Despite the stifling 110° heat and strange mini haboob we experienced the first night, my sister and I (along with Women on Adventures) had a lovely time camping at Lake Powell in Utah.
Just across the Arizona border lies the appropriately named Lone Rock Beach, whose most notable feature is the massive rock that juts up from the center of the lake.
After entering the park (and paying the $25 entrance fee plus $14 a night to camp), one of the strangest skies I've ever seen welcomed us to our campsite. The effect of a nearby storm during sunset created a lavender sky and cast an ethereal glow over the beach.
The distant storm also brought winds that blew sand across our campsite, making it hard to enjoy the evening. But if there's one group that wouldn't be deterred by sand blowing in our eyes, it's WoA. We thought this the perfect time to break out the wine, whiskey fudge, and Fireball Rumchata shots—ending the night on an overall good note.
We began the next day with a trip to Horseshoe Bend, which was about 15 miles from the campsite. The hike was only a mile or so long and definitely worth the trip.
We spent the rest of the morning galavanting the water on SUP boards, exploring an offset of the lake until we were sufficiently burnt and hungry. After lunch and a Bloody Mary, my sister and I went on a photography drive in an effort to escape the midday heat. We weren't disappointed with the views.
Our second night proved to be much more enjoyable than the first. We feasted on a potluck dinner during another beautiful (albeit less strange) sunset and the most beautiful night sky I've ever seen. Naturally, we brought more food than we could all eat so we invited a couple camping next to us to join. They turned out to be an Arizona native and her friend from Israel, whom she was giving a shotgun tour of the state before he continued to a friend's in L.A.
Since we woke at 5:30 am when the sun rose, we decided to get an early start on the road. If it weren't for my car battery dying at a gas station in Page, we would have stopped by Monument Valley or Antelope Canyon—both of which were not far out of the way and would have been well worth the detour.
I guess we'll just have to save those for next time.