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Utah National Parks in Winter
Hoodoos sprinkled in snow. Deserted desert trails. Slot canyons of solitude. Sure, national park visits go hand-in-hand with warm weather. But the best national parks in winter offer a few perks summer doesn’t: unmatched beauty and fewer people.
Thanks to mild winter temperatures, park enthusiasts enjoy the Mighty 5 — Zion National Park, Arches National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Canyonlands National Park and Capitol Reef National Park — all winter long. Parkgoers can also experience nearby Southern Utah towns that offer golf, local eateries, art galleries, ice fishing, snowshoeing, Nordic skiing, mountain biking and hiking trails.
The Best of National Parks in Winter
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Winter in Arches National Park
Skip the crowded peak season and embrace the quiet of a winter visit to Arches National Park. Enjoy winter hikes, scenic drives and some of the best stargazing in the world.
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Winter in Bryce Canyon National Park
See red rock hoodoos coated with a dusting of snow against a stunning scenic backdrop on an unforgettable winter visit to Bryce Canyon National Park.
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Winter in Canyonlands National Park
As the largest national park in Utah, Canyonlands provides a variety of winter adventures, including winter hiking and stargazing.
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Winter in Capitol Reef National Park
Towering red rocks dusted in snow, often set against bright blue skies, welcome winter visitors to Capitol Reef National Park. Soak up incredible views along the park’s scenic drive or gear up and head out on a wintry hike.
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Winter in Zion National Park
Winter visitors to Zion National Park will find plenty to do, including hiking, photography and gazing up at the wonders of the night sky.
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Park Preparedness for Winter
While winter weather in Southern Utah can be mild, cooler and widely fluctuating temperatures with intermittent rain and snow exist. Nights and shaded areas are quite chilly, even when exploring in the sunshine is delightful.
- Check weather and current road conditions often. Winter weather changes quickly bringing sudden storms.
- Research business hours in advance. Businesses in Utah’s smaller communities sometimes close for the season.
- Layer up and wear shoes with tread. Microspikes work great on hard, icy surfaces.
Read the Stories
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5 Road Trip-Worthy Restaurants in Kanab, Utah
Written By Andrew Dash Gillman
4 minute read
Hungry for a culinary renaissance? Or a small-town staple? Whatever you’re craving, fuel your outdoor adventures at these favorite Kanab restaurants.
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A Sweet-Tooth’s Guide to Downtown Provo
Written By Visit Utah
3 minute read
We’ve set out on a walk in search of Provo's best treats. We were not disappointed.
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Artisan Cheese in Red Rock Country
Written By Darby Doyle
8 minute read
Two decades ago, Randy Ramsley traded his Dockers-and-tie city job for a 50 acre plot of land that he called a “Garden of Weedin” and the dream of establishing a sustainable farmstead. Now travelers from all over the globe know the small market and counter-service restaurant at Mesa Farm as a refreshing “must-do” respite seemingly plunked in the middle of nowhere on Highway 24 east of Capitol Reef National Park.
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Best Après Ski Bars in Park City and Beyond
Written By Austen Diamond
4 minute read
Want to master the art of après? Here’s your guide to the best après-ski bars in Park City and the Wasatch Front.
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Discover the Breweries of the Wasatch Front
Written By Matcha
5 minute read
Over the past two decades, Salt Lake’s breweries have grown into a culture all their own. Here’s what you need to start planning a pub crawl with this collection of Salt Lake’s most popular breweries.
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Eating Up Mount Timpanogos
Written By David Vogel
3 minute read
Learn about the Utah farms near Mt. Timpanogos that produce luscious lettuce and artisan cheese. Make your own plans to “eat up” Mt. Timpanogos!
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Heber Eats
Written By Paula Colman
4 minute read
Heber Valley is a basecamp for adventure with none of the crowds! With restaurants, bakeries, yurt dining and more there is never a shortage of places to eat.
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Hell's Backbone Grill
Written By Matcha
Boulder, Utah sits at the edge of wilderness, but Hell's Backbone Grill culinary ethics and farm-to-table cuisine puts most city dining to shame.
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Kiva Koffeehouse
