Beyond the Open Water | VRGetaway

PADDLEBOARDING • RED ROCKS • VR 360

Beyond the Open Water

A Guide to Utah's Best Cliffside Paddleboarding

⚡ The Quick Scoop

The Vibe: Gliding over beautiful, glassy water while letting go of the habit of running all the time.

Must See: Floating over massive, submerged dinosaur tracks at Red Fleet Reservoir, and discovering the hidden sparrow homes tucked into the sheer cliffs.

The Inspiration: Adopting the pace of nature, sitting quietly to revive your soul, and discovering the magic hidden right at the water's edge.

Shauna's Rating: 💎💎💎💎💎 (5 out of 5 Diamonds!)

For me, there is nothing better to help me relax than gliding over beautiful, glassy water. It forces me to slow down and find my center.

I absolutely love paddleboarding, but let's be honest—paddling on a massive, open lake with nothing but flat water to look at can get a little boring. The real magic happens when you find an interesting shoreline to explore, with hidden inlets to duck into and towering cliffs to get right up close to. There is no better feeling than snuggling your board right up to a massive sandstone cliff face and just looking up in pure awe.

So, I've compiled a list of my absolute favorite spots in Utah to do just that, and created a 360 VR video to help calm and relax you. These locations are phenomenal, so prepare to be blown away!

Chapter I

My Top 3 Cliffside Paddles

Here are my personal favorite spots for an unforgettable paddleboarding adventure along stunning shorelines:

1. Flaming Gorge (By the Bridge)

The views as you paddle under the iconic Flaming Gorge bridge and deep into the canyon are absolutely world-class. However, getting your board to the water here is a bit tricky! The trail down is steep, narrow, and can be a little scary while carrying a large, awkward paddleboard.

In fact, as Todd and I were carefully carrying our boards down the cliff side, a massive gust of wind came up and tried to whip the boards right out of our hands like giant sails! We were hanging on for dear life. My advice? Bring a buddy to help you carry the board down, and just take your time. The effort is more than worth it for the sheer cliffs that await.

2. Red Fleet Reservoir (The Dinosaur Coast)

This lake feels like a miniature Lake Powell! If you put your board in at the boat ramp and head to the left, the magic begins. The sandstone cliffs and coves are incredible to explore. If the water is calm, it is incredibly fun to paddle under the alcove cave and look up at the birds' nests and patterns in the ceiling.

Directly across from the boat dock, you can paddle right up to the dinosaur footprint area and pull your board onto the shore. You can literally stick your hands right into the prints! Some tracks are very large, while others are small and hard to identify. One time we went, someone had kindly made cute rock cairns around the most pronounced ones. I was so grateful! But then I overheard a guy grumbling that the cairns were "ruining nature" by making them too easy to find. Sure enough, a few weeks later, all the cairns were gone. I was a little sad—I liked the help! (Though we recently found a massive, deeply indented two-toed print at the Little Grand Canyon that needed no help to spot!)

The Bribed Cliff Jumper: If you climb along the left edge of the footprints, there's a perfect ledge to drop into the water. We really wanted a cliff jumper in our video, but we didn't want to get wet ourselves! I actually offered some teenagers some cash to do it. One guy ALMOST fell for it, then chickened out and turned me down. I was so bummed! But then his brother, who hadn't looked interested at all, suddenly stood up and said, "I'll do it!" I sat on my paddleboard filming as he jumped right past the beautiful alcove into the water beside us. Pure VR Getaway magic!

🌟 The Golden Nugget: Strawberry's Secret

3. Strawberry Reservoir (By the Dam): I'll be honest, most of this huge lake is pretty boring for paddleboarding. BUT, if you head straight for the dam, the landscape completely transforms! The scenery changes from boring open water to extraordinary diagonal layers of rock. It’s a fantastic secret spot that most visitors completely miss! Keep an eye out for Great Blue Herons here; I’ve seen them wading near the shore multiple times.

Chapter II

The Edge of Nature

When you get off the main lake and sneak right up to the cliffs, you become a silent observer of the world. Because you are gliding, you can approach nature without disturbing it.

