaks to the fascinating nature of earth’s creations.

Getting outside and doing short hikes has been amazing for my mental and physical health. The views I’ve seen are unforgettable and beautiful. It’s crazy to think that there is an entire world out there that is unexplored and untouched. Nature is flourishing, and growing and evolving and most importantly it is unbothered. This pandemic is not stopping flowers from blooming or baby deer from being born. Be more like nature, forget your worries, however big they might be, and for just an hour enjoy the sun and wind on your face. You will not regret it. Going hiking with my family and friends has been the highlight of my quarantine (and my Instagram is enjoying it too).

I am a city girl at heart, but I have to admit the granola lifestyle is quite rewarding. I have learned that hiking is extremely calming, and as soon as you reach the top of that mountain, or you see that arch, or even just a pretty sunset, you get this overwhelming feeling that you’ve accomplished something. Lately, it has been hard for me to become motivated, because the scenery I see is the same everyday - the view outside my bedroom window, more or less. Online school can feel pointless since many schools have switched to pass-fail grading systems. However, there are ways to combat that monotonous routine and never changing view. Getting outside to do a hike once or twice during the week makes me feel like I’ve done something worthwhile, as I’ve taken care of my physical health and also respected the beauty of the earth (which I perhaps wouldn’t be doing if I were able to go to the movies or the mall). If you’re feeling down, I urge you to seek a change of scenery and create a new “normal.”

#nature #exploring #travel #wanderlust