'''Utah''', [http://www.utah.com] located in the Southwest region of the United States, is well known for its year round outdoor activities including skiing, snowboarding, hiking, boating, water skiing, horseback riding, camping, and rock climbing. The capital city of Salt Lake City has a number of unique modern and historical sites to visit.
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Regions
Cities
Salt Lake City – located along the Wasatch Front, it is the largest city and capital of the state, the center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church, whose members are known as Mormons), including Temple Square, and the University of Utah; host city of the 2002 Winter Olympics
Cedar City – good-sized college town of Southern Utah University in northern Dixie, home to the annual Utah Shakespearean Festival, and located near Cedar Breaks National Monument and the northwestern section of Zion National Park
Logan – fast-growing city located in Cache Valley in northern Utah, with plenty of nearby recreational activities, two impressive Mormon religious structures, and Utah State University
Moab – tourist town in northeastern Canyon Country, located in the center of a major recreational area that includes Arches, Canyonlands national parks and Dead Horse Point State Park, and offering outdoor outfitters and guides
Ogden – traditionally industrial city north of Salt Lake City, which includes George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park and is near many ski resorts and abundant recreational activities
Price – small town in eastern Utah with many local dinosaur attractions, ancient Indian petroglpyhs, the College of Eastern Utah, and wide open desert areas
Provo – located in Utah Valley south of Salt Lake City on the Wasatch Front, home to Brigham Young University, and surrounded by high mountains, great skiing, canyons, Utah Lake, and numerous other recreational opportunities
Park City – mountain resort city at center of large winter sports area with 3 ski resorts; many events for the 2002 Winter Olympics took place near here
St. George – fast-growing city in the southwest corner of state in Dixie, near Zion National Park and offering plenty of leisurely recreational activities akin to Mesquite, Nevada and also a hot spot for spring break
Other Destinations
Utah has an extraordinary number of national parks and monuments. The following is subdivided into "National parks and monuments" and "Other" as an aid to the reader:
National parks and monuments
A "Park Pass" from the United States National Park Service [https://buy.nationalparks.org/default.asp?ref=nps] is a particularly good investment if you're visiting Utah and planning to see its national parks and monuments. The $80 fee allows unlimited access to all National Park Service units for a year, and also provides discounts on some of the services within the units. Paying for this pass may save you money in the long run as you move from park to park in Utah. (Note, however, that there are a very few national monuments that are ''not'' part of the National Park Service, and are therefore not covered by a Park Pass; Monument Valley is one prominent example in Utah.)
Arches National Park – largest concentration of natural arches in the world, just northeast of Moab, as well as other strange sandstone formations, such as pinnacles, cliffs, mesas, and gorges
Bryce Canyon National Park – heavily-forested mountainous area with large natural amphitheater and other strange sandstone formations
Canyonlands National Park – large, spectacular wilderness of sandstone cliffs, narrow gorges, canyons, plateaus, bluffs, and other strange and beautiful formations east of Moab
Capitol Reef National Park – remote park along the Waterpocket Fold, a 100 mile monocline of domes, monoliths and narrow canyons
Cedar Breaks National Monument – large natural amphitheater northeast of Cedar City in forested, mountainous area
Dinosaur National Monument – area featuring a major excavation site for dinosaur bones as well as spectacular scenery and Native American rock art
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area - Lake Powell
Golden Spike National Historic Site – the first transcontinental railroad was completed by the driving of a symbolic golden spike at Promontory Summit in The Utah Territory
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Hovenweep National Monument -- mainly in Colorado but with some units in southeastern Utah
Zion National Park – popular area of sandstone cliffs, gorges, gullies, bluffs, plateaus, mesas, and other strange and colorful formations
Other
'''Bear Lake''' - popular water sports and summer resort area surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery northeast of Logan
Cache Valley - a scenic mountain valley in Northern Utah, home to Utah State University and blanketed by irrigation-fed agriculture.
