Utah Travel Guide

Utah, located in the Southwest region of the United States, is well known for its year round outdoor activities including skiing, snowboarding, hiking, boating, water skiing, horseback riding, camping, and rock climbing. The capital city of Salt Lake City has a number of unique modern and historical sites to visit.

Utah Travel Guide - Regions

* Canyon Country (southern region)
* Dixie (southwestern corner of the state)
* Northern Utah
* Central Utah
* Wasatch Front including Salt Lake City

Utah Travel Guide - Cities

* Cedar City – college town home to Southern Utah University and the annual Utah Shakespearean Festival
* Kanab – southern recreational center
* Logan – fast growing city located in Cache Valley in northern Utah, with plenty of nearby recreational activities and home to Utah State University.
* Moab – tourist town in southeast, located in the center of a major recreational area that includes Arches, Canyonlands national parks and Dead Horse Point State Park
* Ogden – industrial city north of Salt Lake City; includes George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park
* Orem – large suburb north of Provo
* Price – medium-sized town with many local dinosaur attractions, ancient indian petroglpyhs, The College of Eastern Utah, and wide open desert areas.
* Provo – located in Utah Valley south of Salt Lake City, home to Brigham Young University
* Park City – mountain resort city at center of large winter sports area; many events for the 2002 Winter Olympics took place near here
* Saint George – fast-growing city in southwest corner of state with plenty of leisurely recreational activities akin to Mesquite, Nevada and also a hot spot for spring break.
* Salt Lake City – largest city in Utah, capital of state, center of the LDS religion, site of 2002 Winter Olympics, and the University of Utah

Utah Travel Guide - National Parks and Monuments

A "Park Pass" from the United States National Park Service is a particularly good investment if you're visiting Utah and planning to see its national parks and monuments. The $50 fee allows unlimited access to all National Park Service units for a year, and also provides discounts on some of the services within the units. Paying for this pass may save you money in the long run as you move from park to park in Utah. (Note, however, that there are a very few national monuments that are not part of the National Park Service, and are therefore not covered by a Park Pass; Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is one prominent example in Utah.)

* Arches National Park – largest concentration of natural arches in the world, just northeast of Moab, as well as other strange sandstone formations, such as pinnacles, cliffs, mesas, and gorges
* Bryce Canyon National Park – heavily-forested mountainous area with large natural amphitheater and other strange sandstone formations
* Canyonlands National Park – large, spectacular wilderness of sandstone cliffs, narrow gorges, canyons, plateaus, bluffs, and other strange and beautiful formations east of Moab
* Capitol Reef National Park
* Cedar Breaks National Monument – large natural amphitheater northeast of Cedar City in forested, mountainous area
* Dinosaur National Monument – area featuring a major excavation site for dinosaur bones as well as spectacular scenery and Native American rock art
* Golden Spike National Historic Site – the first transcontinental railroad was completed by the driving of a symbolic golden spike at Promontory Summit in The Utah Territory
* Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
* Hovenweep National Monument -- mainly in Colorado but with some units in southeastern Utah
* Zion National Park – popular area of sandstone cliffs, gorges, gullies, bluffs, plateaus, mesas, and other strange and colorful formations

Other

* Bear Lake – popular water sports and summer resort area surrounded by spectacular mountain scenery northeast of Logan
* Cache Valley – a scenic mountain valley in Northern Utah, home to Utah State University and blanketed by irrigation-fed agriculture.
* Dead Horse Point State Park – spectacular gorge southwest of Moab where the Colorado River winds through a major bedrock of sandstone
* Flaming Gorge – reservoir north of Vernal, popular for water sports, located in the eastern Uintas
* Four Corners – only place where four states meet, located at southeast corner with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico
* Goblin Valley – desert valley with strange formations of sandstone in south-central portion of state
* Great Salt Lake – shallow, salty lake in northwestern portion of state northwest of Salt Lake City
* Lake Powell – part of Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, a reservoir that is a popular area for water sports near the border with Arizona in the south
* Monument Valley – famous desert valley along border with Arizona in southeast
* Uinta Mountains – large east-west range of the Rocky Mountains through northeast portion of state with spectacular mountain climbing and pristine, serene wilderness
* Wasatch Mountains – mountain range running through center of state north-south with gorgeous mountain scenery, excellent summer recreational activities, and multiple world-famous ski areas; vibrant fall colors that rival that of New England

Utah Travel Guide - Understand

Dixie refers to the low-lying area in the southwest corner of the state. It contains the city of Saint George, and the climate is more closely-related to the southwestern deserts than it is to the rest of the state, with low annual precipitation, hot, dry summers, and mild winters with infrequent snowfall. Early settlers were able to grow cotton in the area, hence the name Dixie (a name for the cotton belt of the southern U.S.).

