What Is It Like on the Moon(scape)?
Since my last road trip through southern Utah in 2021, visiting the Moonscape Overlook has been a top bucket list item. When I was planning another trip to the area, I made it a priority—and I’m glad I did, especially since a friend wanted to join me!
Yes, I went to the Moon with a friend instead of solo.
But Bel, isn’t Wandering Bel all about solo travel?
Well, about 95% of the time it is! And one day, I'll write about my thoughts on traveling with others versus solo.
But for now, let’s focus on being on the Moon—while still on Earth! As I mentioned in my other post, “Top 6 Places to Visit Near Hanksville, UT,” the Moonscape is an otherworldly landscape—a vast canvas of gray and white mesas.
When I stood at the edge, looking out into the abyss, an eerie silence fell over the area despite the strong wind. I kept thinking,
How is this real? How is this on Earth?
As the sun set behind the clouds, it turned the sky an eerie reddish/yellowish color, giving the gray and white landscape a slight yellowish hue.
That's when I finally felt like I could breathe again, away from the nonstop pace of this four-day trip, mixed with the stress and craziness of DC and another bad cold. As the golden hour arrived, I was still amazed by how the light kept shifting, painting the scene in shades of gold and gray.
Just as the last light faded, darkness fell; the only sources of light were headlamps and the Milky Way overhead. If you hadn’t already felt the vastness, you did now, surrounded by darkness with only the stars above and the risk of a misstep causing you to fall about 1,400 feet into the crater. We made sure to stay far from the edge. I’ve seen the Milky Way many times, but lying on the clay dirt, looking up at the sky, I couldn’t help but wonder,
How the hell am I on the Moon, looking at the Milky Way while still on Earth? How is this real?
The slow life, the wonderment. I didn’t want this moment to end. I wanted the stillness to last forever.
The next morning, my friend and the reddish glow of dusk woke me up. For a moment, I forgot where I was, until I looked outside my car window and saw the vastness light up again. The wind was still howling, and I was nervous about getting on the famous Instagram edge at the Moonscape Overlook, but I am so happy I did. For that short while, fear went away and I felt free—a moment I won’t ever forget!
This was worth the sickness, the stress, the long hours in the car, and the fear of traveling with someone, because, for once, I was glad to experience something like this with someone else.
The Moonscape isn’t just an awe-inspiring place; it’s a soul-stirring experience, a break from the everyday routine. I hope you enjoy the Moonscape. Let me know what you think! I recommend visiting for sunset, camping, and sunrise. You won’t regret it!
Two amazing photographers took every photo in this post. One is my friend, who was with me on the trip, and the other is a photographer we met while on the moon…scape.