On our recent Southwest road trip, I spent the entire journey from Arizona into southern Utah anticipating our return visit to Amangiri, Aman Resorts’ renowned desert retreat. (However, we still made time to stop at some dramatic landscapes and historic sites along the way.)

We started up Highway 89A through the scenic Oak Creek Canyon and, after a quick refuel in Flagstaff, headed across the high desert. In northern Arizona, we crossed a subtle border into the Navajo Nation, where road signs reminded us of the sovereignty of the territory. Passing through, we enjoyed visiting the pueblo ruins of Wupatki National Monument and the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Driving down a steep hill approaching Utah, we could see a line of cliffs stacked along the horizon — the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument — with an unsightly coal-fired power plant blighting the view. This is slated for removal in 2019, but at least for the moment, Page, Arizona, is an energy town. Nearby, the Glen Canyon Dam generates electricity with the water of Lake Powell. It also served as our final bridge into Utah.