Introduction
Thanks to its astounding array of natural riches and epic outdoor activities, Utah is one of the most popular states to explore in the country. As it remarkably boasts nearly fifty national and state parks, most visitors only use its secluded cities and towns as bases from which to hike, bike, drive, and ski around the surrounding scenery.
Located in the Western United States, the large landlocked state is surrounded by Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado, Arizona, and Nevada. As it is set at the spot where the Rocky Mountains, Great Basin, and Colorado Plateau meet, it encompasses a range of different landscapes with over seventy percent of its landmass now protected as part of national parks and monuments.
The most popular places to head are the absolutely unforgettable national parks of Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion which together make up the ‘Mighty 5’. Here you can see not only otherworldly rock formations, canyons, and mountains, but delightful desert scenery and vast forests too with amazing hiking, horseback riding, and camping to be had amidst their confines.
If this wasn’t enough, there is the iconic Monument Valley and fantastic formations of Goblin Valley to see as well as the bleak and barren Bonneville Salt Flats and magnificent mesas of the Valley of the Gods. Lake Powell is another scenic spot where you can enjoy some wonderful watersports and peaceful houseboating while Park City is the place to go if you want to ski and snowboard.
Due to their proximity to the great outdoors and extensive recreational opportunities, Moab, Logan, Provo, and Cedar City all attract lots of nature lovers as does Price for its ancient Indian petroglyphs and numerous dinosaur digs. While they each have their own historic sights, cultural landmarks, and small pockets of shops, restaurants and bars, its capital Salt Lake City is the Beehive State’s largest and liveliest settlement. Asides from housing the headquarters of the Mormon church, it has many museums, parks and monuments to check out with majestic mountains and valleys lying nearby.