Bryce Canyon Women’s Retreat: Red Rock and Stargazing in the Utah Desert
Our Bryce Canyon women’s retreat took a small group of women out to the Utah desert for a few days of red rock, big skies, and the kind of quiet that actually lets you think.
We based ourselves at Yonder Escalante, a campground tucked between Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef. Twelve women, three days, one long exhale. There is something about the desert that strips away the noise and makes honest conversation feel easy. We hiked, we sketched, we cooked over the campfire, and at night we sat out under a sky with more stars than most of us had ever seen.
Why the desert
The wide-open red rock does something to a group. It slows everyone down. By the second day the small talk was gone and people were saying what they actually meant. We came for the hiking and the stargazing and drove home more focused on our own creative lives, which is usually how these go.
What our Bryce Canyon women’s retreat looked like
Campfire meals under the stars. Long hikes through the red rock. A group of creative women who started as strangers and figured out pretty quickly they were not so different after all. One attendee showed up nervous that she was not enough of a creative to be there, and left having found her voice. That is the whole reason we do this.
Red rock and dark skies, round two: the next one is a women’s retreat in Joshua Tree.
Utah Under the Stars, the film
Karli Fisco filmed this retreat. The film is called Utah Under the Stars, which fits: red rock by day and more stars than we could count at night.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the Bryce Canyon women’s retreat based?
We based it at Yonder Escalante in Escalante, Utah, tucked between Bryce Canyon and Capitol Reef National Parks.
What did the retreat include?
Hiking through the red rock, campfire meals, sketching, stargazing, and a lot of open desert time to slow down and connect.
Who are these women’s retreats for?
Creative women craving community and a reset. You do not need to run a business or call yourself an artist. We believe everyone is creative.
Do you still host or photograph women’s retreats?
Yes. I help run and photograph small women’s retreats like this one. If you want to plan one or have me document yours, reach out any time.
When is the best time to visit Bryce Canyon and the Utah desert?
Late spring and early fall keep the days warm and the nights cool, and the desert sky is unbelievable for stargazing.
Thinking about a women’s retreat like this?
If you have been looking for a women’s adventure retreat, a small group trip with real people and no set agenda, or a photographer to come document one, this is the kind of thing I love being part of. Tell me what you have in mind and we will figure it out together.
More women’s retreats
Want to join the next one? See my upcoming retreats, or browse all of my women’s retreats. A few more from the archive:
- Grand Tetons, Wyoming
- Iceland (2024)
- Iceland (2025)
- Zermatt, Switzerland
- Dolomites, Italy
- Asheville, North Carolina
- Vieques, Puerto Rico
- Tulum, Mexico
- Pacific Northwest
- Santa Fe, New Mexico
Wondering what a trip like this is actually like? Here is my full retreat guide.
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