Utah is an amazingly diverse geological area. Everything from the saline lakes of Salt Lake City to Zion National Park, Utah has all the bases covered when it comes to enjoying the great outdoors.
Here are a few great places to travel to when visiting the “Best Snow on Earth” state:
- Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons: These canyons have beautiful mountain walls on either side. The ski areas Snowbird and Alta are located in Little Cottonwood and Solitude, and Brighton are in Big Cottonwood. The canyons are not only known for their fun skiing in the winter but also fantastic rock climbing, hiking and mountain biking in the summer.
- Moab: This is the mountain biking mecca. There are world-class, single-track trails all throughout the desert. From the short, few hour ride to all-day excursions, the choice is yours. Note that there is a danger to the riding in Moab, as the heat can become quite sweltering. Be sure to use lots of sunscreen and take plenty of drinking water along.
- Goblin Valley: This park seems a set from a Mars movie. The landscape is dotted with small rock formations that look like little goblins poking their head out of the sand. There are places to camp overnight, so take your time and even check out the canyons nearby, or take an amazing hike through where the rock walls climb steeply above. The landscape through these parts is very trippy.
- Capitol Reef National Park: This is a dream-like setting with rock cliffs that look like coral reefs and columns of rock that resemble those of buildings in state capitols. There are many beautiful hiking trails that wander through the orange, yellow and white desert. Pick from horseback riding, mountain biking and guided trips.
- Zion National Park: The beauty of this park feels like stepping back in time, before pollution was affecting aspects of life. Jumping, feeding fish can be seen eagerly swimming up streams, and there are beautiful hiking trails through forests with babbling brooks.
- Bryce Canyon National Park: This is a beautiful, diverse park that begins with the Juniper trees in the lower elevations and climbs into fascinating geology. There are also crazy spires of rock throughout the park that are called hoodoos. A fun name that the kids will enjoy, and the inspiration for the Bryce 3d landscape software.
Utah is a wonderful place to travel and discover with the family. The parks offer a great place for some peace and quiet and the chance to get to know some amazing geology.