Helper, UT
We spent our Lautzenheiser Family summer trip in the small, historic town of Helper, UT. Once know for its helper engines that would assist trains over a nearby summit, Helper, UT did not disappoint.
The family at Scofield Reservoir
To break up the six hour drive, we stopped in Marysvale, UT on the drive out. We stayed in a train car in Caboose Village (for our third time staying here) along the Sevier River. We biked, played in the grass and floated down the Sevier River. The kids met a young boy, William, staying in one of the other train cars. We played freeze tag and football with him. After two nights in Marysvale, we drove on to Helper to meet the family!
One of the highlights of the area is the scenic 9-mile canyon, although this canyon is much longer than nine miles. We spotted petroglyphs around nearly every turn and enjoyed driving through the picturesque canyon walls. Of course, the kids loved playing with cousin Tyler and Ella even lost her first tooth while playing with Grandma L. Our AirBnB was a great size for all of the family and dogs, but it was especially cool because we had train tracks directly across the street. The kids were able to have countless coins smashed by the trains as they rolled by fulfilling a kid-right of passage.
Unfortunately, Miles behavior on this trip (and the Seattle trip prior) was not good. Miles pushed every boundary and his defiance was at its peak. To be honest, I never cried so much as I did in June of 2024. Fortunately, as I write this, he is excelling in pre-K and although he is still defiant at home, he is nothing like he was this month. So although, these trips look amazing, which they were, they also carried intense moments full of heartache.
