The Nomadic People
In our year 2022, high-desert “bohemian” getaways like Joshua Tree or Marfa are on the verge of being overrun. The AirBnB-Instagram industrial complex and its throngs of venture capitalists, influencers, gurus, and clout chasers have begun slowly stripping these places of their idiosyncrasies, turning them into Pinterest-ready paradises for festival-wear fetishists.
So when The Daily Beast was invited to check out Yonder Escalante, a chic new camping resort in the southern Utah desert—featuring neatly designed A-frame cabins, restored vintage Airstreams, and a drive-in theater with parked classic cars—I must confess: I was skeptical.
My cynical ass hauled itself out to the middle of nowhere late this summer fully expecting to be floored by the natural splendor (who wouldn’t be!) but with a nagging sense of mistrust of yet another sleek, Instagrammable glamping retreat.