Mallory || Roaming the Southwest 🧡

“When is the best time to visit Southern Utah?” This is easily one of the most common questions I get. The truth is — there isn’t one perfect month. Every season in the Southwest is completely different. Here’s the quick breakdown and swipe through the carousel to see average temperatures for each month of the year. Average temperatures are from Moab, so it’s important to note that even further south ca be warmer! Spring (March–May) One of the best times for hiking. Comfortable temps, desert wildflowers, and longer days — but crowds ramp up quickly by April. Summer (June–August) AKA HADES Great for river trips and high elevation trails like Bryce Canyon or Cedar Breaks… but lower elevations are basically Hades. Expect dangerous heat and afternoon monsoon storms. Fall (September–November) Another incredible hiking season. Cooler temps, fewer crowds after October, and fall color in higher elevations. Winter (December–February) Underrated and honestly my favorite. Quiet trails, cold air, and the chance to see snow dusting the red rocks. If you’re planning a Southern Utah road trip, the “best” time really depends on whether you want comfortable hiking weather, fewer crowds, or you might be limited to time off from school. Personally? Winter wins for me every time with fall being a close second. If you’ve been around here for a while, you know how much I love all colors.

Oh my goodness! So many new faces here so far this year! My account is 13 years old aka old as dirt in IG years, so it’s been weird to see growth as of recently 😂 ✨ Hi! I’m Mallory, a Southwest local sharing my favorite experiences and adventures that I’ve come to love over the last 10 years. I previously only shared our new adventures across the globe, but have shifted to helping YOU adventure in the Southwest and keeping our personal travels more private. Here are some fun facts about me: 1️⃣ I’m an ICU/Emergency Medicine Pharmacist and work full time servicing the areas of Southern Utah and Western Colorado 2️⃣ We have one daughter — ONE AND DONE — she was conceived via IVF in 2020 and born spring 2021 after a long battle with infertility 3️⃣ I live all year long to photograph fall colors on the Western slope of Colorado — if I could manage a full time Autumn account I probably would lol 4️⃣ I’m originally from Arkansas and moved to Colorado almost 10 years ago // that’s when I started sharing our adventures on IG — with some big breaks due to infertility, C0v!d ICU, and miscarriages 5️⃣ I have a love affair with the desert, but it’s the San Juan Mountains that brought me out west 6️⃣ My top 3 favorite Utah hikes — The Subway, Druid Arch, and Coyote Gulch 7️⃣ My favorite Colorado hikes don’t have official trails — but pretty much any 13er or alpine lake in the San Juan will do 8️⃣ My favorite Utah National Parks ranked from LEAST to FAVORITE: Bryce, Zion, Arches, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands 9️⃣ My top 3 favorite areas of Utah — Bears Ears, Escalante, Hanksville 🗺️ Ready to explore? As a Southwest local for the last 10 years, I’m here to share the BEST this region has to offer. From top photo spots and thrilling adventures to unique stays and must-try local cuisine, I’ll help make your visit unforgettable. Check out my Southwest Guide I have linked in my bio and I even help curate personalized itineraries based on what YOU want to explore. Code REXBY10 for a special discount. ✨ I’m an open book — so ask away — but tag me if you do! I’m awful at messages. I’m so happy you’re here and would love to learn something about you or why you’re here ⬇️

⚠️ Unpopular opinion: I have zero desire being a full-time content creator. Swipe for my reasons why. ➡️ This might ruffle a few feathers, but it’s not personal, it’s just my story. Some of my closest friends are full-time creators, and they’re amazing at it. It’s their dream, but it’s just not mine. Content creation is hard. The hustle is real — planning, posting, editing, shooting, collaborating, pitching — usually all at once. I started creating as a release in 2014 during residency — something I do for joy, community, connection, and fun. That’s enough. When money gets involved, it starts to feel less like a creative outlet and more like work. I create because I love it, but I also love my career — the challenges, the hard moments, and the fulfillment it brings in ways content never could. And let’s be real…my ADHD self NEEDS the structured chaos. If you don’t want to chase content creation full-time, that’s okay. And if you do, that’s okay too. Your community, your life, your joy, and your dream — they can look exactly how you want them to. Here’s your reminder that you don’t have to turn your passion into your paycheck if you don’t want to. ✨

