Utah

From its expanses of iconic desert playgrounds to its towering Wasatch Range, Utah is home to every type of outdoor adventure you can imagine. Locals and visitors alike are spoiled with convenient access to world-class winter and summer time activities and lodging.

Top Spots in and near Utah

  • Brighton, Utah

    Hike and Camp at the Twin Lakes Reservoir

    5 mi / 650 ft gain
    The trailhead begins at the Solitude Nordic Center. Walking around Silver Lake, you get a chance to observe the ducks and lovely wetlands area. This trail then leads you into the lower aspens, and if you are hiking just as fall colors have begun to emerge, they create a glowing effect in the wood...
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  • Virgin, Utah

    Hop Valley Trail, Zion NP

    3.0
    14.58 mi / 1916 ft gain
    This 6.5 mile (one-way) trek is a multi-functional trail. The trail can serve as standalone trail allowing hikers to get in either a solid in-and-out day hike or as a leg to a much bigger and epic Trans-Zion Trek. For those interested in the later, the Hop Valley Trail is the leg of the journey t...
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  • Escalante, Utah

    Hike to the Cosmic Ashtray

    4.0
    8 mi / 800 ft gain
    ...As a frequent traveler, what's always motivated my travels were locations that have either been on my bucket list, or are places that are photogenic and a little off the beaten path. During my recent 3 week road trip through Northern Arizona and Southern Utah, I had the opportunity to visit a ...
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  • Salt Lake City, Utah

    Hike Jacks Mountain

    4.0
    2.4 mi / 1300 ft gain
    Named for a toddler who died of Lukemia in 1995, Jacks Mountain is a beautiful place to sit above the valley and contemplate mortality. On the peak, you’ll find a couple mailboxes containing heartfelt notes from hundreds of hikers throughout the years. It’s the kind of place that restores your fa...
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  • Alpine, Utah

    South Thunder Mountain via Schoolhead Springs

    10.15 mi / 5600 ft gain
    The summit of South Thunder Mountain, sitting at 11,154 ft, is a superb peak. Located on the Alpine Ridge of the Wasatch Mountains, this peak is criminally overlooked. The Schoolhouse Springs trailhead leads you onto an old dirt road, that switchbacks for about 2 miles through the foothills, bef...
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  • Daggett County, Utah

    Fly Fish the Green River below Flaming Gorge

    4.0
    Located in the northeast corner of Utah, this section of the Green River begins beneath the Flaming Gorge dam. The "A" section runs from the dam to Little Hole, and there is parking and trail access from both ends. If you plan on launching a boat, it's easy to setup a shuttle in Dutch John. For...
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  • Kamas, Utah

    Explore the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway

    4.7
    Mirror Lake Scenic Byway is breathtaking. There is lots to take in via longer trips, but with numerous viewpoints, lakes, and the Provo River just off the main highway, the drive through alone is well worth it.There is SO much to do in the Uintas, with activities ranging from lakeside picnics to ...
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  • Layton, Utah

    Adams Canyon

    4.8
    3.55 mi / 1434 ft gain
    The trailhead is at a dirt parking lot with a lot of parking, but on Saturday mornings it can get full and people are forced to park on the street. As you start off, there are a few steep and sandy switchbacks. They don't last too long but on a hot day it can seem like forever. After that, the t...
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  • Kamas, Utah

    Hike to Island Lake

    5.0
    9 mi / 1000 ft gain
    There are many lakes in this area, but Island Lake is the only one with epic cliff jumping. You can camp anywhere around the lake and campfires are permitted.The cliff is best to jump off mid summer when the water is the warmest, but it's always pretty cold. The cliffs are about 30-50 feet tall. ...
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  • Hanna, Utah

    Hike the Lofty Lake Loop Trail

    4.5
    4.2 mi / 935 ft gain
    Lofty Lake Loop Trail is located in the High Uintas near Kamas, Utah. The trail can be found right off the Mirror Lake Scenic Byway about 32 miles east of Kamas and starts at the Pass Lake Trailhead.  This is a fairly mellow trail with some areas of good elevation gain, enough to get your heart w...
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  • Huntsville, Utah

    Hike the Skull Creek Trail of Causey Reservoir

    4.8 mi / 400 ft gain
    To get to the trailhead from Ogden, Utah, take 12th street east up canyon and around Pine View Reservoir. When you get to Huntsville, turn right and continue to head east up the canyon. IN 8 miles you will come to a sign for Causey Road. Turn right here and follow the road to the dam. Turn right ...
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  • Salt Lake City, Utah

    Hike Mt. Aire

    4.5
    4 mi / 2000 ft gain
    Mount Aire, standing around 8600 ft, certainly isn't the most inspiring peak in or around Salt Lake City, but to me it serves as a quick summit to catch the sunset when I'm short on time.Getting There:Start by heading up Mill Creek Canyon Rd. After passing the ranger booth, drive about 5.5 miles ...
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  • Montezuma Creek, Utah

    Hike the Ruins of Hovenweep National Monument

    4.7
    2 mi / 80 ft gain
    Hovenweep National Monument consists of 5 separate units which were once Ancestral Puebloan communities. The main trail, Little Ruin Canyon, starts from the Visitor Center and is the only unit that has paved access. Don't let the dirt-clay roads keep you from the other units though, they are not ...
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  • Bryce, Utah

    Bryce Canyon Scenic Drive

    4.5
    20.8 mi / 2516 ft gain
    Inspiration Point: All who look out from this point are bound to be inspired. The intricacies of the hoodoos and their formation through the erosion of the Claron Formation is simply beautiful. You get the most spectacular perspective of the main amphitheater in Bryce Canyon here. Swamp Canyon: ...
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  • Green River, Utah

    Goblin's Lair and Carmel Canyon

    4.5
    3.18 mi / 433 ft gain
    This beautiful, isolated hike also makes for a flexible route – very few places in Goblin Valley are off limits, allowing you to customize the adventure as much as you please. The hike begins on a rapidly descending trail, heading into the heart of Goblin Valley State Park. After a quarter mile ...
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  • Moab, Utah

    Trail Run Moab's Slickrock Trail

    8.8 mi / 944 ft gain
    The Slickrock Trail is well known in the mountain biking community and has put Moab on the map as one of the premier mountain biking destinations in the world. The good news for folks who don't mountain bike is that it's just as much fun to run or hike.It's a loop trail and very well marked with ...
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