It was a pleasant slice of nature at the foot of the cliffs. There was a stream, and with some hard work, it would be paradise.

Josie was alone in the woods. She heard enough gossip to last a lifetime. Divorce was scandalous. She at least waited for her kids to be adults before she said goodbye to her husband. In the woods, she wouldn’t have to hear the rumors and slander about her old marriage. That was behind her now. She was free to focus on her future and what she wanted.

Josie would need to make a clearing. The nearby spring kept her hydrated, and the local life fed her. She cleared out the trees, removed the stumps, and collected her resources. She rerouted part of the stream to flow closer to her homestead, brought in chickens and other livestock, and dug for a cellar. After clearing out a few more unwanted trees, she planted an orchard and other crops she might need.

All her necessities were covered, and her little patch of paradise was complete. It did get lonely from time to time.

She kept herself busy over the years, tending to the land and making rugs to cover her cabin floor. Occasionally, friends and family from the local town of Vernal would visit. For over 50 years, she lived in the woods until she died at 90.

Today, her restored cabin can be found down a dirt road and provides a beautiful scene for lunch and a hike. You can ask for directions at the visitor center in Dinosaur National Monument, east of Vernal, Utah. She may have lived in the woods away from society, but the work she put into her homestead can still be enjoyed.