✨ If Escalante, Utah isn’t on your Southwest road trip — you need to add it right now. This is one of the most spectacular and underrated adventure towns in all of Southern Utah, and it’s one of my favorite places. 🚨 Comment GUIDE and I’ll send you my Southwest guide — 350+ hikes, overlooks, drives, pre-made itineraries, and stops I’ve personally explored so you don’t waste your time 🧡 PART 4 of 9 // SOUTHWEST ROAD TRIP TOWNS // ESCALANTE, UTAH 🥾 WHAT TO HIKE Devil’s Garden (Metate & Mano Arch area) * Easy wandering among hoodoos + arches * Mostly flat, explore at your own pace * FREE Peekaboo + Spooky Slot Canyons * ~3.5–4 miles RT loop * Narrow, non-technical slots — NOT GOOD IF CLAUSTROPHOBIC * Dry conditions only — avoid if rain is in forecast * FREE Escalante River Trail to Escalante Natural Bridge * ~4 miles RT * Multiple shallow river crossings (10 total) * Mostly flat, sandy sections * FREE Lower Calf Creek Falls * 6 miles RT * ~500 ft elevation gain * Ends at a 126-foot waterfall * Day use fee $5 (covered with America the Beautiful Pass) 🛏 WHERE TO STAY @oflandhotels — it’s always my go to ☕ WHERE TO EAT * Coffee at Kiva Koffeehouse (views over the canyon = unreal, especially with spring green cottonwoods) * Dinner at @hellsbackbonegrill — locally sourced and the black powder biscuits are to die for, seriously. I mean it when I say it’s my favorite restaurant in Southern Utah * Breakfast at Little Bone Food Truck in Boulder * Pizza post hike at Escalante Outfitters Escalante is one of my favorite places in the state and there’s a little something for everyone. Follow along for the rest of the Southwest Road Trip Towns series — Mexican Hat, Santa Fe, Sedona, St. George, and Page still to come. Past stops — Kanab, Moab, Hanksville. 🏜️

✨ If Hanksville, Utah isn’t on your Southwest road trip — it needs to be. One of the most underrated adventure towns in all of Southern Utah, and the population is only 200. 🚨 Comment GUIDE and I’ll send you my Southwest guide — 350+ hikes, overlooks, drives, pre-made itineraries, and stops I’ve personally explored so you don’t waste your time. PART 3 of 9 // SOUTHWEST ROAD TRIP TOWNS // HANKSVILLE, UTAH The best little adventure town you’ve never heard of. While you’re there, grab a burger from Stan’s and coffee from Mowgli’s. 1️⃣ Little Wild Horse Canyon Arguably the best non-technical slot canyon in Utah. 🥾 3–5 miles out & back to see the best narrows 🥾 8-mile loop with Bell Canyon 🚗 Road is easy to the trailhead Get there early — this one fills up fast in spring. 2️⃣ Bentonite Hills (Rainbow Hills) Colorful striped clay hills that look unreal in photos. Best at blue hour or on cloudy days. ⚠️ Roads can become impassable when wet ⚠️ Extremely fragile soil — stay on existing tracks and washes 🚫 Check land designation before flying drones (some are in wilderness areas) 3️⃣ Factory Butte A massive desert monolith recognizable from almost anywhere. Iconic Hanksville landscape and the road is accessible to all passenger vehicles. 4️⃣ Skyline Rim / Moonscape Overlook A classic overlook with an overused phrase of anything referencing the moon. ⚠️ The edges are unstable and crumbly. There have been fatalities here. Stay far back from cliff edges — no photo is worth your life. 5️⃣ Chamber of the Basilisk (Goblin’s Lair) A massive cave behind Goblin Valley State Park. Worth the hike — and if you continue about 0.25 miles farther, you can also see Goblette’s Lair. 6️⃣ Leprechaun Canyon One of the most photogenic slot canyons near Hanksville. 🥾 ~2.2 miles round trip Kid-friendly and dog-friendly in the main fork 🚨 Flash flood reminder: Always check the surrounding weather, before entering any slot canyon — storms miles away can create dangerous flooding. Follow along for the rest of the Southwest Road Trip Towns series — Escalante, St. George, Santa Fe, Sedona, Mexican Hat, and Page still to come. Past stops — Kanab, Moab.

