Top Things to do in Utah
Top Hotels in Utah
- 1. Best Western Plus Zion Canyon Inn & Suites
- 2. Best Western Plus Abbey Inn
- 3. Abbey Inn & Suites
- 4. Best Western Plus Ruby'S Inn
- 5. Hyatt Place Moab
- 6. Best Western Plus Bryce Canyon Grand Hotel
- 7. Goulding's Lodge & Campground
- 8. Desert Pearl Inn
- 9. Bowen Motel
- 10. La Quinta Inn & Suites by Wyndham at Zion Park/Springdale
The 10 Best Nature & Parks in Utah, United States
Welcome to “The Greatest Snow on Earth” – Utah’s paradise for all outdoor enthusiasts! As host of the 2002 Winter Olympics, Park City knows how to entertain winter fun seekers. Snowboarders and skiers head for miles of spectacular slopes with deep fluffy powder and breathtaking mountain views. The Olympic Park provides family-friendly ski programs, rides and shows. Alta, Sundance, Snowbird and Brighton are other popular destinations for cross country and Alpine skiers. Those alluring snowy slopes turn to rolling wildflower fields in the summer. Golfing, fishing, horseback riding and water sports replace chilly outdoor sports adventures. Corral the family, pack a picnic and catch one of the ski lifts for an afternoon of hiking or mountain biking along scenic trails. Head to Salt Lake City, where Temple Square hosts millions of visitors a year. Bryce Canyon and Arches National Park are famous for surreal landscapes from horseshoe-shaped amphitheaters to unusual rock formations and hundreds of natural sandstone arches. Closer to home, wander along the quaint main streets of mountain villages to browse, shop and enjoy lunch at an outdoor café. At the end of the day, head home for an outdoor barbecue and an evening of games. Home rentals blend privacy, space and comfort with the cost-saving advantage of eating some meals at home.
Restaurants in Utah
1. The Narrows
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 3,489 reviews
Zion's most popular hiking trail is also its most dangerous due to occasional flash floods.
Reviewed By erinmarina - Sioux Falls, United States
Awesome hike!!! Definitely spend the extra $25 to rent the wooden hiking stick and water shoes/neoprene socks from Zion Outfitters (located right outside the pedestrian entrance to the park). The stick actually provided a lot of stability when hiking through the water and the water shoes were NOT waterproof by any means, but helped support my ankles and give me better grip than my hiking shoes or tennis shoes would have. We went on October 1st, VERY EARLY in the day and we didn't encounter many people until our way back around 11. We hiked through Wall Street and then returned, Definitely recommend this hike!!
2. Island in the Sky
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 668 reviews
This area of Canyonlands has a few hiking trails and views of beautiful canyons.
Reviewed By 866TaylorB - Chicago, United States
Island in the Sky, also known as Between the Rivers, is the most visited and easily reached and perhaps the most scenic attraction in Canyonlands National Park. Located close to Moab, Utah and Arches National Park, it is the highest section of Canyonlands, with an average elevation of 6,100 feet, and the access road passes many spectacular and breath-taking viewpoints of the deep twisting canyon on either side. The road runs along a narrowing ravine or Seven-Mile Canyon, climbs the steep cliffs on the south side, then ascends more gently over uneven, partly wooded ground to the flat grasslands in the center of the plateau. The flat land at the top of the Island in the Sky mesa becomes narrower towards the south as the river confluence approaches. After the visitors center, the first viewpoint is Shafer Canyon to the east, then the mining settlement of Potash and a meadow known as Grays Pasture. At a fork in the road, follow the West road past the main campground and an overlook of the Green River at Willow Flat, then descend gradually to the end of the mesa at Upheaval Dome. Near the road junction are two short trails, one to Mesa Arch and one to the White Rim and the Green River. The remaining five miles of the main road cross a rather narrow plateau, past several overlooks, including Buck Canyon, Candlestick Tower, Murray Point, Gooseberry Canyon and the Orange Cliffs. The park road ends at Grand View Point, which offers magnificent vistas across the Colorado canyons and the spires of Monument Basin to the distant La Sal Mountains in the east and the Needles area to the south. A further one-mile, 20-minute walk southwards along the Grand View Trail leads to the very end point of the Island in the Sky plateau, where the cliffs drop away in all directions and the canyons of both rivers can be seen. There are places in Canyonlands where you are alone and can't hear a sound. It is an erie experience, one a native of Chicago isn't used to. At times, in certain spots, Island in the Sky feels that way.
3. Delicate Arch
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,859 reviews
A world-famous natural sandstone arch.
