Cedar Canyon: No Reservation, No Plan & One Very Peaceful Night
Days two and three….
📍 Cedar Canyon Campground
🚙 148 miles
📈 Elevation Change: 4,900 feet
Favorite moment: Meeting friendly people.
September 11th started with leaving Great Basin National Park and heading toward Cedar City, Utah. My destination for the night was Cedar Canyon Campground, but unlike my previous stops, I didn't have a reservation. The plan was basically to show up and hope for the best.
As it turned out, I had nothing to worry about. When I arrived, the campground was completely empty. I had my choice of sites and, at least for a little while, the entire campground to myself. After a few days on the road, it felt a little strange to pull into such a quiet place and realize there wasn't another camper around.
That changed as the evening went on and a few more people began arriving, but it never stopped feeling peaceful.
A Few Friendly Faces
One of the things I remember most about Cedar Canyon wasn't a particular view or hike. It was the people I met.
At one point, a nice older gentleman, Tom Watson, stopped nearby to collect some of the spring water. He wandered over and we ended up chatting for a while. When he introduced himself he said his name is “Tom Watson, like the golfer”. It was one of those completely random conversations you have while traveling that you could never plan for.
Then there was David, the campground host. David made a point of checking that I was comfortable with my campsite and had everything I needed. He was heading into town and even offered to pick something up for me at the store if I needed anything. It was such a simple gesture, but when you're traveling and camping on your own, that kind of thoughtfulness means a lot.
David also suggested that I continue up Highway 14 and take the scenic drive through the canyon.
So, naturally, I did.
Somehow I Ended Up in Duck Creek
What started as a scenic drive up Highway 14 eventually took me all the way to Duck Creek.
And once I got there, I did what I tend to do when I have some time, a truck and no particular schedule.
I started exploring dirt roads.
There’s something about turning off the pavement and following a road simply because I want to know where it goes. I spent some time wandering around the Duck Creek area, exploring the forest and enjoying a completely different landscape from the desert and alpine scenery of the previous few days.
There wasn't really a destination. I was just exploring.
And sometimes those are my favorite drives.
The Sound of Absolutely Nothing
Eventually, I made my way back down the canyon to camp.
By then, a few other campers had arrived, so I wasn't alone anymore. But the campground remained incredibly quiet.
That night, I had one of the best nights of sleep of the entire trip.
No traffic. No generators. No people talking. No doors slamming.
The only thing I remember hearing was the sound of crickets chirping outside.
After several days of driving, hiking, exploring and constantly thinking about where I was headed next, there was something wonderful about lying there in the darkness and hearing almost nothing at all.
Cedar Canyon wasn't a stop I had carefully planned. I didn't have a reservation, a big hike scheduled or a list of things I needed to see.
I simply showed up, found a campsite, met a couple of genuinely kind people, followed a scenic highway into the mountains, wandered down some dirt roads and came back to one of the quietest nights I can remember.
Sometimes the unplanned stops turn out to be some of the best ones.
Thanks for journeying with me!
~ Bridget
