Ever notice how some true crime cases hit different? The Gabby Petito case lodged itself in my brain like few others have. Maybe it’s because her Instagram-perfect “van life” adventure turned into every woman’s worst nightmare, or maybe it’s the digital breadcrumbs she left behind—a modern tragedy mapped in real-time through geotags and social media posts.
I’ve spent more nights than Ryan would consider healthy tracing Gabby’s journey on Google Maps. (He walked in once at 2 AM to find me surrounded by printouts of national park maps and muttered something about “normal hobbies” before retreating to bed.)
The Journey Begins: New York to Kansas
Gabby and Brian set out from Long Island on July 2, 2021, in their converted 2012 Ford Transit van—the kind of vehicle that screams “I have an inspirational quote tattooed somewhere on my body.”
Their first major stop? Monument Rocks in Kansas on July 4th. Nothing says “celebrating America” quite like posing next to 70-foot tall chalk formations while your relationship quietly deteriorates!
The couple documented this stop with dreamy photos that gave zero indication of the horror to come. (I’ve studied these images for hours—my true crime brain always looking for the “before” signs that everyone misses until it’s too late.)
Colorado’s Mountains and Mysteries
By July 8, they’d reached Colorado Springs, then camped at Great Sand Dunes National Park from July 10-11. The vastness of those dunes feels eerily symbolic now—beautiful but disorienting, easy to get lost in.
Their social media posts from Colorado show two smiling faces against stunning backdrops. But we all know social media is the original crime scene where the truth gets murdered first.
Utah: Where Things Began to Unravel
Between July 14-18, they camped at Zion National Park, followed by Bryce Canyon on July 21. Utah’s red rocks and otherworldly landscapes became the backdrop for what we now know was escalating tension.
By late July, they’d visited Mystic Hot Springs (July 26) and Canyonlands National Park (July 29-31). I’ve always wondered if the increasing isolation of these locations contributed to the deterioration of their situation. (Would I have recognized the danger signs if I’d crossed paths with them at a campsite? I’d like to think so, but who really knows?)
The most crucial Utah stop came on August 12 at Arches National Park, where they visited Delicate Arch. This same day brought the now-infamous police stop in Moab after a domestic dispute—a moment that haunts me as the clearest missed opportunity to prevent what was coming.
The bodycam footage from Moab police shows a distressed Gabby trying to take blame while Brian appears calm and collected. Classic abuser behavior that makes my skin crawl every time I rewatch it. (And yes, I’ve rewatched it multiple times—occupational hazard of being a true crime obsessive.)
Wyoming: The Final Destination
By late August, they’d reached Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming. Gabby’s last Instagram post came on August 25—the same day she made her final phone call to her family.
The breathtaking beauty of Grand Teton became the setting for the case’s most heartbreaking chapter. Somewhere among those majestic mountains, Gabby’s journey ended while Brian’s escape began.
Her body was found on September 19 in Spread Creek Dispersed Camping Area—a location that will forever be marked on mental maps of true crime followers. I can’t look at photos of Wyoming wilderness without thinking about her.
The Route Not Taken
What strikes me most about tracing Gabby’s journey is the parallel path of what could have been. Each stop represents not just where they went, but opportunities for a different outcome.
The Moab police encounter stands out as the most glaring fork in the road—a moment when intervention might have changed everything. Instead, they separated the couple for one night and sent them on their way, following a script that prioritized de-escalation over deeper investigation.
I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve thought: if only someone had recognized the danger signs. If only someone had followed up. If only, if only, if only.
What Her Journey Teaches Us
Gabby’s route across America reveals more than just a travel itinerary—it maps the isolation that can make domestic violence so deadly. Remote locations, dependency on a partner, and the pressure to maintain a picture-perfect image created the perfect storm.
When I lock my doors at night (triple-check, always), I think about Gabby. Not because I’m afraid of strangers lurking in shadows, but because her story reminds us that danger often comes from those closest to us, in the most beautiful places, hidden behind filtered photos and curated captions.
The most chilling part? If you traced this same route today, you’d see nothing but stunning national parks and breathtaking vistas. The darkness leaves no visible mark on the landscape—just on those of us who follow these cases, mapping tragedy one location at a time.