Facebook Twitter
Monday, September 25, 2023 | 
Entertainment Utah

This Utah company is offering $1,000 to stay in a national park for 48 hours — but there’s a catch

Could you do it without technology?

By Lottie Elizabeth Johnson Lottie Elizabeth Johnsonlottiejohnson@deseretnews.com
SHARE This Utah company is offering $1,000 to stay in a national park for 48 hours — but there’s a catch
merlin_1336643.jpg

Freshly fallen snow accents a valley Saturday, March 11, 2006, in Arches National Park, north of Moab, Utah. A Utah-based company is offering one person $1,000 to spend 48 hours in a national park of his or her choosing — without technology.

Douglas C. Pizac/Associated Press

SALT LAKE CITY — A company in Salt Lake City is giving one person $1,000 to spend a weekend at a U.S. national park of his or her choosing. The catch: You have to do it without technology. 

Related

What’s going on

  • A study last fall revealed that the average American checks their phone 96 times a day — once every 10 minutes, according to Travel and Leisure. During the pandemic, people are logging more screen time than usual, “leading to ‘Zoom fatigue’ and less time staying active,” the Salt Lake-based company Satellite Internet wrote last week. 
  • “Given how much time we’ve all spent online in 2020, we wanted to find a way to help someone tune out the world and get back in tune with nature,” the company continued. 
  • Satellite Internet — a Utah company that helps people in rural areas find dependable internet service — launched the Digital Detox Challenge to address this issue. The company will select one person to stay in an RV and unplug for a weekend at a U.S. national park, according to Travel and Leisure.

The rules

  • The randomly selected winner is allowed to bring a guest along for the adventure. Travel dates are up to the contest winner. 
  • Technology is allowed to navigate to the location. But after that, any technological device — phones, computers, etc. — will be prohibited, CNN reported. 
  • After the weekend stay, the person will then use a mobile hotspot to go online on the third day and describe the experience. 
  • The person will receive $400 upfront and $600 upon completing the task. In addition, the individual will get reimbursed up to $1,000 for RV rental, mobile hotspot and food, according to SatelliteInternet.com. 

Eligibility requirements

  • Applicants must be 25 or older to enter the contest at satelliteinternet.com. 
  • In addition, applicants must be eligible to work in the U.S. and able to drive legally in any state that would be traveled through for the adventure, according to Satelliteinternet.com.
  • The company will choose a winner on Sept. 23 at 11:59 MT. The person selected must accept by Sept. 30 at 11:59 MT.