Journeys Red Rock Reverie

JOURNEYS

YOUR PASSPORT TO THE MOST FASCINATING CORNERS OF THE GLOBE 

WANDERLUST

RED ROCK REVERIE

AT GLAMPING RETREAT ULUM, LUXURIATE IN UTAH’S CANYON
COUNTRY, SURROUNDED BY MARQUEE PARKLANDS

BY PAUL RUBIO                                                                                               

A visit to eastern Utah feels somewhere between a journey to
Earth’s core and another planet altogether. At the nexus of national
and state parklands, uninhabited, ethereal landscapes stretch in every
direction. Steep ridgelines and canyons reveal true wrinkles in time,
topography shaped over millions of years. Colossal boulders teeter on precipices beside formations that shift from smooth sandstone to jag-ged and foreboding, carving valleys, hills, and sudden drops. Against

this palette of rust and amber, the sky does
its own work: dramatic cloud formations
casting spectrums of blue and violet, with
flashes of green from pockets of flora. The
scene changes by the hour, each shift in

light recasting the terrain. The natural splen-
dor here ranks among the most extraordi-
nary in the United States—and it refuses to

hold still.
Reaching this remote corner of Utah by
air typically means connecting through
Phoenix or Denver onto Contour Airlines,
the only commercial carrier serving Moab.
While connections aren’t always ideal, the                                                                          
final leg more than compensates. The flight

doubles as a pilot-led overview of the Amer- 
ican Southwest’s greatest hits, especially via

Phoenix, tracing paths over the Grand Can-
yon, Lake Powell, and Capitol Reef National

Park before circling closer to the visual apex
of red rock country: Arches National Park
and Canyonlands National Park, with the La
Sal Mountains rising in the distance. Seeing
the scale from above sharpens the moment
of landing and the immersion that follows.

For those arriving by private aircraft, the ap-
proach delivers the same perspective. Once

on the ground, Ulum Moab Luxury Resort

places you squarely within it, a new glamp-
ing retreat set on its own sweep of archland.

Opened in 2023, Ulum is an elevated
offshoot of Under Canvas, a hotel brand
known for its casual, safari-inspired tented

camps near national parks. True luxury ac-
commodations close to U.S. national parks

remain surprisingly scarce, which makes
Ulum’s arrival especially well timed. Here,
the concept goes further: a remote 200-acre
setting, larger and more fully equipped
tents (about 360 square feet), and common
spaces that feel considered without trying
too hard. Each of the 50 tents includes a

king bed, private deck, rain shower, wood-
burning stove, and in-tent cooling. The cen-
tral hub—a restaurant and bar framed by          

retractable glass—looks out over sand-
stone formations and a trio of pools, with

viewing decks and firepits incorporated
into the terrain using natural materials.
The entire site faces Looking Glass Arch,
an easy hike and a constant presence,
with wide-open views stretching toward
Canyonlands National Park.
Ulum sits about 30 minutes from
Moab, close enough for park access, far
enough to feel removed. Days here build
quickly: one or two in Arches, another
in Canyonlands, another at Dead Horse
Point State Park. The Colorado River is
within reach for rafting, whether you

want something gentle or more techni-
cal. Beyond the parks, there are end-
less miles of trails, scenic drives, and no

shortage of places to pause and take it all
in, plus opportunities for rappelling and
serious rock climbing. Ulum can arrange
much of it, but a rental car is a must if
you want to move beyond the property.
It’s just as easy to stay put. The setting alone
justifies a slower day (or two). Looking Glass

Arch is a short walk away, and the resort’s res-
taurant turns out thoughtful dishes using local

ingredients—radicchio Caesar, grilled trout, bi-
son ravioli. A massage therapist works out of the

“wellness cave,” a century-old man-made space

carved into sandstone and repurposed as a treat-
ment room. Three dipping pools range from cold

plunge to hot, with one in between. At dusk,

guests gather for s’mores and conversation be-
fore the desert sky takes over. From your private
 

terrace or the shared firepits, the stars come into
focus in a way that’s hard to replicate elsewhere.
Ulum comes close to perfect—no small feat
in a region where true luxury near the parks

is scarce—but it isn’t without limitation: it op-
erates seasonally, shaped by the same desert

conditions that formed the landscape around
it. For 2026, the camp closes October 29 and is

expected to reopen in late March 2027. Howev-
er, while the camp may close with the season,

for those who’ve experienced Ulum, the place
never really lets you leave. (ulumresorts.com,
visitutah.com)