Photo: Ross Downard // Park City Yoga Adventures.
Some yoga studios have four walls and mirrors. And some, like Park City Yoga Adventures, take place outdoors — among mountains, forests, snow, sky and water.
The story behind Park City Yoga Adventures begins far from Utah, in a small ski town on the border of western Maryland and West Virginia. Founder and owner Julia Geisler grew up immersed in mountain life; her father managed a ski resort for more than 40 years. From an early age, the outdoors wasn’t just a place to visit — it was part of everyday life. That foundation eventually led Julia west, arriving in Park City 18 years ago with plans to ski and explore.
A Love of the Outdoors
Soon after arriving, Julia was hired by Charlie Sturgis and his wife at White Pine Touring as a climbing guide.
“I quickly fell in love with taking people outdoors and creating these experiences with families and people of all ages and abilities,” shares Julia.
“Having the support of folks like Charlie and White Pine and the whole community really elevated being able to do that from the beginning,” shares Julia.
Guiding reinforced something she already believed: outdoor experiences create connection. That idea deepened while working at a therapeutic boarding school, where she led weekend outings for teens. Instead of keeping yoga indoors, she brought it outside, pairing movement with hiking and time on the trails. The impact was immediate. Practicing outdoors made yoga more engaging and grounding. It became clear that being outside fundamentally changed the experience.
Building a Business
These experiences helped Julia segue into entrepreneurship and sparked the idea for Park City Yoga Adventures. If these outdoor sessions resonated so strongly with teenagers, why wouldn’t they appeal to adults, visitors and local homeowners as well?
“I was thinking, if teenagers like this, I bet everybody would like this,” said Julia. “Including adults and tourists and homeowners here in Park City.”
Today, that belief shapes every offering. Park City Yoga Adventures provides thoughtfully curated outdoor experiences, including outdoor yoga, hiking, forest sessions, paddleboard yoga and aerial silks. Experiences are intentionally designed for small groups to create a more personal connection with the land while minimizing impact. Sessions welcome all levels and focus on accessibility and presence rather than performance.
Nature is not just the setting — it shapes the practice itself. Trails, alpine air, quiet forests and open skies influence how participants move, breathe and engage. Stepping outside the studio allows people to slow down and connect more fully with their surroundings.
Preserving a Legacy
That connection to place is central to the business. Park City Yoga Adventures is family-run, locally focused and built through partnerships with other small businesses. Protecting access to open space is not separate from the mission — it is essential to it.
“If you don’t have access to trails and open space, we don’t have an experience to offer,” Julia says.
“Once it’s gone, it’s gone,” Julia says of open space. “Once it’s pavement and rooftops, you don’t have that trail to get on anymore. We’ve seen a lot go away in the last 15 years, which really impacts this tourism trade that we’re all in and this love of the recreation and outdoor resources that we have here in Park City.”
Julia extends that commitment beyond her business, volunteering with Summit Land Conservancy and running the Salt Lake Climbers Alliance to help protect the landscapes that make these experiences possible.
Nearly two decades after arriving in Park City, Julia is still doing what first drew her west — bringing people outside. In a town built on recreation and tourism, Park City Yoga Adventures serves as a reminder that access to open space isn’t guaranteed; it’s protected. Through intentional small-group experiences and ongoing conservation work, Julia helps ensure the landscapes people come here to enjoy remain part of the community’s future. More than yoga, Park City Yoga Adventures is about creating meaningful experiences in nature while supporting the people and places that make them possible.
It’s a reflection of Julia’s values and her commitment to people. Built on trust, consistency and care, the business stands as proof that success doesn’t come from shortcuts, but from showing up day after day for the community you serve.
Read this article and more from the series on the Our Town blog.