Kiva Koffeehouse is a welcome stop for fresh food and espresso tucked on a hillside down a dirt driveway near milepost 73 on the scenic byway.
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Meet the Women Leading Utah's Food and Beverage Renaissance
Written By Darby Doyle
When it comes to food and beverage in Utah, there are key influencers who have been the proponents of change, growth, and the role of women in Utah’s food scene.
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Mesa Farm Market
Best local shops and healthy eats near Moab and Capitol Reef. Try the goat cheese!
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More Than Coffee: The Caffeinators of Salt Lake City
Written By Austin Wright
8 minute read
The unique Salt Lake City coffee community is ready to embrace you. When you visit Utah, try all the capital city's coffee shops and styles to find your favorite cup.
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Navajo: Fry Bread, Tacos, Pizza
Despite its troubling origins, Navajo fry bread is an inspired food of the nation’s people, and it can be found in many forms with various names around the southwest.
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Short List: Local Salt Lake City Nightlife Picks
Make the most of winter's shortened daylight by extending your Utah ski trip into the night. Sure, some resorts offer incredible night skiing — so, okay, after that — but then the night really gets going in downtown Ski City.
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The Hills are Alive With the Scent of Whiskey
Written By Cody Kirkland
4 minute read
The first of several legal Utah distilleries since 1870 is the High West Distillery. Tour the facility, enjoy a tasting, build your flight and have a burger.
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The Spice of (a New) Life
Written By Austen Diamond
4 minute read
Some of the best food in Salt Lake City is served in the Spice Incubator Kitchen. Come visit this international culinary kitchen for a treat to your taste buds.
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Utah Spirits Tours
Written By Darby Doyle
5 minute read
Utahns have rediscovered distilling. Sample the merchandise on a gin distillery tour, stay for dinner and taste Utah whiskey, vodka and more on other tours.
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Utah's Rum Underdogs
Written By Darby Doyle
6 minute read
Utah distilleries are becoming very popular. Distillery 36 is rising to the top of the list. Drink in their story and then let’s toast with Brigham agricole rum!
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Utah’s Fruit Way: Harvest Time Along Old Highway 89
Written By Darby Doyle
6 minute read
Headed to Bear Lake, Golden Spike National Historical Park or the Bear Lake Migratory Bird Refuge? Stock up with fresh road-trip snacks and dinner provisions direct from family-run farm stands, all within a stone’s throw of the region’s many historic farms and orchards.
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Utah’s Women Make History
Written By Darby Doyle
5 minute read
Walk in the footsteps of Utah’s earliest women’s suffrage leaders at sites throughout downtown Salt Lake City. Along the way, view public art installations commemorating voting rights and stop at trail-adjacent local women-owned businesses.
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Want Wine? Utah Has an App for That!
Written By Paula Colman
Search for and locate any wine, beer or spirit in the entire statewide inventory using an app.
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Welcome to the 5%: Liquor Laws Support Utah's Vibrant Craft Brew Scene
Written By Matcha
While Utah still has some unconventional liquor laws on the books, they aren’t an impediment to enjoying the local creations. So raise a glass to your next trip to Utah — you won’t be disappointed.
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Where to Eat and Drink in St. George
Written By Elainna Ciaramella
6 minute read
As you explore St. George and Greater Zion seeking excellent food, coffee and drinks, you’ll want to add these top restaurants to your list.
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Where’s the Meat?
Written By Darby Doyle
5 minute read
Taking the blue highways, finding a local diner or picking up fresh fruit from a family-run farm store gets us that much more in touch with the flow of seasons and feeling grounded in our sense of place as we travel. And shrinking the circle of our food sourcing has become a priority for many people even, and especially, while on the road.
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Women in the Wild: Transformation and the Outdoors
Written By Paula Colman
11 minute read
Paula Colman joins a weekend retreat for women in Moab, Utah, that has an eye-catching mission: Build your tribe. Connect with your inner spirit. Transform body, mind and spirit around the theme: “Ignite the Flame Within.” Follow along as she seeks her authentic self and learn how to find your own Tribe.