Reviewed By 355margotm
We hiked to Delicate Arch in November, starting early-ish in the morning of a sunny (but cool) day. The walk has a bit of everything - colonial history (a historic shack), pre-history (petroglyphs), slick-rock, clambering, ledges and - when you get around the final corner, the amazing Delicate Arch! It stands off to the side of a natural amphitheatre, and we couldn't imagine how it came to be formed. Amazing and beautiful.
4. Angel's Landing
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 2,899 reviews
Angel's Landing is one of Zion's most spectular scenic outlooks; it can be reached only by a very demanding hike on the West Rim Trail.
Reviewed By 322bobg - North Carolina, United States
The final ascent to Angels Landing is quite the thrill and a little scary - don't attempt if you are afraid of heights. It is also an amazing view of the Zion valley. I am over the hill age wise but I did the hike from start to finish in three hours and fifteen minutes so it is not a large investment of time but it is worth every minute. Walters Wiggle (the series of 20 some steep switchbacks) is a good cardio workout. The best part of the hike is from Scout Lookout to Angels Landing. There are numerous sections where you really need the chains that are installed. When I visited in October there was a waiting line at the base of the West Rim Trail that you need to take to get to Angels Landing and the rangers were handing out passes that you needed to ascend Angels Landing from Scout Lookout. The rangers only allowed about 10 hikers at a time to start the hike in order to control the crowds at Angels Landing.
5. Mesa Arch
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 731 reviews
Visit this mesa at sunrise for the best scencic views.
Reviewed By TravelingJohnB80 - Martinsburg, United States
Relatively easy hike to see one of the most iconic arches. One downside is with the ease of the hike it also brings crowds so you will have to wait your turn to get a picture.
6. Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 387 reviews
This massive national monument holds endless sights within thousands of acres.
Reviewed By gwenh465
All I can say is WOW. Jaw dropping views. Beautiful sunset views. Watch for road conditions in winter.
7. Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,463 reviews
Best Friends Animal Society is the only national animal welfare organization focused exclusively on ending the killing of dogs and cats in America's shelters. An authority and leader in the no-kill movement, Best Friends runs the nation's largest no-kill sanctuary for companion animals, as well as lifesaving programs in partnership with rescue groups and shelters across the country. Since its founding in 1984, Best Friends has helped reduce the number of animals killed in shelters nationwide from 17 million per year to about 4 million. That means there are still over 9,000 dogs and cats killed in shelters each day. And we will not be done until that number is zero. Best Friends has the knowledge, technical expertise and on-the-ground network to end the killing and Save Them All(R).
Reviewed By SDubs24 - Boulder, United States
This was our second visit to the sanctuary. We've done the grand sanctuary tour and the Dog Town tour - both were really great (and free!) On the grand sanctuary tour we visited with a bunch of cats and met a very sweet old dog in the senior area. They do amazing work here and the land is absolutely stunning. They have dogs, cats, birds, horses, wild animals, you name it! It's worth an hour or two of your time, and if you're able, you should definitely donate to this fabulous organization. They truly care about animals and are doing great work nationwide. I'd recommend booking your tour online in advance, they fill up fast.
8. Big Cottonwood Canyon
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 1,149 reviews
Located in the Wasactch Mountains, this wilderness region offers a limitless range of recreation for outdoor enthusiasts.
Reviewed By Francophile84108 - Salt Lake City, United States
When the temp hits triple digits in the city, that's when I head for the canyons. I love Big Cottonwood. It's a great place to hike, has beautiful scenery and if you have little kids or elderly friends and family, there's a nice gentle walk at the top, by Brighton Ski resort, around Silver Lake. If you go at dusk, you're likely to see Moose as you stroll the boardwalk around the lake. There are interpretive signs along the way, restrooms and a small information center. If you're hungry, stop at Silver Fork Lodge for a bite to eat, just minutes from the lake as you descend the canyon.
9. Calf Creek Falls Recreation Area
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 635 reviews
It takes time to get to, but Calf Creek falls are a recommended site to visit.
Reviewed By Global_Traveller11 - Salt Lake City, United States
Great 6 mile hike that was mostly easy with a couple of moderate spots. Fantastic views, some good shady spots and the waterfall at the end was really worth the effort to make it to the end!
10. Hell's Revenge
Overall Ratings
5.0 based on 833 reviews
Challenging 9-mile Jeep trail.
Reviewed By analizaq - Chicago, United States
Moab Adventure Center offered a sunset safari hummer tour and this was fun and had a great experience watching all the colors of the sunset.