Dead Horse Point State Park - spectacular gorge southwest of Moab where the Colorado River winds through a major bedrock of sandstone
Flaming Gorge - reservoir north of Vernal, popular for water sports, located in the eastern Uintas
Four Corners - only place where four states meet, located at southeast corner with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico
Goblin Valley - desert valley with strange formations of sandstone in south-central portion of state
'''Great Salt Lake''' - shallow, salty lake in northwestern portion of state northwest of Salt Lake City. The Great Salt Lake Marina, operated as a state park, [http://www.utah.com/stateparks/greatsaltlake.htm Great Salt Lake State Park and Marina]is located on the south shore of the Great Salt Lake, 16 miles west of Salt Lake City along Interstate 80. The Great Salt Lake Marina has 300 slips and is available for year-round boating on the lake that never freezes. Few power boats frequent the lake which makes this large lake with beautiful vistas, expansive night skies, an excellent sailing location. The [http://www.gslyc.org/ Great Salt Lake Yacht Club] organizes sailboat races, occurs all summer long on Saturday Morning and Wednesday Evenings.
'''King's Peak''' - in the Uinta mountain range - the tallest mountain in Utah (13,528 feet)
Kodachrome Basin State Park - is a small, popular (but very quiet) state park, situated about 20 miles (32 km) southeast of Bryce Canyon National Park, containing multicoloured rock formations
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Maple Canyon – Conglomerate rock climbing area with hiking, camping, and OHV.
Monument Valley - A Navajo Nation Tribal Park boasting the Southwest's most famous desert scenery
Palisade State Park – Golf, Fish, Swim, Canoe, Camp.
Snowkite Skyline Drive – The newest extreme winter sport.
The Arapeen ATV Trail System – 350-mile Off-Highway Vehicle Trail System.
'''Uinta Mountains''' - large east-west range of the Rocky Mountains through northeast portion of state with spectacular mountain climbing and pristine, serene wilderness
'''Wasatch Mountains''' - mountain range running through center of state north-south with gorgeous mountain scenery, excellent summer recreational activities, and multiple world-famous ski areas; vibrant fall colors that rival that of New England
Yuba Lake State Park – Waterski, Fish, and Camp.
Understand
'''Dixie''' refers to the low-lying area in the southwest corner of the state. It contains the city of St. George, and the climate is more closely-related to the southwestern deserts than it is to the rest of the state, with low annual precipitation, hot, dry summers, and mild winters with infrequent snowfall. Early settlers were able to grow cotton in the area, hence the name Dixie (a name for the cotton belt of the southern U.S.).
The '''Wasatch Front''' is the heavily-populated region of basins and valleys located between the Wasatch Mountains on the east and on the west by the Great Salt Lake (to the north) and the Oquirrh Mountains (to the south). 3/4 of Utah's population lies in this portion of the state, which stretches from Brigham City in the north to Santaquin in the south. Ogden, Salt Lake City, Sandy, Orem, and Provo are located on the Wasatch Front.
The '''benches''' are the higher slopes along the Wasatch Front. Residential development on the Wasatch Front typically extends high onto the slopes of the Wasatch Mountains in some areas. Homes here are generally more affluent, as they provide spectacular views of the surrounding areas, and the benches receive more precipitation and much more snow than the valley floors.
'''Mormons''' or members of ''The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints'' make up a good part of Utah's population. The beliefs and practices of these people are one of the stronger influences for public policy and have recently been a strong influence in laws regarding homosexuality in other states, including, but not limited to Hawaii and California. Drinking, smoking and homosexuality aren't permitted by the church, and Utah's drinking laws and morality laws are well-known for being strict. Sunday is considered a day of rest, and so some stores will be closed on Sunday. These stereotypes hold more weight in smaller cities and towns, and in some areas (especially Park City and Salt Lake City) the number of non-Mormons do outnumber members of the LDS faith. Mormons are generally tolerant and friendly towards non-Mormons, but may be taken aback by cussing, smoking, or drinking in their presence, particularly in the more rural cities and towns.
