SPORTS & RECREATION / PARKS & NATURE
National Parks
National Parks Arches National Park
Moab Area
435-719-2299
https://www.nps.gov/arch
The world’s largest concentration of sandstone arches includes year-around visitor center and campground facilities.
Bryce Canyon National Park
Bryce Canyon
435-834-5322
https://www.nps.gov/brca
Spectacular series of breaks carved by nature in 12 large “amphitheaters,” dropping 1,000 feet through multi-colored layers of limestone.
Canyonlands National Park
Moab Area
435-719-2313
https://www.nps.gov/cany
Colorful landscape of sedimentary sandstones was eroded into countless canyons, mesas, and buttes by the Colorado River and its tributaries.
Capitol Reef National Park
Torrey Area
435-425-3791
https://www.nps.gov/care
Nearly a quarter-million acres of towering, colorful cliffs and eroded landscape create a dramatic visual wonderland.
Zion National Park
Springdale Area
435-772-3256
https://www.nps.gov/zion
Carved over millions of years by nature and the Virgin River, the park boasts a breathtaking cliff-and-canyon landscape and wilderness filled with wonders like the world’s largest arch.
National Monuments
Cedar Breaks National Monument
Cedar City Area
435-586-9451
https://www.nps.gov/cebr
This “Circle of Painted Cliffs” is shaped like a giant coliseum that drops dramatically 2,000 feet to its floor.
Dinosaur National Monument
Dinosaur, CO Area
435-781-7700
https://www.nps.gov/dino
Witness the world’s largest quarry of Jurassic Period dinosaur bones and its hauntingly beautiful setting.
Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area
Manila Area
435-789-1181
https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/ashley/specialplaces/?cid=stelprdb5212203
Nestled in the splendor of Ashley Forest, Flaming Gorge is one of the largest freshwater reservoirs in America.
Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Page, AZ Area
928-608-6200
https://www.nps.gov/glca
Discover unparalleled opportunities for water sports at Lake Powell and back-country recreation in hundreds of miles of scenic wonder.
Golden Spike National Historic Site
Brigham City Area
435-471-2209
https://www.nps.gov/gosp
In 1869, the Central Pacific met the Union Pacific at Promontory Summit, officially connecting the nation by rail with the last “golden spike.”
Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument
Escalante Area
https://www.utah.com/destinations/national-monuments/grand-staircase-escalante-national-monument/
Dramatic, multi-hued landscape encompasses 1.9 million acres of land and several major geological formations.
Hovenweep National Monument
Cortez, CO Area
970-562-4282
https://www.nps.gov/hove
Ancient Pueblo Indian ruins with unique towers remind many of European castles.
Rainbow Bridge National Monument
Page, AZ Area
928-608-6200
https://www.nps.gov/rabr
One of the world’s seven wonders is also the largest natural bridge in the world and considered a sacred place by the Navajo Indian Nation.
Timpanogos Cave National Monument
American Fork Area
801-756-5238
https://www.nps.gov/tica
Located on northern slope of Mt. Timpanogos, three large limestone caverns are connected by man-made tunnels.
National Forests
More than nine million acres of forested land invites visitors to enjoy fragrant pines, high-alpine meadows, sparkling lakes, rushing streams and steep ridges.
Ashley National Forest
Vernal Headquarters
435-789-1181
https://www.fs.usda.gov/ashley
Eastern Utah: Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area is the “crown jewel” of this 1,300,000-acre forest.
Dixie National Forest
Cedar City Headquarters
435-865-3700
https://www.fs.usda.gov/dixie
The largest forest in the state stretches over 1.9 million acres and straddles the divide between the Great Basin and the Colorado River.
Fishlake National Forest
Richfield Headquarters
435-896-9233
https://www.fs.usda.gov/fishlake
This natural paradise covering 1,400,000 acres is known for its aspen forests, scenic byways, and world-class hunting and fishing.
