Things to do / Travel Guide
North, south, east, or west - whether you are an outdoors connoisseur, a culture vulture, an arts authority, or a shopping specialist, all points on northern Utah's compass will point in the direction of a good time. The following details the main places in the northern Utah region, from north to south and west to east.
Bear Lake
With its shimmering turquoise waters reminiscent of the Caribbean, Bear Lake is a superb tourist find. Straddling the Utah-Idaho border, at Bear Lake you can enjoy some of the region's best boating, fishing, and freshwater diving. If you can bear the cold, head to Cisco Beach in January when you can stick a net into the water and scoop up schools of seven-inch Bonneville Cisco whitefish.
Logan
Southwest of Bear Lake and the fourth-largest city in Utah, Logan is nestled in the Cache Valley near the Bear River Range, on the banks of the Logan River. Right next to Beaver Mountain Ski Resort and the snowmobile trails of Hardware Ranch, Logan is also home to Utah State University and the Eccles Theater, which hosts the world-class Utah Festival Opera Company. You can take a spin on the Logan Canyon Scenic Drive to see the area's most dramatic landscape and to get a glimpse of the moose and elk that roam the area.
Brigham City
Southwest of Logan, near the top-notch fishing available in Willard Bay State Park, Brigham City is a jumping off place for visits to the Golden Spike National Historic Site, where the Union Pacific and Central Pacific railroad tracks were finally linked, and the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge - one of the country's best. Brigham City also provides miles of pleasant road cycling to the aforementioned attractions.
Ogden
Ogden is an outdoorsmen's oasis. Located north of Salt Lake City, the kayaking and fishing on the nearby Causey Reservoir is terrific, as are nature walks to overlooks of Ogden Valley, and the frothing, gushing waters of Waterfall Canyon. For great antique stores and art galleries, interesting shops, and restaurants walk up and down the city's Historic 25th Street, and you can always catch a film or a performance at the beautiful Peery's Egyptian Theater. After the show, take a shot or a swig of your favorite spirits at the Shooting Star Saloon (the oldest continually-operating saloon in Utah) in nearby Huntsville.
Great Salt Lake and Antelope Island State Park
A sprawling, saline sea, the Great Salt Lake claims over 960,000 surface acres in the center of northern Utah. Boating, kayaking, and canoeing enthusiasts make their way to Great Salt Lake's ooltic (lime or calcium carbonate) sand shores, and people from all over the world bob in the buoyant waters of Bridger Bay (the salt content makes you unsinkable). Millions of birds also make the lake a pit stop on their migratory paths.
Fixed like a jewel in an aquamarine setting, Antelope Island State Park, Great Salt Lake's largest island (of eight in total), offers a plethora of opportunities for wildlife observation and outdoor recreation. Paddle around for a view of the island's antelope or to balk at the more than 600 bison that roam around. Take to the trails on bike or horseback for scenic overlooks of Great Salt Lake, the Wasatch Mountain Range, and the Salt Lake Valley.
Salt Lake City
Host of the 2002 Winter Olympics, this bustling urban metropolis located a short drive from Great Salt Lake is simultaneously quaint and cosmopolitan. While the Mormon founders of Salt Lake City have made (and continue to make) their unmistakable mark on the historical and architectural attractions, like Historic Temple Square, the city will fascinate both Mormons and non-Mormons alike. The city's culture scene is first-rate, with the Mormon Tabernacle Choir and Utah Symphony making their homes in Salt Lake City alongside a wide range of theater troupes and dance ensembles. On a stroll around downtown visitors can peruse the many art galleries showcasing local and regional talent. The world's largest genealogical records await your perusal at the Family History Library, but if you are simply looking to find some good shopping deals, check out the winding, narrow streets of The Gateway. Witness the city's natural beauty at Red Butte Botanical Gardens, while taking a scenic drive along the Big Cottonwood Canyon Scenic Byway for a view of the mythical Mt. Olympus, or while biking along the backbone of the Wasatch Mountain Range on the Wasatch Crest Trail.
Park City
To the east of Salt Lake City, near Heber Valley, a breakneck speed ride on a bobsled at the Utah Olympic Park is always a Park City highlight. Tour the Olympic pavilions and see world-class athletes in training. Deer Valley Resort, named by Ski Magazine as the number one ski resort in North America, also offers some of the country's best mountain biking. Nearby, Jordanelle Reservoir is a good spot to catch brown and rainbow trout. Walk along Center Street for great shopping, catch a show or a concert at the Eccles Center for Performing Arts, or visit in January for the world-renown Sundance Film Festival.
Provo
South of Park City sits Provo. Home to Brigham Young University (the second-largest private university in the U.S.) and alcohol-free nightlife, Provo also abounds natural beauty. Sailors and sea-faring vessels ply the waters of nearby Utah Lake (Utah's second-largest body of water) and anglers cast their lines to pull up catfish and bluegill. Robert Redford's Sundance Resort is just across the way, where outstanding skiing, scenic horseback riding, and art exhibits are available along with gorgeous daytime and nighttime views of the majestic Mt. Timpanogos.
Uinta National Forest
Located on the southern end of the Wasatch Mountain Range, just 30 minutes south of Salt Lake City and a few minutes from Provo, Uinta National Forest is a nearly-1 million-acre patch of forested land in the heart of northern Utah known for its breathtaking views, deep canyons, and the giant Mt. Timpanogos (elevation: 11,750 feet). To get a sense of the lush, verdant foliage of the Uinta National Forest, take a scenic drive from American Fork Canyon to Provo Canyon. To further feast your eyes, head to Cascade Springs, where more than 7 million gallons of water flow over limestone and travertine terraces. For a water excursion, try the top-notch fishing at boating at Strawberry Reservoir, southeast of Heber City, also located within Uinta National Forest.
Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area
Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area is home to the Flaming Gorge Reservoir, where you can kayak amidst rose-color cliffs and peer into craggy canyons for big horned sheep. You can also choose to slip into one of the isolated coves in a pontoon or houseboat. Fish for trout and kokanee salmon in the reservoir's cool calm waters or head downstream to the Green River. Away from the water, you can drive or ride along the Flaming Gorge-Uintas Scenic Byway, where you'll be enchanted by breathtaking vistas of red sandstone formations and the peaks of the Uinta Mountains.
Places to Visit in Salt Lake City, Park City, Northern Utah
Places-to-Visit
Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area - Utah
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