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5 Days
Winter Aglow in Southeastern Utah
Find your sense of adventure and awe in the vast yet intricate swaths of desert from Arches National Park to Monument Valley. From delicate river-fed ecosystems to crimson-hued rock buttresses, this magical landscape is awash in history, dating back thousands of years to the original Native American settlers to whom these places were sacred.
Hiking, Adventure, History and Heritage, Scenic Drives/Road Trips, Stargazing, Native American, Non-ski Winter Activities
Highlights
- Arches National Park
- Canyonlands National Park
- Castle Valley
- Bears Ears National Monument
- Goosenecks State Park

02
4 Days
A Winter Trip Through the Heart of Utah’s Desert
Experience a world unlike anything you’ve ever imagined in the high desert mountains and plummeting canyons of south-central Utah. You’ll step into two national parks, three state parks, and all the scenic winding roads your heart could desire.
Hiking, History and Heritage, Scenic Drives/Road Trips, Stargazing, Camping & Backpacking, Non-ski Winter Activities
Highlights
- Bryce Canyon National Park
- Explore Goblin's Lair
- Wander Capitol Reef's Historic Fruita
- Journey through South-Central Utah
- Winter Hiking

03
5 Days
Larger Than Life: Winter in Southwestern Utah
This desert is dramatic. In a really good way. Experience the towering heights of Zion, the depths of Buckskin Gulch, the dunes of Snow Canyon, the sunset over Gooseberry. Southern Utah’s wilds are wearing their winter splendor.
Hiking, Cycling, Fishing, Scenic Drives/Road Trips, Stargazing, Mountain Biking, Camping & Backpacking, Glamping, Climbing & Canyoneering, Non-ski Winter Activities
Highlights
- Zion National Park
- Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
- Best Friends Animal Sanctuary
- Mountain Biking on a Red Rock Mesa
- Hike Zion's Most Iconic Trails

04
5 Days
Winter's Summits and Rockscapes
There’s no better way to experience a bit of everything Utah offers. Ski its heavenly powder snow, then point your car southward to wind your way through the exquisite Bryce Canyon National Park, Zion National Park and a series of crimson-hued state park gems along the way.
Hiking, Scenic Drives/Road Trips, Ski and Snowboard, Stargazing, Non-ski Winter Activities
Highlights
- Stargaze at Bryce Canyon National Park
- Ski Sundance Resort
- Hike in Zion National Park
- Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park
- Kodachrome Basin State Park

05
5 Days
Alpine, Après and Arches
Timed perfectly for winter, this journey takes you to some of the finest mountain resorts in the world, then to the most spectacular vistas of the scarlet-hued desert.
Hiking, Scenic Drives/Road Trips, Ski and Snowboard, Non-ski Winter Activities
Highlights
- Ski Northern Utah
- Explore Southern Utah in Winter
- Alpine Mountains to Red Rock Expanses
- Ski Boots to Hiking Boots

06
5 Days
Ski Southern Utah: High Alpine Trails + Red Rock Wonder
Southern Utah is home to two high-elevation ski areas with generous helpings of what we call (with authority) The Greatest Snow on Earth®. Things can be a little quieter down here this time of year. Give yourself at least five days to combine the thrills of Southern Utah skiing and boarding with exploring the wintertime wonders to be found in Utah’s red rock country.
Ski and Snowboard, Non-ski Winter Activities
Highlights
- Brian Head Resort
- Eagle Point Resort
- Cedar Breaks National Monument
- Southern Utah Ski Vacation
- Winter Hiking in Southern Utah