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National Parks in Winter
In the winter months, Utah's five national parks and their surrounding country are full of solitude and with an adventurous spirit to shrug off mild doses of moody weather you can count on having red rock country all to yourself. As you visit, be prepared to keep these special places Forever Mighty.
National Parks
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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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Be Prepared
While winter weather in Southern Utah can be mild you’ll still need to deal with cooler and widely fluctuating temperatures as well as intermittent rain and snow. Throughout the season, nights and shaded areas are quite chilly, while exploring in the sunshine can be delightful. Watch current conditions, as unsettled winter weather can bring storms. Finally, businesses in many of Utah’s smaller communities shutter for the season. But with some advanced planning and a good set of layers, these small impediments are easily handled.
Read the Stories
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11 More Utah Winter Experiences Outside the Ski Resorts
Written By Matador
6 minute read
No matter your level of adventure, you will find good reason to save some time for a day away from the resort.
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A Winter’s Desert: Visiting Southern Utah in the Slow Months
Written By Brinley Froelich
7 minute read
Experiencing the peace of canyon country in the winter is an attraction of its own.
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Across a Snow-Covered Desert
Written By Matcha
5 minute read
Follow this itinerary for a week-long winter road trip across the snow-covered desert of Southeastern Utah.
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Best Hikes in St. George During Winter
Written By Matcha
5 minute read
While Utah's Greater Zion offers a few hundred trails, we’ve highlighted seven of the best hikes in the state's southwestern corner, from deep canyons to high peaks.
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Gravity and Water: Mark Making in a Winter’s Desert with Anne Kaferle
Written By Brinley Froelich
3 minute read
Finding Helper at a time when she “needed it the most,” landscape artist Anne Kaferle has put down roots in Utah, thanks to plein-air painting and the healing power of time alone in the landscape.
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Ice and rock, snow and splendor: Winter in Southern Utah
Written By Jeremy Pugh
7 minute read
Come along on a five-day expedition to see Southern Utah’s wintry face, explore national parks, ski its mountains and find ways to play in the snow.
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The Complete Winter Camping Packing List for Staying Warm in Southern Utah
Written By Jeremy Pugh
For most travelers, Southern Utah winters prevent comfortable camping, and occasional snowfall can make outdoor adventure a little more challenging. With a little extra planning, good layers, and the right equipment, however, you can enjoy Utah's national parks in the solitude of winter.
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Turning the Lens on a Wintry Southern Utah
Written By Tiffany Nguyen
4 minute read
Discover some of the most picturesque places to photograph in Southern Utah, and learn some tips for how to shoot and travel responsibly.
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Winter in Southeastern Utah: Arches and Canyonlands
Written By Jeremy Pugh
3 minute read
Want to avoid the Utah national park crowds? Plan a winter Southeastern Utah trip. Experience more peace, quiet and solitude.
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Winter in Southern Utah Like a Local
Written By Andrew Dash Gillman
4 minute read
Southern Utah comes alive in winter with unexpected experiences for those who are well-prepared and solitude for those who want to expand their view.
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Winter in the Bryce Canyon Area: Hiking, Cross-Country Skiing and Snowmobiling
Written By Jeremy Pugh
4 minute read
Learn more about why Bryce Canyon and the surrounding areas are the perfect place for winter hiking, cross-country skiing and snowmobiling.
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Winter Road Trip: Where to Stay, Hike and Eat When Traveling from Capitol Reef to Bryce Canyon
Written By Jeremy Pugh
Need winter break ideas? Take a road trip from Capitol Reef to Bryce Canyon and enjoy the best of Utah landscapes during its quiet season.
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Winter Wonders in Greater Zion
Written By Matcha
As you’re mapping out your winter trip through southeastern Utah, consider adding the following parks and natural wonders to your itinerary.
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Yurt Camping in Utah: How To Have a Wintertime Yurt Excursion
4 minute read
Whether you’re glamping or choosing a simpler option, yurt camping in Utah during the wintertime is a fun, unique experience you won’t want to miss out on.
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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.
Adventure, Hiking, History and Heritage, Native American, Non-ski Winter Activities, Scenic Drives/Road Trips, Stargazing
Highlights
- Arches National Park
- Canyonlands National Park
- Castle Valley
- Bears Ears National Monument
- Goosenecks State Park
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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.
Camping & Backpacking, Hiking, History and Heritage, Non-ski Winter Activities, Scenic Drives/Road Trips, Stargazing
Highlights
- Bryce Canyon National Park
- Explore Goblin's Lair
- Wander Capitol Reef's Historic Fruita
- Journey through South-Central Utah
- Winter Hiking
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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.
Camping & Backpacking, Climbing & Canyoneering, Cycling, Fishing, Glamping, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Non-ski Winter Activities, Scenic Drives/Road Trips, Stargazing
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
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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, Non-ski Winter Activities, Scenic Drives/Road Trips, Ski and Snowboard, Stargazing
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
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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, Non-ski Winter Activities, Scenic Drives/Road Trips, Ski and Snowboard
Highlights
- Ski Northern Utah
- Explore Southern Utah in Winter
- Alpine Mountains to Red Rock Expanses
- Ski Boots to Hiking Boots
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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.
Non-ski Winter Activities, Ski and Snowboard
Highlights
- Brian Head Resort
- Eagle Point Resort
- Cedar Breaks National Monument
- Southern Utah Ski Vacation
- Winter Hiking in Southern Utah