✨ If Moab is on your Southwest road trip — you already know. But there’s more here than just Arches. Save this before you go. 🚨 Comment GUIDE and I’ll send you my Southwest guide — 350+ hikes, overlooks, drives, pre-made itineraries, and stops I’ve personally explored so you don’t waste your time 🧡🏜️ PART 2 of 9 // SOUTHWEST ROAD TRIP TOWNS // MOAB, UTAH 1️⃣ Arches National Park Home to 2,000+ natural stone arches. Don’t miss: Delicate Arch (3 miles RT) Landscape Arch (1.6 miles RT) Windows Section (easy, short loops) 2️⃣ Canyonlands National Park — Island in the Sky Massive overlooks with minimal hiking required. Mesa Arch (0.7 miles RT) Grand View Point (2 miles RT) Green River Overlook and Shafer Trail Viewpoint (steps from parking lot) 3️⃣ Corona Arch One of the most iconic arches near Moab — and not inside a national park. 🥾 3 miles RT 🚂 Cross train tracks + short ladder sections Best of all — it’s FREE. 4️⃣ Dead Horse Point State Park Arguably one of the best Colorado River overlooks in Utah. Easy rim trails, epic sunset views. 🎟 $20 entrance fee 5️⃣ Fisher Towers Dramatic red rock spires that feel straight out of a Western film. 🥾 4.5 miles RT Moderate but incredibly scenic. 6️⃣ Potash Road or Highway 128 Two of the most scenic drives in all of Moab — both hug the Colorado River and show you a side of this place most people miss from the trailhead. 💡 Moab gets crowded. Start early, book campgrounds in advance, and expect limited parking at major trailheads. Save this for your Moab itinerary and follow along for the rest of the Southwest Road Trip Towns series — Escalante, Santa Fe, Sedona, St. George, Mexican Hat, Hanksville, and Page still to come. 🏜️

✨ If Kanab, Utah is on your Southwest road trip — save this. It’s one of the most underrated base camps in all of Southern Utah, and most people just drive through it. 🚨 Comment GUIDE and I’ll send you my Southwest guide — 350+ hikes, overlooks, drives, pre-made itineraries, and stops I’ve personally explored so you don’t waste your time 🧡🏜️ PART 1 of 9 // SOUTHWEST ROAD TRIP TOWNS // KANAB, UTAH 1️⃣ White Pocket (Vermilion Cliffs National Monument) One of the most surreal sandstone landscapes in the Southwest and a great alternative if you didn’t win Wave permits. ⚠️ True high-clearance 4WD required. Deep sand. Remote roads. 2️⃣ Wire Pass to Buckskin Gulch Start at the same trailhead as The Wave and hike into Buckskin Gulch — one of the longest slot canyons in the world. 🎟 $6 per person/dog (day use permit) 📍 An incredible alternative if you didn’t win The Wave permit. 3️⃣ Peekaboo Slot Canyon (Kanab) Also called Red Canyon Slot. A short, family-friendly slot canyon with ladder climbs and beautiful narrow walls. 🚙 Deep sand access road — high clearance recommended and sand driving experience 🥾 ~1 mile round trip Perfect intro slot canyon near Kanab. 4️⃣ Coral Pink Sand Dunes A fun stop for all ages — roam freely or sandboard the dunes. 🐶 Dog friendly on leash 💰 $15 out of state | $10 UT residents 5️⃣ Toadstool Hoodoos 1.5 miles round trip off Highway 89 between Kanab and Page. Kid-friendly, dog-friendly, fully exposed — pack sunscreen and water. 6️⃣ Sand Caves (Kanab) Man-made caves right off Hwy 89. Less than 1 mile round trip and an easy stop between Zion and Bryce Canyon. Please don’t add to the graffiti — visit with respect. 7️⃣ Belly of the Dragon A quick tunnel stop just outside Kanab. Not a full hike, but fun for kids and a worthwhile roadside pull-off. 🚨 Flash flood reminder: Never enter a slot canyon or wash if rain is in the forecast — even miles away. Save this for your Kanab itinerary and follow along for the rest of the Southwest Road Trip Towns series — including Moab, Escalante, St. George, Santa Fe, Sedona, Mexican Hat, Hanksville, and Page. 🏜️