The Wasatch Front is the heavily-populated region of basins and valleys located between the Wasatch Mountains on the east and on the west by the Great Salt Lake (to the north) and the Oquirrh Mountains (to the south). 3/4 of Utah's population lies in this portion of the state, which stretches from Brigham City in the north to Santaquin in the south. Ogden, Salt Lake City, Sandy, Orem, and Provo are located on the Wasatch Front.

The benches are the higher slopes along the Wasatch Front. Residential development on the Wasatch Front typically extends high onto the slopes of the Wasatch Mountains in some areas. Homes here are generally more affluent, as they provide spectacular views of the surrounding areas, and the benches receive more precipitation and much more snow than the valley floors.

Mormons or members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints make up a good part of Utah's population. The beliefs and practices of these people are one of the stronger influences for public policy. For example, drinking and smoking isn't permitted by their church, and so there are stricter drinking laws. Sunday is considered a day of rest, and so most stores will be closed on Sunday. These stereotypes hold more weight in smaller cities and towns. The people are generally friendly, but may be taken aback by cussing, smoking or drinking in their presence.

Utah Travel Guide - When to Visit

Utah has four distinct seasons and widely-variable climate zones. The southern valleys, especially the southwest, are hot in the summer, with temperatures often exceeding 100°. This temperature may also be reached occasionally in the north. Temperatures in the mountains are typically mild in the summer, great for camping, hiking, and other outdoor activities, with temperatures in the 60's, 70's, and 80's. In the north, temperatures are in the 80's and 90's. Only occasional scattered, but powerful, thunderstorms relieve the heat during summer, although it is dry heat, making it more bearable than it otherwise would be. Winter can be cold in the north, and especially in the mountains and high mountain valleys, although temperatures below 0&deg are rare except in the higher valleys. Below freezing temperatures are expected in the north, but usually only occur overnight in the southern valleys. Spring and fall see mild temperatures that is perfectly suited for outdoor and recreational activities, with temperatures in the 70's and 80's in the south and the 50's, 60's, and 70's in the north. By this time, temperatures may be cold in the mountains.

Precipitation-wise, only about 5-10 inches of rain falls throughout most of the state, although totals reach 15-20 inches along the Wasatch Front and up to 50 inches in the mountains. Snowfall is rare in the southern valleys, averaging no more than 10 inches a year, but is common throughout the rest of the state. The Wasatch Front sees 40-80 inches while the mountains receive 200-500 inches. First significant snowfall in the mountains usually occurs in October in usually sometime in late November or December in the valleys, while last significant snowfall in the mountains occurs in May in the mountains (although snow may stick around into July), while the last significant snowfall in the valleys can usually be expected in March or, sometimes, early April. Rain in summer is often accompanied by scattered but powerful thunderstorms. Wildfires and flash floods are common problems from May-September.

Fall colors are spectacular in the mountains of Utah, and reach their peak in September. Fall colors in the valley peak in October. The gorgeous fall colors in the mountains rival those found in New England, and are sometimes accompanied by early fall snow, creating a splash of red, yellow, and orange mixed with the soft white of snow.

Utah Travel Guide - Talk

English. There are generally fewer Spanish speakers in Utah than in other states of the southwestern United States. You may be able to find speakers of the major European and Asian languages in Salt Lake City and Provo owing to the universities there.

Utah Travel Guide - Public Transportation

The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) maintains a bus system with several routes, generally between Ogden and Provo. UTA also is responsible for the TRAX system, which is light rail running from the University of Utah to downtown Salt Lake to Sandy. For both bus and train, one-way fare is $1.50, and a transfer can be obtained upon request, which will allow you to board another bus or train within two hours.