Manti-La Sal National Forest
Price Headquarters
435-637-2817
https://www.fs.usda.gov/mantilasal
Three mountain blocks cover 1,200,000 acres, providing excellent opportunities for hiking and climbing.
Unita National Forest
Provo Headquarters
801-999-2103
https://www.fs.usda.gov/uwcnf
The Scenic Byway of the Mt. Nebo Loop is just one of the many features of this magnificent, 800,000-acre area.
Wasatch-Cache National Forest
Salt Lake City Headquarters
801-999-2103
https://www.fs.usda.gov/uwcnf
The forest is dotted with world-class ski resorts and encompasses Utah’s Wasatch Mountains to extend 1,300,000 acres.
Wilderness Areas
More than 40 percent of the public land in Utah is under the jurisdiction of the Bureau of Land Management, from the stark beauty of the Bonneville Salt Flats to the slot canyons of the Escalante. Dedicated as pristine environments, the unspoiled wilderness is ideal for hunting, fishing, horseback riding, hiking, backpacking, rock climbing, and camping.
State Bureau of Land Management
801-539-4001
https://www.blm.gov/utah
Field Office Contacts
Cedar City
435-865-3000
Sagebrush flats, juniper-clad foothills, and low mountains include the Parowan Gap, a narrow gorge that cuts deeply through the Red Hills. Unusual faulting and folding makes this area a geographic wonder.
Fillmore
435-743-3100
Dominated by lofty Notch and Swasey Peaks, this entire area was once part of Lake Bonneville. When it evaporated after 15,000 years, it created Utah’s largest free-moving sand dune field.
Kanab
435-644-1300
Paria River cuts through the Vermilion Cliffs on the Utah-Arizona border in this paradise of narrow, twisting canyons and salmon-colored Coral Pink Sand Dunes.
Moab
435-259-2100
Millions of years of water and gravity erosion have sculpted, carved, and shaped the area’s spectacular painted canyons.
Monticello
435-587-1500
Dominated by the Abajo Mountains, this land includes the Comb Ridge Monocline and the Grand Gulch as well as cliff dwellings and thousands of pictographs and petroglyphs.
Price
435-636-3600
This gateway to the red-rock country of the San Rafael Swell has been described as the jagged remains of a dinosaur backbone, an exposed sandstone coral reef, and a stone saw blade.
Richfield
435-896-1500
One of the few places where buffalo herds roam freely, the Henry Mountains are ideal for hiking and camping. Mount Ellen reaches a lofty 12,000 feet.
Saint George
435-688-3200
The southern region of the Great Basin and the northern part of the Mojave Desert merge at Utah’s lowest elevation of 2,000-feet above sea level.
Salt Lake
801-977-4300
Part of the Great Basin region where isolated mountain ranges are separated by sagebrush flats, this land includes a unique plain of almost pure white salt.
Vernal
435-781-4400
Landscapes of extremes range from forested vistas of the Book Cliffs in the south to the stark lowlands of Uinta Basin sweeping north.
Recreational Resources
National Forest Service
Intermountain Region
801-625-5605
https://www.fs.usda.gov/r4
National Parks Service
Intermountain Region
303-969-2500
https://www.nps.gov
Utah Department of Natural Resources
Parks & Recreation
801-538-7220
Wildlife
801-538-4700
Forestry & State Lands
801-538-5555
https://naturalresources.utah.gov/
Carbon County Recreation
Price
435-636-3702
https://www.carbonutah.com/department/recreation/
Murray Parks & Recreation
Murray
801-264-2614
https://www.murray.utah.gov
Ogden City Parks
Ogden
801-629-8284
https://www.ogdencity.com
Orem Parks & Recreation
Orem
801-229-7154
https://www.oremrecreation.com
Park City Parks & Recreation
Park City
435-615-5400
https://www.parkcity.org
Provo Parks & Recreation
Provo
801-852-6606
https://www.provo.org
Saint George Leisure Services
St. George
435-627-4000
https://www.sgcity.org
Salt Lake City Parks
Salt Lake City
801-972-7800
https://www.slco.org/parks-recreation/parks-trails/all-parks/
Salt Lake County Parks & Recreation
Salt Lake City
801-468-1800
https://slco.org/parks-recreation
Sandy Parks & Recreation
Sandy
801-568-2900
https://sandy.utah.gov
Utah Olympic Park
Cradled by the Wasatch Mountains, the 389-acre Utah Olympic Park was originally constructed for the spectacular 2002 Olympics. The park was the site for the Nordic, jumping, and the sliding sports of bobsled, luge, and skeleton. Today, this state-of-the-art park plays host to national and international competitions and serves as a year-round training ground for development and high-performance athletes.
