Welcome to The Back of Beyond

Welcome to The Back of Beyond! I'm so happy you're here, and I'm excited for us to learn from each other in this community.

About Me

My name is Jenn, and I'm from northern Utah. I grew up in Davis County, in a community close to the mountains along the Wasatch Front. I grew up in the outdoors, spending my weekends at my family's cabin in Huntsville, Utah. My most formative years were spent searching for moose on four wheeler rides in the summer, watching fawns drink from the water trough on our lot in the spring, racing down the ultimate sledding hill in the winter, and watching aspen trees shower the forest floor with their golden leaves in the fall. My youth is what inspired my love for the natural world, animals, and spending time outside.

After my family sold our cabin, we discovered new places to explore, venturing a little farther from home. I remember spending many fall and spring breaks among the red rocks of Zion National Park in southern Utah, and escaping the hot Utah summers by heading north to the cooler peaks of Grand Teton National Park in northeastern Wyoming. Both national parks now hold a special place in my heart, and are the main inspiration for the love of nature I have today.

What is The Back of Beyond All About?

In addition to my enjoyment of spending time in nature, I've always loved writing, and I've toyed with the idea of starting a blog for years. There have been many attempts, half-formed ideas, frustrations when I couldn't figure out exactly what I wanted to write about, and discouragement when I struggled to find a purpose in writing. With the creation of The Back of Beyond, I think I've finally cracked the code and figured out exactly why I want to write, what I want to write, and who I want to write for.

"The back of beyond” is a phrase originating in the early 1800s, used to refer to any real or imagined region, often remote or undiscovered. I chose the phrase to name this community because to me, life is all about experiencing things we haven’t yet done, places we haven’t yet been, and people we haven’t yet met. My best memories have been made in this undiscovered region, and I’ve learned so much about myself by visiting the back of beyond. I hope through sharing stories here, I can help make these undiscovered experiences more accessible to you, and you’ll be able to live your life in The Back of Beyond with me.

What Content Can I Find on the Back of Beyond?

Here, you can expect to find hiking and outdoor living tips, advice for traveling on a budget, in-depth trip guides, national park highlights, information on living a vegan lifestyle, and features on places to visit in northern Utah. I'm happy you're here, and I'm so excited to share my life with you. Thank you for reading, and I look forward to growing in this space along with you!

x – Jenn