Utah Travel Guide - Things To See

* Bonneville Salt Flats. Flat area of rock-hard white salt in western part of state in Great Salt Lake Desert where numerous landspeed records have been set.
* Lagoon Amusement Park. North of Salt Lake City, featuring rides, Pioneer Village, and a water park; dates to the 1880s.
* Utah Lake. Popular water sports and fishing lake located west of Provo.

Utah Travel Guide - Things To Do

Wind Walker Guest Ranch located in Central Utah is a must see/experience destination. They offer an incredible customized experience offering horseback riding, fishing, meditation, hiking, interpretive tours, snowmobiling, snow shoeing, skeet shooting, and many more activities. They give each guest a beautiful well appointed luxury room to enjoy during their stay. This is a true soul adventure destination for the physical, emotional and spiritual you. Their website is www.windwalker.org.

Utah is also home to some of the best skiing and snowboarding in the world. Most of Utah's best ski areas are located in Big Cottonwood Canyon and Little Cottonwood Canyon, which are both conveniently located less than an hour's drive away from Salt Lake City.

Utah Travel Guide - Drink

Utah's liquor laws are known as one of the more peculiar things about the state. Liquor is sold only in state-owned stores and generally costs more than in other states. Other states also have state owned liquor stores such as New Hampshire, although New Hampshire prices tend to be much lower. Beer contains significantly less alcohol (3.2% alcohol, as opposed to the standard 4-5%) than the usual brew, which is available in stores and restaurants. "Full strength" beer is available in bars and liquor stores. Also, state law prohibits the serving of more than one ounce (shot) of alcohol as the primary liquor in a mixed drink. Secondary alcoholic flavorings may then be added to a mixed drink as the recipe requires. While this can be circumvented with the purchase of a "sidecar" ( a separate shot of liquor).

Although liquor laws in Utah are more strict, they are not impossible. There are several kinds of establishments to know about:

* Private club. Sometimes seen with the tag "for members only" added to the end. Don't let this intimidate you because sometimes membership requirements consists of simply signing your name twice on a bill. Even though local law requires a small fee for a membership, usually an establishment will automaticly give you a discout equal to the price of the membership fee required by local law. Sometimes, "for memebers only" is only code for a full service bar serving hard drinks as well as beer. This is a less intrusive way of preventing "offending" any of the local religious sects. There is a small temporary "membership" fee required at these locations, but anyone can be a member and sometimes this is analogous to a cover charge. Most only run a few dollars, and most members can then bring "guests".

* Tavern. A tavern is a bar that serves only beer and requires no "membership".

* Restaurants. Many restaurants serve beer as well as hard liquor. No "membership" is required, but you must order food.

Utah Travel Guide - Transportation

Interstate 15 is the main interstate highway in the state, entering from Arizona north to Idaho and serving such cities as St. George, Provo, Salt Lake City, and Ogden. Breaking from Interstate 80 at Echo, Interstate 84 heads northwest through the mountains and out onto the Wasatch Front, merging with I-15 at Roy and staying merged until Tremonton. I-84 then continues northwestwardly into Idaho near Snowville. I-80 enters from Nevada at Wendover and heads east through Salt Lake City, briefly merging with I-15 before climbing into the mountains and weaving through canyons and across plateaus into Wyoming, just before reaching Evanston. Interstate 70 begins at Cove Fort and heads east through mostly uninhabited areas, providing access to many of southern Utah's recreation areas before entering Colorado. The stretch of I-70 between Salina and Green River is the longest stretch of interstate in the nation without any services.

A light rail system in the Salt Lake Valley known as TRAX consists of two lines, one providing access from downtown Salt Lake City and Sandy, and the other providing access to the University of Utah east of downtown. The Utah Transit Authority (UTA) operates a bus system stretching across the Wasatch Front and into Tooele, and also provides winter service to the ski resorts above Salt Lake City. Several bus companies provide access to the ski resorts in winter, and local bus services also serve Logan, St. George and Cedar City. The Legacy Highway is a controversial freeway that is planned to eventually run down the entire length of the Wasatch Front. The first portion, known as the Legacy Parkway, in southern Davis County, began construction in spring 2006. A commuter rail line, named FrontRunner, is under construction between Salt Lake City and Pleasant View, north of Ogden, and will be complete by 2008. FrontRunner is expected to eventually span the Wasatch Front from Brigham City in the north to Payson in the south.

Article Source: Wikipedia