✨If you were planning a weekend in Glenwood Springs, this is exactly what I’d tell you to do. The best part? You can park your car and pretty much leave it all weekend (except for one hike.) 🚨 If you’re looking for an easy Colorado weekend trip, SAVE this for planning. This weekend was made possible by @visitglenwood — a place we genuinely love and frequently visit in the heart of western Colorado. || AD Day 1️⃣ — ARRIVE + WALK DOWNTOWN + ICE CREAM + PIZZA • Arrive in Glenwood Springs and check into Holiday Inn Express Glenwood Springs
• Park your car — you won’t need it tonight
• Grab ice cream at Sundae Ice Cream
• Wander downtown and search for the “Find Your Wings’ Butterfly wings
• Optional stops:
– Doc Holliday Collection
– Glenwood Springs Toy Shop
– Alpenglow Books
• Dinner at Rocky Mountain Pizza Co. or Smoke (some of the best BBQ in Colorado) Day 2️⃣ — HANGING LAKE + TACOS + HOT SPRINGS + BREWERY • Free breakfast at the hotel
• Drive ~15 minutes into Glenwood Canyon (only driving you’ll really need to do)
• Hike Hanging Lake (1.2 miles RT and requires a permit, see linked reel for more info)
• Don’t skip Spouting Rock at the top
• Tacos for lunch at Slope & Hatch
• Walk to Glenwood Hot Springs Pool and spend the afternoon soaking
• Dinner at Glenwood Canyon Brewpub Day 3️⃣ — QUICK HIKE + ADVENTURE PARK • Breakfast at Daily Bread, Sweet Coloradough, or Rosi’s Little Bavarian
• Hike up to Doc Holliday Grave (short, uphill, great view) 
• Walk to the gondola → Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park
• Spend the day exploring rides, cave tours, and viewpoints
• Staying next door = free parking, easy access, quick breaks if needed I’ve lived on the Western Slope of Colorado for 10 years, and Glenwood Springs has one of my favorite downtowns in the entire state. You can literally walk everywhere from most accomodations and the heart of downtown. Have you been to Glenwood Springs? What else do you recommend for a weekend trip?

This experience was made possible by @visitglenwood — a place we genuinely love and frequently visit on our own in the heart of western Colorado. || AD Hanging Lake is one of the most beautiful (and popular) hikes in Colorado. The last time I hiked this was before the permit system, and honestly, it’s a completely different experience now. We had an early time slot and having actual solitude on the trail and at the lake made such a difference. They’ve done so much work on the trail after it closed from the Grizzly Creek Fire, and honestly, you’d never really know. The trail looks so good. 🥾 HIKE STATS AT-A-GLANCE • Distance: 3.2 miles roundtrip from parking lot • Elevation Gain: ~1,200 ft in 1.2 miles • Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous (short, but steep + rocky so difficulty is subjective // it’s not easy for most) • Time: 2–3 hours • Trail Type: Out & back 🎟 PERMIT + RESERVATION INFO • Permit required year-round • Timed-entry system (arrive during your window) • Cost: $12/person • Book through the official Hanging Lake reservation system through Visit Glenwood • Pets NOT allowed ⚠️ Know before you go • Steep climb with quick elevation gain — not an easy walk. 1,048 stairs to be exact. Ask me how I know. • Stay on trail — the ecosystem is extremely fragile • No swimming or touching the water • Restrooms available at the trailhead If there’s one Colorado lake hike you need to add to your bucket list, it’s this one. Conveniently located right off I70, it’s a great add-on if you’re driving across the state. Want to know our entire itinerary? Stay tuned because it’s coming SOON. 💚 #visitglenwood

📌 Mark May 1 on your calendar if you’re visiting Western Colorado soon because the adventure park fully opens for the season with all rides running. 🥳 BUT If you’re afraid of heights, Glenwood Caverns Adventure Park might not be for you. Kidding — there’s truly something for everyone at the top and the views alone (with your feet on the ground 😉) are worth it. Sitting 1,300 feet above the Colorado River, most of the rides quite literally swing you out over the edge—with nothing underneath. It’s the only mountaintop theme park in the country, and the only way up is by gondola. It’s okay if heights aren’t your thing. There are plenty of other things to do and see like the two cave tours right within the park. Is this on your Colorado bucket list? The alpine coaster will forever be my favorite. (Video footage from our family trip in August 2025) Don’t sleep on @visitglenwood — Glenwood Springs is one of our favorite easy getaways in Western Colorado and is so walkable and family-friendly. Going to be sharing our exact weekend itinerary with you SOON so be sure to follow along.

11/10 bench view in Colorado. Located along the perimeter trail in Ouray, Colorado, this is one of my favorite bench views in the state, or maybe it’s bc I’m usually huffing and puffing so hard at this point I’m always so happy to arrive.

‼️ If you let Google Maps plan your trip to Southern Utah, you might completely miss the best scenic drive in Utah. If you’re driving from Bryce Canyon to Capitol Reef, Google will try and tell you to go North and around through Loa because it’s quicker, but THIS is the way you need to go instead. 🗺️ Highway 12 in Utah is 122 miles and one of the most scenic drives in the US — running between Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef with views of red rocks, aspen groves across Boulder Mountain, and desert canyons along the way. Stop for a break and hike slot canyons outside of Escalante, drive the Burr Trail, grab coffee at Kiva Koffeehouse, and eat dinner at Hell’s Backbone in Boulder. My favorite section of road? The Hogback between Boulder and Escalante. 📌 Follow @hello_mallory for more hikes, tips, and places to explore across the Desert Southwest and Southern Utah.