TravelWorld International Magazine, Spring 2022 - Spring into Travel

Zion’s Tiny Oasis
Exterior of tiny house
N
NO
R
T
O
RH
T
A
H
M
E
AR
I
MC
EA
R•
I
U
C
T
A
H
24
Story and Photos by Tykesha Burton
he global pandemic has
left me altered. I once sped
through excursions, booking
trips within trips with an
aim to tick as many items as
possible off my bucket list. After
two years marked by devastating
personal losses, closures, and
cancellations, I’m achingly aware of
the fragility of life, and how salient
time and shared memories are. I
have discovered that the best of
life happens in the in-between…
the quiet spaces between the big
moments and great adventures.
My quaranteam, as I call them,
consists of my husband, two
children (a 7-and 4-year-old),
mother and I. We spent the bulk of
the pandemic holed up, at home,
together.
We were aching for an adventure,
so when restrictions started to ease,
we tip-toed back into travel. We
chose Southern Utah. Although
this destination is known as
a playground for outdoors
enthusiasts, we chose it for its
fresh air and wide-open spaces.
Since my husband had to
work, this trip out West was
for my mother, two children,
and I. During the planning
phase, I wanted to ensure that
we included activities that the
entire family would enjoy. My
mother loves tiny homes. She’s
never actually lived or stayed in
one; this love affair was purely
theoretical – based partly on
her desire to live a minimalist
life and her consumption of tiny
home television shows.
I knew we had to add a special
activity to our Utah itinerary
just for her. My research led
me to Zion’s Tiny Oasis, a
family-owned tiny house rental
The view from the front
porch of our tiny house.
company, nestled on the west side
of Zion National Park. Although
we already had a vacation rental
in St. George’s for our stay, I knew
the tiny house would be a hit. I
promptly booked a one-night stay
and kept it as a surprise.
When we arrived in Southern
Utah we oohed and ahhed at the
landscape as we drove from St.
George airport to our vacation
home. We spent a few days
hiking, canyoneering, and lazing
about the poolside. When it was
time for us to check in to our tiny
home, we informed my mother
that we had a surprise for her. I
packed one day’s worth of clothes
and food and set out for our tiny
house adventure.
We arrived just after lunch, my
mother quietly taking in the
landscape as I drove up a steep
dusty road to reach the property.
cluster of four tiny houses
was spread out atop a hill
overlooking one of the
entrances to Zion. We pulled
up to the Guardian Angel and
parked. When I explained to my mother
that the 289-square-foot house would serve
as our home for the night, she squealed
with delight.
We quickly discovered that we had the
whole compound to ourselves, and we
decided to explore our new home and the
surrounding area. We toured the tiny house
together, opening hutches and discovering
the multiple uses of single items.
On one side of the house, there were
180 degrees of tall windows providing
knockout views of the surrounding striated
mesas. On the other side was a kitchen/
laundry room and full bathroom. Above
that, was a set of removable stairs that led
to a loft. I watched as my mom and kids
clambered to the top and called dibs on the
king-sized bed and loft.
The Kolob Terrace Entrance to Zion National
Park – This sign is located on the same road, a
few miles away from Zion’s Tiny Oasis.
N
O
R
T
H
A
M
E
R
I
C
A
25
•
U
T
A
H