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.
Read the Stories
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5 Reasons to Hire a Guide to Run Utah’s Rivers
While we eat and splash in the river to escape the early morning heat, the four guides will wash the dishes, break down camp, load our bags on the rafts and discretely stow the toilet.
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6 Surprising Activities That Take Place at The Homestead Crater
From soaking to scuba diving, this hot spring has a lot to offer.
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An Old Favorite Fishing Hole at the Flaming Gorge Reservoir
Visit Utah columnist Dan Potts takes us to his "secret" fishing hole on Utah's Flaming Gorge Reservoir, one of the world's most diverse fisheries set among the brilliant red rock walls of Red Canyon in the easternmost corner of the state. Along the way, Dan takes us through some of his favorite landscapes on the drive to and from Salt Lake City.
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Angling Secrets: How and Where to Catch Fish on Lake Powell
Read expect advice on when and where in Lake Powell to get the prized fish you're chasing.
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Bear Lake Monster Winterfest
It all started decades ago with the “Cisco Disco” and has grown to include a polar plunge, chili cookoff and winter festival known as the Bear Lake Monster Winterfest.
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Bridesmaids Gone Boating
If you and your bride tribe are more outdoorsy than indoorsy, consider booking a whitewater rafting trip in southern Utah instead of club night at a casino. Half-day, full-day, and multi-day river trips are easy to plan and are great for groups of all sizes and abilities.
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Chasing John Wesley Powell: Six Places to Explore Utah's Green and Colorado Rivers
One hundred and fifty years ago a one-armed Civil War veteran set off with nine mountain men on a scientific expedition to map one of the last blank spaces left on the U.S. map: The Green and Colorado rivers. Much of the river remains wild today. Follow Powell's journey here.
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Enjoying the Simple Pleasures of Lake Life on Palisade Reservoir
Utah’s beautiful Palisade Reservoir is an oasis of serene water in the central part of the state, a perfect getaway for paddling, fishing, swimming and camping.
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Fisher Towers River Rafting
Join Bob Wassom, and a few others, as they raft down the Fisher Towers stretch of water disproving any idea or stereotype suggesting disabilities hinder outdoor recreation.
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Flaming Gorge: Boating and Paddling Paradise
Do you know that Flaming Gorge is one of the best boating lakes in Utah? Read all about this stunning body of water and plan a trip!
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Get to Know Echo State Park
Situated at 5,560 feet above sea level, just north of Park City, lies Echo State Park. Watersports are king here, and whether you kayak, paddleboard, or boat, it’s a perfect place to get out on the water.
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How to Find a Guided Outdoors Experience
You might not be a pro climber, camper or explorer, but Utah’s diverse collection of outdoor guides has all of the expertise you need to have an adventure worth getting stoked about.
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How to Slow Travel in Utah
Avoid the mad scramble and consider slow travel as a better approach to your Utah trip.
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How to Take a Kayak & Camping Trip at Yuba State Park
Pristine sandy beaches, warm water temperatures all summer long and serene mountain views make Yuba State Park an appealing destination for campers and kayakers in sunny Central Utah.
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Kayak and Stand Up Paddleboard Lake Powell
Slip into the mighty Lake Powell with a personal, self-propelled watercraft and have a whole different experience than the boats flying down the lake.
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Lake Powell Trash Boat
Attention good samaritans: Sign up for the Trash Tracker, a houseboat on Lake Powell, and help clean up the debris that has collected on the lake’s shores.
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Lakeside Near Torrey: Three Ways
Take a trip to this trio of Capitol Reef-area reservoirs where you can swim, fish, kayak and cool-off.
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Paddle Among Red Rocks and Waterfalls at Gunlock Reservoir State Park
Pack up your gear and head out to Gunlock Reservoir near St. George. Bring your SUP, kayaks, jet skis and power boats for a day full of watersport excitement.
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Paddling the Caribbean-Blue Waters of Bear Lake
At nearly 6,000 feet of elevation, temperatures at Bear Lake stay cool in the summer, making the basin a welcome respite from the heat and a great destination to enjoy water sports in a serene mountain setting.
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The Most Scenic Trophy Trout Destination
Flaming Gorge, Utah is one of the world’s best places to fish for trout. Awe-inspiring scenery and abundant fish attract anglers from all over. Check it out!
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The Story of Starvation Reservoir
Sprawling waters and local legends at Fred Hayes State Park at Starvation.
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Two Trips, Two Worlds, Two Years Apart: Returning to Raft in Dinosaur National Monument
Nushin and her family of four returned to Utah's Dinosaurland for the "best four days ever!" of guided rafting on the Green River. Explore their journey today!
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Venturing Out (and Back) Along the Canyon Rim Trail
An under-the-radar destination that should be on more people’s lists, Flaming Gorge offers spectacular wildlife viewing, scenery that comes straight out of paintings and plenty of outdoor adventure.
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What to Wear on a River Rafting Trip
There are a variety of Utah river trips to be had, from rafting the Green River’s whitewater, to leisurely floating the Colorado. Here's your packing list.
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Wild Heber: Close-to-Home Adventure
Just 45 minutes from Salt Lake City, Heber Valley’s state parks and national forest lands offer a world of adventure. Hike, bike, camp, kayak, watch wildlife and reel in blue-ribbon trout while learning about nature and how to protect it.
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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.
Highlights
- Arches National Park
- Canyonlands National Park
- Castle Valley
- Bears Ears National Monument
- Goosenecks State Park
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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.
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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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.
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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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.
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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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.
Highlights
- Ski Northern Utah
- Explore Southern Utah in Winter
- Alpine Mountains to Red Rock Expanses
- Ski Boots to Hiking Boots
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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.
Highlights
- Brian Head Resort
- Eagle Point Resort
- Cedar Breaks National Monument
- Southern Utah Ski Vacation
- Winter Hiking in Southern Utah