When to visit
Utah has four distinct seasons and widely-variable climate zones. Summer is hot in the north (about 80__-100__F), but rarely extreme, and is often unbearable in the far southern valleys and desert terrain (often exceeding 100__F, and even 110__F). However, summers tend to be quite comfortable in the mountains, making summer an ideal time to experience the mountain terrain of Utah. In winter, temperatures from 20__ - 40__F are common in the north, with warmer temperatures in the south. Overnight temps can occasionally drop below 0__F. Snow is common statewide, with the exception of the far southern valleys, from November - March, and often occurs even earlier and later than this. Snow is particularly common downwind of the Great Salt Lake. A number of excellent ski resorts operate in the Wasatch Mountains, especially around Salt Lake City, from about late November through mid-April. Snow is common in the mountains from late September - May. Summer and fall are both excellent times to enjoy the mountain scenery, with comfortable temperatures, low chance of snow, and easy access to a number of fantastic trails and hiking paths.
Although snow is common in winter in much of the state, rain is less common - it can be expected in winter and spring in the south and in spring in the north, but it's usually fairly light and short in duration. Fall also sees a short but unpredictable rainy season. Although summer is bone dry statewide, thunderstorms are a daily threat, especially throughout the south and in the northern mountains. Although these t-storms are short and small, they can be very intense. Although summer and fall are great times to enjoy the mountains and the slot canyons and desert terrain of southern Utah, attention must be paid to the skies as the evening approaches if camping in the mountains or enjoying the rugged terrain of southern Utah, especially in August. These storms can bring flash flooding to the narrow slot canyons of southern Utah, so make sure to evacuate the slot canyons as soon as possible if you see thunderstorms nearby - if you have a guide they will usually know when precautions must be taken. Summer and fall also bring a serious threat of wildfires in the backcountry.
September and early October is usually the best time to enjoy Utah, especially the mountains, with milder temperatures than summer, less chance of violent thunderstorms, and little chance of snow in the mountains. In addition, significant snowpack can linger in the mountains through May, while by early Autumn, summer has melted all of the snow, and snowstorms are rare. The national parks of Utah can get very crowded during Summer but predictably become less crowded towards late Summer and into Fall. Finally, Fall colors are spectacular in the mountains of Utah, and reach their peak in September. Colors in the valley peak in mid-October but aren't especially spectacular. The gorgeous Fall colors in the mountains rival the famous colors of New England, and are sometimes accompanied by early snow, creating a unique and beautiful mixture of vibrant colors and soft white.
Talk
English. There are generally fewer Spanish speakers in Utah than in other states of the southwestern United States, although this proportion is increasing. You may be able to find speakers of the major European and Asian languages in Salt Lake City and Provo, owing largely to the universities there (the University of Utah and Brigham Young University, respectively). Also many men who have served overseas as missionaries of the LDS (Mormon) Church have acquired working knowlege and often fluency in various foreign languages.
Get in
By road
Take I-15 from Southern California and Las Vegas. It also enters from Idaho to the north, eventually connecting to Canada. I-80 connects west to Reno and northern California - the route begins in San Francisco. It also connects from Wyoming near Evanston, providing the quickest route from Denver to Salt Lake City. I-70 heads straight west from Denver, entering Utah near Grand Junction and providing quick access to the incredible desert terrain of southern Utah, although not to any of the urban centers.
By train
Amtrak [http://www.amtrak.com] runs the '''California Zephyr''' from Emeryville to Chicago, stopping in Green River, Helper, Provo, and Salt Lake City.
For more information, see Amtrak's website or Wikitravel's article Rail travel in the United States.
By Plane
Most major Airlines fly into Salt Lake City International Airport. There are also smaller airports scattered around the state for charter planes.
Get around
'''Public Transportation''': The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) [http://www.rideuta.com/] maintains a bus system with several routes, generally between Ogden and Provo. UTA also is responsible for the TRAX system, which is light rail running from the University of Utah to downtown Salt Lake to Sandy. For both bus and train, one-way fare is $1.75, and a transfer can be obtained upon request, which will allow you to board another bus or train within two hours.
See
Itineraries
'''Skyline Drive''' – winds for over 100 miles along the very top of the Wasatch Plateau, providing access to forested mountains, alpine meadows and numerous lakes, streams and camping areas. At elevations ranging from about 9,000 to 11,000 feet above sea level, it is one of the highest roads in America. Views of the mountain basins and surrounding valleys are marvelous.
