Things to do / Travel Guide
A lover of the outdoors, suppose you're searching for a U.S. region that mixes the best of the semi-arid Southwest with the best of the Rockies. Is it possible? Yes it is, and it's called northern Utah. On the one hand you have urban Salt Lake City and the Great Salt Lake, the largest salt lake in the U.S., but on the other you have the westernmost stretches of the Rockies looming up in the form of the Uinta Mountains and the Wasatch Range. You'll have endless opportunities to explore Utah's large assortment of terrain, so take a trek in the desert, appreciate the wonder that is the Great Salt lake, hike the mountains and appreciate the vast pine forests, in one of the great regions of western U.S. And did we mention some of the best skiing in the whole country at Park City?
Land-based Activities in Northern Utah
Northern Utah is a sightseer's heaven, and you can spend an entire vacation just traveling from natural wonder to natural wonder, exploring by foot, bike, or hand as you go. Visit such wonders as Devil's Slide and Devil's Gate, spelunk amidst the stalactites and stalagmites at Timpanogos Cave, or follow the tracks of long-extinct dinos at Dinosaur National Monument.
A great way to start your trip in the region is on a bike, on Antelope Island. This island is the largest on the Great Salt Lake, and on your lap around it, with the sound of the waves accompanying you, you'll witness the buffalo, bison, bighorn sheep, and, of course, antelope, roaming in search of abundant food. The mountains forming the island's backbone rise around 2,500 feet from the shore. All around you, the year-round deep blue of the lake. Beyond you, to the east of the lake, the snow-capped summits of the Wasatch Mountain Range.
About those Wasatch Mountains, for a closer look from the foothills, a bike ride on the Wasatch Crest Trail should sound tempting. Another tempting destination, which Mountain Bike Action magazine calls one of the country's 10 best, is Park City's Deer Valley Resort. On these mountains you follow the trails that crisscross snow-free ski slopes, for a wide range of challenging obstacles and breathtaking panoramas.
Northern Utah offers some hiking phenomena that no outdoors-lover should ever miss. For example, the gentle meadows of the Albion Meadows Trail exhibit an unforgettable sea of color. For a hike in dense forests of spruce and fir trees, take the Indian Trail from Ogden, which also gives you beautiful views of Ogden Canyon and a waterfall. And you can't go wrong in the Wasatch-Cache National Forest checking out the spectacular Logan Canyon.
Water Activities in Northern Utah
If you the serene adventure of a fishing trip, you can't do better than northern Utah's lakes and streams. When it comes to trout, the region has some of the West's best catch, be it rainbow, cutthroat, Mackinaw, or brown trout. You'll also certainly have a chance at catching some of the numerous striped bass, crappie, walleye, whitefish, and kokanee salmon swimming in the region's waters.
Figure in excursions to Bear Lake, on the Wyoming-Utah border, and the region's reservoirs, like Jordanelle Reservoir and Strawberry Reservoir. Some of the best rivers for trout fishing are Green River and Provo River. Ice fishing is especially rewarding as well, and most of these bodies of water, moving or otherwise, will serve generously.
While there's no fishing on the Great Salt Lake, it does provide for other recreational activities. Kayaking is the major one. You can start out at Antelope Island and make your way to Egg Island. You're always in view of the Wasatch Mountains, and Egg Island is one of the Salt Lake's more bird-populated locations.
If you're serious about kayaking, there are some other lakes for your consideration. The scenery is spectacular at Causey Reservoir, with 100-foot canyon walls, hidden coves, winnowing pine trees, and craggy cliffs to greet you. Another destination to explore when you get there is the Flaming Gorge Reservoir, where you can head up Sheep Creek Canyon. This canyon is a sanctuary for color: deep-green Douglas firs pose against a backdrop of reddish-orange sandstone monoliths, and giant rose-colored cliffs stand starkly above steel-blue waters. All the while, osprey, great blue herons, and pelicans keep you company.
Whitewater fans will have something to celebrate: the Green River, and especially Lodore Canyon, may not be as lethal as the Grand Canyon or the Arkansas River, but nevertheless the excitement never leaves you. You bound down the river past the juniper and pinion pine gatherings, bighorn sheep, and colorful meadows.
You can make your inner scuba diver happy by taking a plunge in the “Caribbean of the Rockies,” Bear Lake. It's a great place to observe the fish and other small lake critters. Flaming Gorge Reservoir's cold waters give you the opportunity to see 30-60 feet in every direction, so you can tour the unique underwater rock formations and peer under the watery cliffs.
Far-and-away a regional diving favorite are northern Utah's hot springs, like those at Belmont and Homestead Crater. At Bonneville Seabase you'll have the opportunity to swim in 80º F water, among Caribbean, Indo-Pacific, Australian, and Red Sea varieties of fish. Why all these worldwide varieties of fish? Because this lake is a mini-ocean - saltwater, almost 1,000 miles from the Pacific!
Winter Activities in Northern Utah
Northern Utah doesn't just perform in the summertime - it's also a skier's winter paradise. Seven resorts are located within an hour's drive from Salt Lake City, with another three in Park City. Park City happens to be where the U.S. Ski and Snowboard Association is located, while Deer Valley has been considered the number one ski resort in North America according to Ski Magazine. Come ski where the 2002 Winter Olympics were held, spread throughout these fantastic resorts.
Northern Utah will make you a believer in the magic of towering mountains. The Great Salt Lake's charms will answer your prayers. And the region's natural riches will convert you to the religion of outdoor recreation. Before your northern Utah vacation is through, you, too, will be preaching the region as one of the nation's top travel destinations.
Outdoor Recreation in Salt Lake City, Park City, Northern Utah
Outdoor-Sports-Recreation
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