Recap of Escalante UT Mom Retreat
Another Awesome Trip
It’s time to share all the fun details from our most recent mom retreat. Just a few weeks ago, 8 fellow moms and me got to spend 3 nights and 4 days playing in beautiful Escalante, Utah.
My hope with this blog post is to capture some of the fun experiences and memories we made and to inspire those of you that didn’t join us to consider signing up for the next retreat – because honestly they are SO FUN!
Day One
Day one was a travel day for everyone. What time we did have in Escalante was spent getting settled into our rooms and enjoying a tasty dinner at Escalante Outfitters.
Escalante Outfitters is a fun little restaurant/gear shop location. They have delicious pizza and salad options, along with indoor and outdoor seating. If you are in the area it is definitely worth a stop. Some of us actually ate there twice on the trip because we liked it so much!
After dinner we did a simple get to know you activity and then headed to bed so we could be well rested for our first full day of adventure.
Day Two
On day two our original plan was to hike Spooky and Peek-a-Boo slot canyons. But with rain threatening, we chose to alter our plans and headed to the Lower Calf Creek Falls trailhead. This trailhead is extremely popular and the parking lot fills up fast. Lucky for us we were able to get out of the house relatively quickly and snag a coveted parking stall.
Lower Calf Creek Falls is a 6.1 out and back trail that takes you to a beautiful waterfall. The trail wasn’t overly crowded and the water was especially icy. Once we arrived, we enjoyed spending some time at the falls, taking pictures, and eating snacks. On our hike back it did rain a bit – but the cloud coverage and light rain was nice given how exposed the trail is.
Please be aware that the trail is almost completely sand the whole way so it is definitely a harder hike. If you haven’t done it and would like to check it out, I would recommend visiting during the week, early in the morning, in the spring or fall. The trailhead will be closing for two months on July 8, 2024 for construction.
After hiking back out we headed back to the house for lunch, showers, and a wonderful water color class taught by Keri. It was a great way to spend the afternoon after a long, hard hike.
That evening we headed to 4th West Pub for dinner. Interestingly enough a lot of restaurants (and the visitor center) are closed on Wednesdays. This is partially due to the need to be open on the weekend, but I think it might also be due to supply shipments. When we visited 4th West Pub they were out of a lot of things (i.e. lettuce, avocado, etc.) due to it being the day before they got a new shipment of food. Just something to keep in mind if you are in Escalante on a Wednesday and decide to go out to eat.
Day Three
Day three was our big canyoneering day. Unfortunately, due to being 6 months pregnant I was not allowed to go canyoneering so I can’t speak directly to the experience. However, in speaking with the group they had an AWESOME time! I worked with Excursions of Escalante to facilitate the activity. They are only canyoneering outfitter in Escalante and are very thorough and provided the participants with a super fun experience. Below are some pictures from the day.
That night we went to dinner at the newly opened North Creek Grill. The ambiance is beautiful (especially the patio) and the food was excellent. It was a bit on the pricy side, but everyone thoroughly enjoyed their meal. I would definitely recommend checking it out if you are in the area and want a nice sit down meal.
That evening we had a camp fire and enjoyed the clear night skies of Escalante before heading to bed.
Day Four
For our last day in Escalante, we got an early start and headed out to hike Spooky and Peek-a-Boo Slot Canyon. This trail can also get VERY busy, but lucky for us we were able to beat the crowds and only really encountered one other small group in the canyons. Given how tight these slot canyons are, it is recommended that you do them in a loop with Peek-a-Boo first and then Spooky. This makes things flow smoother if all the traffic is moving in the same direction.
The approach (getting into Peek-a-Boo) was definitely the trickiest, but with some awesome team work we were all able to navigate it (even with the large water puddles – thanks Megan :).
There is also a recent rock fall in Spooky, which you have to climb under which was dark and tight, but we all made it through (even me with my very large belly).
It was a fun way to end the trip. On our way back out we made a quick stop at Devil’s Garden, had lunch at Escalante Outfitters, and then headed home.
Overall it was a successful trip and everyone seemed to have a great time. Personally, I liked that our group was smaller (only 9 of us total). It seemed to help the group gel more quickly and overall have a fun time together.
Next Retreat
Hopefully, after reading this you are wondering – when is your next retreat 🙂
Our next retreat will be in September 2025 and we will be heading to the Oregon Coast (specifically, the Cannon Beach area).
On that retreat we will be doing a lot of hiking, surfing, and hopefully at least one afternoon workshop (water color, photography, etc.). Registration for the September retreat will be as follows:
- I will supply my email list with the cost of the retreat in spring 2025 (that way you can start planning and saving for it if you want to attend).
- At that time, if you want to guarantee your spot you can pay a $50 registration fee. Your registration fee will then be applied toward your retreat registration fee when registration opens. Space for the Oregon Coast retreat will be limited (most likely only 9-11 spots).
- Enrollment will only be open for 1 week. I will notify you when enrollment will be when details are sent out in spring 2025. If I cannot fill the retreat that week, it will be canceled.
Until Next Time
Welp, that’s it for me. I hope you enjoyed the fun pictures and details from the Escalante retreat. If you have any questions about our upcoming retreat feel free to comment on this post or you can email me directly at anne@adventures-after-kids.com
Until next time, I hope you have a wonderful summer adventuring!
