4 Things For Outdoor Enthusiasts to Do in Utah

Utah is a state filled with many great things to do and places to visit. This beautiful land makes it one of the best places for outdoor enthusiasts.

If you are an Outdoor lover and are looking for a few things to do here is a short list.

1. Hike the National Parks

Utah has 5 great National Parks, Zion, Arches, Capitol Reef, Canyonlands, and Bryce Canyon. Every park offers many different hiking opportunities and they are a perfect way to spend the day. In fact you could spend months traveling around these parks because they are so huge and offer so many great trails.

Arches National Park in particular has a number of great hiking spots and contains some of the world’s most beautiful rock structures.

2. Snowboard and Ski

Skiing and Snowboarding are two events that are very popular in Utah. The state has legendary powder which is the best in the world. There are a few famous places such as Park City and Brian Head which offer great skiing.

3. Fishing

The fishing in Utah is great. There are a few big lakes like Fish Lake and Lake Powell which offer a great fishing experience. Another lake Panguitch Lake is named one of the top fishing spots in the U.S. because of its ability to produce huge fish and a great fishing experience.

In the winter Ice fishing is also allowed on many lakes around the state.

4. Visit Best Friends

Best Friends is an animal sanctuary which caters to stray animals. It contains around 2,000 animals at any given time and they take extremely good care of them. Animal Lovers will Love this place.

Amazing Outdoor Recreation Activities Found in Utah

Outdoor enthusiasts will find an endless playground in Utah. Utah has a plethora of activities at its numerous state and national parks. In fact, about 80 percent of the state is set aside for public use, perfect if you live in or are traveling to Utah for a little adventure. Utah gives you 47 state parks, 5 national parks, 7 national monuments, 2 national recreation areas, and 6 national forests to explore. Within minutes, you can be exploring the tranquil mountains, away from the bustling city.

Recreation adventures are available in Utah for every skill level. In the winter months, skiing, snowboarding, snowmobiling, and snowshoeing are popular. The snow is so renowned here that it is on the state license plate as the best on earth, obviously good enough for Olympic athletes in 2002. Rock climbing, backpacking, hiking, boating and camping are exciting endeavors for visitors from spring to fall. Spelunking and canyoneering are fast becoming popular throughout the state as well.

With a wide variety of climates and topography, Utah can fit any recreation need. Utah’s topography ranges from 13,000 foot mountains in the north to deep canyons and gorges as low as 3,000 feet. The Wasatch Mountains provide a myriad of available land for activities up north. The Bonneville Salt Flats is a barren land west of Salt Lake City available for racing (ever seen The World’s Fastest Indian?).

Central Utah holds a majority of land administered by the Bureau of Land Management, an ample region for exploring the National Forests through horseback riding or ATVs. Farther south, Southern Utah has beautiful red cliffs located in the numerous national parks. Although it’s a desert, there is plenty of water down south for white water rafting at Green River or boating at Lake Powell.

Whichever sport you have a passion for, you are sure to find the perfect setting in the playground of Utah. Utah outdoor recreation is among the best in the nation.

Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Amanda_Potter

Golfing In One Of The World’s Best Outdoor Playgrounds – Park City, Utah

Planning a golf trip to Park City Utah may involve a little more than just showing up. There’s no doubt that some of the best courses… in a spectacular setting… you’ll find available anywhere are found in this year-round outdoor playground. The problem? The lack of public golf courses.

This is… I’m sure… the main reason why the Park City Golf Course is the most popular golf one in Utah in terms of rounds played! Sure this mountain resort town is now known as one of the world’s best outdoor playgrounds. But this course… scenic, moderately priced, and challenging… is pretty much the only public option in town for visiting golfers.

It is true that the Park Meadows Golf Course… designed by Jack Nicklaus… was a public-access course when it first opened. But no more.

But if you have the money… or at least the connections… there is no greater array of high-end quality golf courses… albeit mostly private… in the Intermountain West. Almost all of these private ones are situated in breathtaking scenic terrain built around exclusive real estate offerings.

Public Options

What are the options if you’re looking for a course to play without forking out a million bucks for a home? As I mentioned, the Park City Golf Course provides public access right in Park City. But there’ll be a lot of competition getting tee times.

If you’re willing to drive 20 minutes or so, there are a number of affordable and challenging courses in an equally spectacular setting. If you head back down I-80 towards Salt Lake City, you’ll find Mountain Dell offering 36 holes of golf open to the public.

Head east on highway 40 to the town of Heber. You’ll find five different public options.

- Wasatch Mountain with two courses. - Soldier Hollow with two courses. - The Homestead with one course.

And the scenery at these courses is every bit as breathtaking as any of the private ones.

