Utah By Numbers
Mighty Utah is an adventurer's paradise with not one but five epic national parks. Here are some other numbers that might interest you regarding Utah.
5 Iconic U.S National Parks
Arches, a red rock wonder, contains the world's largest concentration of natural arches (over 2,000). A paved road winds through the park allowing easy access to some of the most impressive sites, and hiking trails take you to more remote areas.
The Bryce Canyon region is great for hiking, horseback riding, photography, camping and other activities. The national park itself has been carved by wind and rain and offers some amazing rock formations called hoodoos. The area offers a myriad of slot canyons which are great for hiking, and other hiking trails. We suggest a visit to Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument from here.
Canyonlands is a rugged and remote area created by the mighty Colorado and Green rivers. The Island in the Sky district offers easy access to outstanding views 300 metres below and the much-photographed Mesa Arch. Explore further via jeep trails, or head to The Needles District for rambling walking trails.
Capitol Reef has long been labelled one of Utah's best-kept secrets. It is just as scenic as the other parks, but far less developed and with fewer visitors. It offers slot canyons which are great for hiking, high Navajo sandstone domes with huge red rock cliffs and amazing photo opportunities.
Enjoy
Zion's deep, narrow canyon, towering cliffs, streams, waterfalls, hanging wildflower gardens and majestic, forested mountains. Whether you stay in the park itself or in Springdale, at the entrance of the park, you will be close to an abundance of outdoor activities including guided hikes, canyoneering and off-road trips.
9 National Monuments
Utah's been blessed with seven national monuments and several areas that are defined as landmarks (super cool places that you should visit). Our favourites include
Grand Staircase Escalante, an extraordinary geological feature along Highway 12 where you can travel through time as you pass through the layers of rock; Rainbow Bridge, the world's largest natural bridge, nearly as high as the Statue of Liberty, that spans 275 feet across the water and the evocatively named Bears Ears, an outstanding landscape with extensive cultural and natural resources with opportunities for hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, river rafting, and riding off road vehicles.
44 State Parks
In Utah's heritage, scenic and recreational state parks, visitors boat, swim, fish, picnic, ride horses, visit interpretive areas, enjoy nature trails or just relax with family and friends. Even in winter, cross-country skiers, snowmobilers, ice fishers and hardy campers take advantage of Utah's state parks.
Bear Lake State Park is located on the Utah/Idaho border with the gorgeous lake sharing land in both states. The lake is known for its famous turquoise-blue waters (sometimes called the Caribbean of the Rockies) and its huge 109-mile circumference. Antelope Island State Park is on The Great Salt Lakes’ largest island. The Great Salt Lake is the largest saltwater lake in the western hemisphere and reminiscent of the Dead Sea in that the salt content is so high that you may be able to float in the water!
Head to the Dinosaur Trackway Trail in Red Fleet State Park to see footprints that are thought to be more than 200 million years old. Tracks can even be seen from a kayak or paddleboard on the lake!
15 World-Renowned Ski Resorts
Skiers and boarders go to Utah for The Greatest Snow on Earth®, yet even if you don't opt to take to the slopes, you can still enjoy Utah’s resorts and surrounding communities in the winter months. Enjoy a scenic ride in a heated, covered chairlift for lunch on top of a mountain, head to Cliff Spa at Snowbird to chill in the rooftop heated pool or drink whiskey at the Owl Bar, once frequented by Butch Cassidy and his gang, Utah offers a plethora of activities at any time of year.
24 International Dark-Sky Parks and Places
Utah has the highest concentration of International Dark-Sky Association-certified locations, including communities, parks and protected areas. There are many park programmes and events throughout the state which you can incorporate into your Utah self-drive including star parties, astronomy programmes and ranger-led stargazing hikes.
Rangers from Arches National Park, Canyonlands National Park's Island in the Sky district and Dead Horse Point State Park offer night sky events in spring and autumn. Programmes rotate among the three parks and usually take place around the new moon.
Join a ranger-led programme at Bryce Canyon National Park or visit in June for the annual Astronomy Festival. Some popular programmes (winter snowshoe hikes and full moon hikes) require advance sign-up or are subject to a lottery.
From late June to October, Capitol Reef National Park offers night sky tours, full moon walks and its Annual Heritage Starfest event, featuring telescope viewing and guest speakers.
Stargazing programmes also run at Cedar Breaks National Monument, Dinosaur National Monument, Hovenweep National Monument, Natural Bridges National Monument, Rainbow Bridge National Monument and Timpanogos Cave National Monument. Many state parks have earned the International Dark Sky Park designation, including Dead Horse Point, Antelope Island, Kodachrome Basin and more.
28 Scenic Byways
The immense size of Utah might seem daunting, but time on the road passes quickly when new discoveries punctuate each mile travelled. In total, Utah’s distinct topography provides the surface for 28 scenic byways, which add up to hundreds of miles of vivid travel experiences wherein the road trip is as memorable as the destination. All of Utah’s scenic byways are explorative journeys filled with trailheads, scenic overlooks, museums, local flavours and vibrant communities where you can stop for the night or hook up your RV. Discover monumental upheavals of exposed rock strata among multiple national and state parks along the All-American Road Scenic Byway 12; dense concentrations of fossils along Dinosaur Diamond Scenic Byway; and the blazing red cliffs and deep blue waters of Flaming Gorge–Uintas Scenic Byway.