'''Snowmobile Skyline Drive''' – the Wasatch Plateau of Central Utah is a high altitude play area with snow, meadows, and hill climbs. Know as 'Boondocker's Heaven'.
Do
Utah is also home to some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world. Most of Utah's best ski areas are located in Big Cottonwood Canyon and Little Cottonwood Canyon, which are both conveniently located less than an hour's drive away from Salt Lake City.
If you like off-roading, Moab is home to the semi-annual Jeep Safari. The Safari will often times run twice a year, one over Easter Weekend the other over Memorial Day Weekend. The desert terrain combined with it's vast canyons can make for some fun and beautiful scenic drives, or wild rides with some very challanging obstacles. You can also bike and in some cases take an ATV out on the trails. For a less arid ride, try your hand at high mountain OHV riding through aspen and pine forests on the Arapeen ATV Trail System.
There is some mind-blowing rock climbing to be done in Utah, some of the best is located at Maple Canyon and Zion National Park. If this is not enough to satisfy your extreme sports cravings, consider snowkiting at high altitudes on Skyline Drive.
Eat
Drink
Utah's liquor laws are known as one of the more peculiar things about the state. Liquor is sold only in state-owned stores and generally costs more than in other states. Other states also have state owned liquor stores such as New Hampshire, although New Hampshire prices tend to be much lower. Beer contains significantly less alcohol (3.2% alcohol, as opposed to the standard 4-5%) than the usual brew, which is available in stores and restaurants. "Full strength" beer is available in bars and liquor stores. Also, state law prohibits the serving of more than one ounce (shot) of alcohol as the primary liquor in a mixed drink. Secondary alcoholic flavorings may then be added to a mixed drink as the recipe requires. While this can be circumvented with the purchase of a "sidecar" ( a separate shot of liquor ). Keep in note driving after drinking is prosecuted aggressively in the State of Utah.
Although liquor laws in Utah are more strict, they are not impossible. There are several kinds of establishments to know about:
'''Private club'''. Sometimes seen with the tag "for members only" added to the end. Don't let this intimidate you because sometimes membership requirements consists of simply signing your name twice on a bill. Even though local law requires a small fee for a membership, usually an establishment will automatically give you a discount equal to the price of the membership fee required by local law. Sometimes, "for members only" is only code for a full service bar serving hard drinks as well as beer. This is a less intrusive way of preventing "offending" any of the local religious sects. There is a small temporary "membership" fee required at these locations, but anyone can be a member and sometimes this is analogous to a cover charge. Most only run a few dollars, and most members can then bring "guests".
'''Tavern'''. A tavern is a bar that serves only beer and requires no "membership".
'''Restaurants'''. Many restaurants serve beer as well as hard liquor. No "membership" is required, but you must order food.
Stay safe
While much of Utah is developed, there is a great amount of desert especially to the south and west. If going out to the deserts always take plenty of water (at least one gallon per person, per day) and sunscreen as well as light clothing. Let people know where you are going and when you expect to get back.
Always be careful and watch for lightning while hiking. It's often best to hike in the early morning to avoid the possibility of hitting an afternoon thunderstorm. If caught in a storm while hiking seek shelter as quickly as you can. Also, if you see a thunderstorm nearby while exploring the slot canyons or the rough desert terrain of southern Utah, seek high ground immediately! Flash flooding is common in these areas, even when there is not a thunderstorm overhead.
Stay healthy
Because of Utah's High Elevation those not accustomed can be subject to mild altitude sickness, especially when hiking. Always pace yourself when hiking, and drink plenty of water, especially in summer time.
The high elevation also makes the exposure to UV rays far more intense than other places. Too much exposure can lead to skin conditions down the road, including skin cancer. Always apply sunscreen when you are expecting prolonged time in the sun. It's advised to do this year round.
Certain parts of Utah are valley regions. In the winter time they are subject to days of pollution inversions. Those with respiratory and heart conditions should advise the air quality index to see the primary pollutant. You usually can find the indexes in the daily paper as well as watching local news and The Weather Channel.