Public Options In Park City:

- Park City Golf Course - Promontory Ranch Club (Pete Dye Course)

Public Options In Midway:

- Homestead Golf Course - Soldier Hollow Gold Course - Soldier Hollow Silver Course - Wasatch Mountain/Lake Course - Wasatch Mountain/Mountain Course

Private Options

Promontory has recently opened its second course… Jack Nicklaus-designed… called Painted Valley. It’s private but you may have some luck on the original course. They occasionally accept outside play during the summer. The original course is the only Utah course designed by Pete Dye.

Glenwild is an exclusive private course designed by Tom Fazio. It’s considered to be the best course in Utah. But, you have to be a member… or a guest of one… to get on this course. Tuhaye… with spectacular views of Deer Valley Resort… was designed by Mark O’Meara. And Red Ledges in Heber… designed by Jack again… just opened up in Heber.

Private Options In Park City:

- Glenwild Golf Club and Spa - Park Meadows Golf Course - Promontory Ranch Club (Jack Nicklaus) - The Jeremy Golf & Country Club - Tuhaye

Private Options In Heber:

- Red Ledges

Rod Besler

Rod Besler is the editor and webmaster of Utah Travel Secrets, an online guide telling you about all the fantastic things Utah has to offer visitors. You’ll find a unique personal perspective there. Download his FREE eBook and you’ll know The 101 Best Things To See And Do In Utah while learning more about Park City Utah Golf.

Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Rod_Besler

Three Great Outdoor Travel Destinations in Beautiful Utah

The state of Utah is not always immediately thought of when people are contemplating vacation destinations, but it is actually home to a great many worthwhile attractions to see, especially for those that appreciate protected natural areas and geological formations. Here is a look at three of the great things to see and visit in the state of Utah.

Zion National Park

Located in the southwestern corner of Utah is Zion National Park which covers nearly 230 square miles of land. There are a number of worthwhile specific attractions to see in the park including the Virgin River, Zion Canyon, Angel’s Landing, Zion-Mt. Carmel Highway, The Narrows, Canyon Overlook Trail, the Zion-Mt. Carmel Tunnel, Kolob Canyons, Observation Point, and Riverside Walk. One of the most popular activities to participate in within the park is hiking. There are a number of simply stunning things to see within the boundaries of the park.

Bryce Canyon National Park

Located very near to Zion is Bryce Canyon National Park. There are a number of fun and interesting things to do in Bryce Canyon including hiking, horseback riding, camping, scenic drives, and more. There are an amazing amount of beautiful rock formations, cliffs, canyons, and monoliths in the park that should more than thrill those interested in such things.

Canyonlands National Park

Another of the very popular outdoor areas in Utah is Canyonlands National Park. Located in the eastern region of Utah, this is another of the gorgeous national parks in the state that features the unusual and unique landscape that is found there. Canyonlands is a magnet for those that appreciate outdoor recreation and thousands head there to participate in white water rafting, hiking, camping, backpacking, mountain biking, four wheeling, and more.

For those that love the great outdoors and participating in outdoor recreation, the state of Utah is the place to go. It often flies under the radar of most vacation planners, but the national and state parks alone there offer some of the best chances to have both a relaxing and exciting vacation set in the vicinity of some of the most incredible scenery in the entire country.

Viewing what it looks like through one of the many Utah webcams available is one of the best ways to decide if Utah is a great vacation destination for you. You can find Utah traffic cameras and other webcams at DOTwebcams.com!

Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M._Allen

Love on the rocks: The intersection of relationships and outdoor sports

Love on the rocks: The intersection of relationships and outdoor sports
By Jenn Fields fields@coloradodaily.com Companions in life and sports: Bracken and Amy Christensen hike through a shallow section of the Virgin River s Narrows in Zion National Park, Utah. "I think it s important to have easy days, …
Read more on Colorado Daily

"3" Might Not Seem Like Much, But It's A Record For Condor Chicks At Grand
The condor recovery effort is a cooperative program by federal, state, and private partners, including the Arizona Game and Fish Department, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, Utah Division of Wildlife …
Read more on National Parks Traveler

Avalanche program educates Alaska's outdoor enthusiasts on playing it safe

Avalanche program educates Alaska's outdoor enthusiasts on playing it safe
Approximately 16 people crowded into the room, and Alder began the program with an educational film titled "Know Before You Go," produced by the Utah Avalanche Center. Professional skiers and avalanche experts shared personal stories of avalanche …
Read more on The Republic

Man falls down elevator shaft at ski resort
SOLITUDE, Utah (ABC 4 News) – Salt Lake County Unified Fire Authority officials say a worker fell down an elevator shaft at a construction site near Solitude Ski resort on Wednesday. According to UFA spokesman Cliff Burningham, the worker, …
Read more on ABC 4

Breckenridge hits pause on lift ticket tax
It is still unclear whether or how much of a financial commitment from Vail Resorts might come out of talks between the ski company and the town. Ski communities in Utah and Colorado, including Vail currently levy lift ticket taxes, officials said.
Read more on Summit Daily News