A state with five national parks, 44 state parks and public lands covering almost half the state should be on every outdoor enthusiast’s bucket list. Utah fits that description, delivering some of the most spectacular hiking, camping, skiing and paddling in America. And you don’t need to venture deep into the backcountry; many of Utah’s natural treasures are within a half-day drive of Salt Lake City.
Explore slot canyons to find ancient cliff dwellings and dinosaur fossils in the morning, and ski an 11,000-foot peak in the afternoon. The dry desert climate is inviting in all four seasons, and when snow falls in the mountains, it can feel like spring in the valleys. With so many acres of protected public land, it’s easy to find a summit or overlook to call your own, even in peak season.
Here are nine of the best ways to enjoy the outdoors in Utah.
1. Camp at the Great Salt Lake
Driving the narrow, seven-mile causeway from the mainland to the island campground at Antelope Island State Park is your first hint at the massive scale of the Great Salt Lake, the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere. Reserve a campsite and explore the island trails by foot or on a horseback trail ride. Bike the dirt roads to track the bison, Pronghorn antelope, mule deer, bighorn sheep, coyotes and raptors that thrive in the barren landscape thanks to freshwater springs. Learn more.
2. Ski and ride in knee-deep powder
Choose from 14 ski resorts, 10 of which are within an hour’s drive of Salt Lake City, to experience the powdery flotation snow that Utah is famous for. Frequent, light snowfall through the winter creates dream conditions to ski the Olympic slopes of Park City and Deer Valley. Drive up Little Cottonwood Canyon to ride the rails at Brighton’s six terrain parks or ski Alta’s 116 downhill slopes. Learn more.
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3. Hike the cliffs of Zion National Park
Rosy sandstone canyon walls wrap around you as you enter Zion National Park, molded by the powerful forces of the Virgin River. Hike the flat, paved Riverside Walk through a narrow canyon to the bottom of the famous Narrows gorge, or climb trails from Zion Lodge to canyon overlooks at Towers of the Virgin and Watchman Peak. If heights and steep climbs don’t bother you, the 5.4-mile round trip hike to Angels Landing is one of the most spectacular views in the west. Learn more.
4. Kayak Lake Powell
Paddle one of the largest manmade lakes in North America along the Utah/Arizona border. Over 180 miles long, Lake Powell offers 1,960 miles of shoreline and 96 major slot canyons to explore. Pull out on a sandy beach to pitch your tent and watch the stars come out on Lone Rock’s quiet coves, or take a day trip to one of the less crowded canyons like Antelope, Labyrinth and Lost Eden. Learn more.
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5. Catch trophy trout in Flaming Gorge Reservoir
Drop your line from the shore or a boat in spring and early summer for the best chance to hook a lunker on Flaming Gorge Reservoir. The deep channels of this 91-mile-long lake teem with trophy-size rainbow, lake and brown trout, Kokanee salmon and smallmouth bass, some weighing 30 pounds or more. Reserve a campsite in the high desert overlooking the gorge to get on the water at dawn and dusk when the light is golden and the fish are biting. Learn more.
6. Raft the Colorado River
Paddle some of the most intense whitewater in the west on a multi-day rafting trip through Cataract Canyon from Moab to Lake Powell. The Green and Colorado rivers come together in a 100-mile gorge through Canyonlands National Park that throws class III to V rapids and serene flatwater sections at you in equal measure. At day’s end, pull out to camp overnight under the stars, and hike to petroglyphs and ancient dwellings along the river in the morning. Learn more.
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7. Mountain bike outside Moab
Ride the 16.6-mile Intrepid Mountain Bike Trail System over classic Moab slickrock and sand trails in Dead Horse Point State Park. Well-marked, family-friendly singletrack winds through juniper and pinyon scrub to incredible views 2,000 feet above the Colorado River. Start and end the day at your reserved campsite inside the park on the Colorado Plateau. Learn more.
8. Play in the snow at Soldier Hollow
Try cross country skiing, snowshoeing, snowmobiling and tubing at Soldier Hollow, an Olympic training and competition venue in Wasatch Mountain State Park. There’s a 7.2-mile groomed Nordic ski track, 19 miles of trails for xc skiing and snowshoeing, and 90 miles of maintained snowmobile trails across the park canyons. Maximize your trail time by camping in the park. Learn more.
9. Follow in the footsteps of the ancients at Bears Ears
Some of the most well-preserved Puebloan rock art and cliff dwellings in the southwest are tucked in a shallow canyon in Bears Ears National Monument. Hike 1.5 miles up Mule Canyon in the late morning to catch the first ruin, House on Fire, as the sun glows off the red-orange sandstone cliffs. Continue across Cedar Mesa to six other archeological sites before turning around at mile four, and remember to treat the entire trail as an outdoor museum that is sacred to Native American tribes. Learn more.
