Have you ever seen someone in a hammock on campus? I’m sure you have, when it’s warm and sunny, hung between the trees like a huge fluorescent cocoon. The person inside is incredibly comfortable and often asleep. For good reason, too. These cozy cocoons are simple and functional. Made from lightweight nylon, they pack down to the size of a softball and can weigh less than a pound. They fit into your backpack and still support the weight of two full grown adults. You can take a hammock anywhere.

I would say that a hammock is my favorite piece of outdoor gear. I find it hard to leave the house without one. My hammock and I have seen and spent the night in some amazing places, from USU’s amphitheater to the tallest peaks in the Bear River Mountains. I would rather sleep outside in my hammock than in any bed.

This last weekend a friend and I biked deep into the mountains with our hammocks and all of our camping gear strapped to our bikes. We rode for a couple hours to the best campsite I’ve seen. We were perched on a ridge top in a small grove of aspens with a great view of the surrounding valleys and peaks. The moon was rising above the eastern peak while the sun set over the western valley. A pink-orange alpine glow lit up the grass on the ridge below the rising moon. I had never felt a more powerful moment. I had to stop and savor that moment. Purely experience all that was around me. It was so beautiful. When the sun finally set, and the moon lit up everything around our campsite, I realized that there was no other place I wanted to be. I realized that this current moment is all that I had and that it was up to me to recognize the opportunity to feel the beauty.

When the fire died down I retreated to my hammock. Resting while the moon danced across the sky. My hammock provided a great night of sleep and I awoke to a stunning sunrise. The sun inspired me just as the moon did the night before. I was reminded to savor the moment and appreciate all that I have in this existence.

A night in a hammock brought so much joy and gratitude to my life. I believe that anyone can see the beauty in the world if they look for it. If you go hammock camping, I’m sure you’ll find it!