🦆 Close Encounters at Lily Lake

I have to give a special shoutout to a smaller, hidden gem: Lily Lake. The water here is covered in beautiful yellow lily pads when they are in bloom. Now, I figure it's just rude to paddle right through them—it would be like stomping through a field of flowers! They grow in clusters, so there is plenty of open lake to paddle around them. I just gently poked the tip of my board close to check them out.

As I was breathing in the fresh mountain air, the funniest thing happened: not one, but TWO huge fish jumped right out of the water, catching four inches of air back-to-back right in front of my camera! It was crazy!

Chapter III

Nature's Wisdom & The Zen Beach

I made this video specifically to calm and relax you. One of my favorite things to do is to paddle until I find a spot that is like a hidden beach. I pull up, lay completely flat on my back on the board, and just let the fresh mountain air wash over me while I hang out. It is lovely.

As we glide along these sheer, diagonal cliffs in the video, I wanted to share a few quotes that always help me find my center when life gets too chaotic:

"We will be more successful in all our endeavors if we can let go of the habit of running all the time, and take little pauses to relax and re-center ourselves. And we'll also have a lot more joy in living."

— Thich Nhat Hanh

"Slow down and enjoy life. It is not only the scenery you miss by going too fast—you also miss the sense of where you are going and why."

— Eddie Cantor

"Adopt the pace of nature: her secret is patience."

— Ralph Waldo Emerson

"Sit quietly and listen for a voice that will say, 'Be more silent.' Your soul starts to revive."

— Rumi

Chapter IV

Field Notes & Trail Guide

🗺️ Adventure at a Glance

Locations Flaming Gorge, Red Fleet, Strawberry, Lily Lake

Activity Paddleboarding (SUP), Kayaking

Best Time Summer & Early Fall (Warm Water)

Vibe Relaxing, Scenic, Exploratory

Essential Helpful Hints

💨 Check the Wind: Wind is the absolute enemy of a paddleboarder. Always check the forecast before you go, as conditions on these large Utah reservoirs can change dangerously quickly.
🧗‍♀️ Flaming Gorge Safety: The trail down to the water near the bridge is steep. Take it slow and go with a partner to help carry your board so the wind doesn't turn it into a sail!
🦖 Red Fleet Dinosaur Tracks: While the hiking trail to the tracks is fun, accessing the dinosaur footprints from the water is an incredible, unique experience that lets you completely avoid the crowds!
🤫 Strawberry's Secret: Don't judge the whole lake by its open water. The real beauty for paddlers is hidden away by the dam.
🌊 Honorable Mention: Starvation Reservoir also has some neat rock formations, but the few times I've been, the water has been too choppy to safely get close to the cliffs. On a calm day, it could be another great spot!

The Portal is Open

Step Onto the Water (360° VR)

Put on your VR headset or use your mouse to look around and glide across the water with me. Let the beautiful scenery calm your mind!

🔎 The VR Scavenger Hunt 🌟

While you're gliding, see if you can spot these magical moments:

The Massive Overhang: Find the sheer cliff face with incredible diagonal layers of rock.
Dinosaur Tracks: Spot the ancient footprints preserved right at the water's edge at Red Fleet!
Airborne Fish: Keep an eye out for a fish jumping so high out of the water it catches serious air.
Cliff Jumpers: Watch the brave kids jumping off the rocks into the deep water!
The Lily Pads: Enjoy the beautiful, bright yellow blooming flowers covering the surface of Lily Lake.

🏄‍♀️

Interactive Magic

✨ Ask the River Guide

Need a tip on paddleboard safety? Curious about how dinosaur tracks get preserved in rock? Ask our AI River Guide!

Find Your Center

For me, the true joy of paddleboarding is the unique perspective it gives you. It allows you to quietly glide into places you could never reach on foot, and to experience the grandeur of nature from a completely new angle. These shoreline adventures turn a simple paddle into a journey of mindfulness and discovery. Remember to look up—the light wants to help!

Sending Love and Positive Vibes,
Shauna @ VRGetaway