Located in the par are Nordic ski jumps, a 1,335-meter sliding track, a freestyle aerials winter training and competition hill, a freestyle aerials summer training pool, the Joe Quinney Winter Sports Center, the Alf Engen Ski Museum, and a day lodge. The jumping hills alone, at an elevation of 7,310 feet above sea level, are the world’s highest. The track is one of a handful of competition-certified tracks in the world.
Utah Olympic Park
3419 Olympic Parkway
Park City 435-658-4200
https://utaholympiclegacy.org/sport/park-city-nordic-ski-club/
Alf Engen Ski Museum
435-658-4240
https://engenmuseum.org/
Preserving the rich history of skiing in the Intermountain region, the museum provides a world-class facility.
Freestyle Aerials, Splash Pool
435-658-4200
As a year-round sport at the park, the freestyle aerials event claims its own freestyle hill and terrain park area.
Luge Introductory Camps
435-658-4200
Learn to maneuver a luge sled down the same track used for the 2002 Olympic Games, encouraged by a qualified coach.
Nordic Jumping Introductory Course
435-658-4200
Soar through the air for the length of a football field while achieving your ski-jumping dreams.
Skeleton Introductory Camps
435-658-4200
Try skeleton in this half-day introductory camp designed for individuals new to the sport. In this camp, you launch yourself headfirst down the ice three inches off the surface, traveling at speeds of up to 60 MPH. Elite athletes
Snowboard, Slopestyle, and Freestyle Skiing
435-658-4200
Several programs for everyone from novices to professionals are aimed at furthering skill in three styles of downhill skiing.
Winter Adventure School
435-658-4200
Sports enthusiasts can try up to seven winter sport introductory camps at the Utah Olympic Park and the Utah Olympic Oval.
Winter Bobsled Rides
435-658-4200
With four Gs and speeds up to 80 mph, the winter bobsled ride is sure to take your breath away.
Xtreme and Ultra Ziplines
435-658-4200
Experience a dramatic drop of 435 vertical feet at speeds of up to 55 mph.
Lakes & Reservoirs
https://www.onlineutah.com/lakes.shtml
Carbon County
Scofield Reservoir
Davis County
Great Salt Lake
Iron County
Red Creek Reservoir
Yankee Meadow Reservoir
Salt Lake County
Great Salt Lake
Summit County
Beaver Meadows Reservoir
Bridger Lake
Echo
Hoop Lake
Meeks Cabin Reservoir
Rockport Reservoir
Smith/Moorehouse Reservoir
State Line Reservoir
Trial Lake
Washington Lake
Whitney Reservoir
Toole County
Blue Lake
Grantsville Reservoir
Rush Lake
Settlement Canyon Reservoir
Stansbury Lake
Utah County
Big East Lake
Salem Lower Pond
Tibble Fork Reservoir
Utah Lake
Wasatch County
Currant Creek Reservoir
Deer Creek Reservoir
Jordanelle Reservoir
Mill Hollow Reservoir
Strawberry Reservoir
Washington County
Baker Dam Reservoir
Gunlock Reservoir
Kolob Reservoir
Newcastle Reservoir
Pine Valley Reservoir
Quail Creek Reservoir
Weber County
Causey Reservoir
Pine View Reservoir
