We’ve tore up a lot of Utah too, but like you want to see more. We did something similar one year and drove into Idaho. We veered off from I-15 and took 89 near Bear Lake and then went to Soda Springs in Idaho. So much to see in Utah and the U.S. and so little time and money to do it. Even with the mountain lion attack in Big Bend, would like to see that too from your recommendation. A long way from us here in Denver though. Maybe someday though.
We’ve been to Big Bend twice, but we’ve never seen any cougars. A lot of roadrunners, some tarantulas, and a few lizards. I hear there’s bears as well in the park, probably near the mountains like where the cougar attacked the kids.