It was hard to believe, but once again there was a cold snap in April in the USA. As on the previous day, we drove again through Zion National Park and then the highway towards Green River in the direction of Moab. I knew that in Moab the hotels are very expensive and in Green River reasonably affordable. In the end, we got a Motel 6 for $120, which is quite outrageous by German standards. The last time I was there in 2015 I paid just $40 in any of the motels there. The landscape on the way to Green River was quite nice, but different than expected. In the end, it went from Zion National Park to a fairly high plateau, which also caused the temperatures to drop sharply. From there we finally had snowstorms all the way to Green River and I was a bit worried about the road conditions.
In this video, I take a drive through Utah toward the town of Green River, a journey that passes through some of the wide and dramatic landscapes that make this part of the American Southwest so memorable. Utah is known for its canyons, mesas, and desert plateaus, and driving through the state is as much a part of the experience as visiting the famous national parks. The open roads, the endless skies, and the constantly changing scenery turn the drive itself into a highlight.
Green River is a small town in central-eastern Utah, but the road to get there takes you through some of the most characteristic desert landscapes in the region. As you leave other parts of Utah behind, the terrain shifts between rocky cliffs, dry washes, and stretches of flat desert punctuated by mesas and buttes. The colours of the land—reds, oranges, browns, and greys—shift with the light, making the journey feel alive and dynamic.
Driving toward Green River means moving through territory that feels both remote and vast. The distances are long, and the roads often seem endless, stretching out across the desert with only a few signs of human presence. This sense of space is part of what makes road trips in Utah so distinctive. Every turn and rise in the road brings a new view: cliffs in the distance, ridges broken by erosion, or wide valleys shaped by rivers long ago.
The town of Green River itself lies along the Green River, one of the major waterways of the Colorado Plateau. For travelers, it has long been a stopping point, a small hub on the way to larger destinations like Arches National Park, Canyonlands, or Moab. But reaching it by road means passing through the raw beauty of central Utah, where nature feels untouched and the horizon seems endless.
Along the drive, the light and weather can change the mood completely. On a clear day, the bright sun makes the desert colours vivid, while clouds cast shadows that add depth to the scenery. At sunrise or sunset, the cliffs and mesas glow with rich colours, creating some of the most beautiful moments of the journey. Even in the stillness of midday, there is a unique calm in driving across such an open and quiet landscape.
The road to Green River is not just about scenery, but also about the rhythm of the drive. Long straight stretches create a feeling of timelessness, while winding sections reveal new perspectives at every bend. The sparse traffic often adds to the sense of being alone with the land, a reminder of how much open space still exists in the American West.
This video captures the impressions of that drive: the landscapes, the atmosphere of the desert, and the feeling of moving through one of the most characteristic regions of Utah. It is not a guide to attractions or a list of stops, but rather a look at what it feels like simply to be on the road, heading toward Green River.
For travelers, a drive like this is part of the adventure. The destination matters, but so does the journey itself—the chance to see the land change mile by mile, to notice the colours of the rocks, the shapes of the mesas, and the vastness of the sky. It is a reminder that in Utah, the road is often just as memorable as the places it connects.