Utah attractions

Zion Canyon Scenic Drive is the main artery through Zion National Park. Winding along the Virgin River, the two-lane road is lined with vista points, river access spots, trailheads, and endless photo opportunities—including all of the park’s main attractions. The 7-mile (11-kilometer) route is so popular that, during the busy season, it’s closed off to private vehicles, though still accessible by park shuttle, bicycle, or foot.

The hike to the top of Angels Landing in Zion National Park ranks among the most famous treks in the country. It’s only moderately challenging until the final half mile, when the trail becomes precipitous and the narrowness of the path—not to mention sheer drop-offs to either side—offers an additional mental challenge. Visitors who make it to the top are rewarded with spectacular views (and bragging rights).

Made of red-orange Navajo sandstone, Corona Arch (also known as Little Rainbow Bridge) is a spectacular rock formation near Moab, Utah. Just getting to Corona is an adventure. The 3-mile (4.8-kilometer) round-trip Corona Arch Trail crosses open slickrock with the aid of fixed cables and carved stone steps.

The largest island in the Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island State Park is a Utah favorite for wildlife watching, hiking, and wide-open lake views. The island’s grasslands and shorelines are home to a free-ranging herd of bison, along with bighorn sheep, mule deer, and coyotes, while the surrounding waters draw millions of migratory birds. Sandy beaches, backcountry trails, and a historic ranch round out the island’s appeal.

Linked by a verdant stream, the Emerald Pools of Zion National Park are three freshwater pools that offer a picturesque contrast to the surrounding red cliffs. To access the pools, choose between three hiking trails ranging from easy to moderate; options include a short paved route and a longer, more strenuous loop. Flowing waterfalls reflected in crystalline surfaces make the Emerald Pools one of the most popular hiking areas in Zion National Park.

Utah's Great Salt Lake is the largest saltwater lake in the Western Hemisphere, as well as the largest natural lake in the United States that's west of the Mississippi River. Beyond the sheer spectacle of its proportions, the lake is also the setting for some of the state's best outdoor recreational opportunities. Sailors and kayakers ply the waters, while sunbathers bask on sandy beaches and swimmers float in the high-saline waters.

One of Utah’s most popular state parks, this scenic spot would be a national park in any other state. A sea of sandstone “goblins” often likened to Mars, Goblin Valley State Park is the desert at its most curious, with wild rock formations, tall spires and pinnacles, and a sky so dark the Milky Way still glows. When you’re here, come ready to marvel.

With its domed roof, massive pipe organ, and precise acoustics, the Salt Lake Tabernacle makes a fittingly grand home for the famed and hundreds-strong Tabernacle Choir. It is also a major destination within Temple Square, the 10-acre (4-hectare) complex in downtown Salt Lake City that is home to many key landmarks of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Utah’s This is the Place Heritage Park commemorates the arrival of Mormon pioneers who settled in the Salt Lake City valley in 1847. Experience activities such as train and pony rides, blacksmithing, and gold panning at the 450-acre (182-hectare) park’s Heritage Village, which also displays restored structures and hosts events.

Utah Olympic Park offers the rare opportunity to step into the world of elite athletes and enjoy high-energy outdoor fun on the scenic grounds of the 2002 Winter Olympics. Visitors can watch Olympic hopefuls train and join the action with hands-on winter sports and adventure-racing experiences. The park blends Olympic legacy with adrenaline, making it a must for thrill seekers, sports fans, and curious travelers alike.

The tiny city of Green River, Utah, is a base camp for big adventures. Outfitters here bring boaters through the soaring canyons and rapids of its eponymous river, while desert trails for hiking, biking, and four-wheeling abound in nearby parks. Starting in midsummer, local farms produce crisp melons, which explains the town’s giant watermelon statue.

Ancient people in the Utah desert produced rock art for thousands of years, painting or inscribing images into the boulders and cliffs. A handful of important rock art sites are located along Highway 279, a Utah Scenic Byway outside of Moab. With easy site access and a gorgeous setting, this is a great place to start exploring rock art.

Two of Utah’s mightiest rivers—the Green River and the Colorado River—converge just above this scenic gorge, which cuts through Canyonlands National Park. Gorgeous red rock formations soar from water that’s often brown with sediment, and the river churns through a mix of flat water and rapids that go from Class III to Class V.

Rapids churn through this 17-mile (27-hectare) stretch of the Colorado River in Utah, drawing adventurous travelers keen to paddle Class III–IV waves with names like Funnel Falls and Sock-it-to-me. The scenery is just as dramatic, featuring red sandstone and black rock cliffs that soar to 1,200 feet (366 meters) from the water's edge.

At the base of Emigration Canyon, Utah's Hogle Zoo is one of Salt Lake City's most popular family-friendly attractions. Its 42 acres (17 hectares) are home to more than 800 species of animal. Exhibit highlights include the Elephant Encounter, with African elephants and white rhinos, and the Asian Highlands, featuring five endangered species of Asian cat.

When the shortest trail in a national park gets wide recognition, you know it’s something special. That’s the case for Zion’s Weeping Rock Trail, a .4-mile (.6-kilometer) mostly paved trek to the underside of a canyon wall that “weeps” water trapped in the cliff’s face. It changes significantly with the seasons, forming icicles in winter, small waterfalls with spring storms, and hanging gardens come summer.

The Natural History Museum of Utah is an interactive museum exploring a billion years of Utah’s natural history, including its dinosaur fossil deposits. Visitors watch paleontology technicians prepare real dinosaur bones for display and research in the dinosaur lab, and the museum’s exhibit of life-size dinosaur skeletons is a must-see.

The Virgin River is the force behind Zion National Park's most stunning scenery, a waterway framed by ruddy sandstone walls. Its springs and deeply shaded grottoes offer a glimpse of true wilderness just a few miles from the paved road. While the 16-mile (26-kilometer) thru-hike of the section called The Narrows is one of the most popular adventures in the Southwest US, there are countless ways to experience the river.

Just south of Moab is Utah’s second-highest mountain range, a wonderland for hiking, biking, off-roading, and fishing. Trout streams thread past peaks topping out at 12,721 feet (3,877 meters) with big views of the red desert below. Throughout the mountain range, you’ll find more than 300 miles (483 kilometers) of trails leading to aspen groves, pine forests, and lakes.

Salt Lake City’s Clark Planetarium promotes greater public awareness of the sciences by creating educational experiences that inspire wonder and curiosity. Tons of free interactive exhibits, curated IMAX screening, laser light shows, and intergalactic adventures in the Dome make the natural world, space, and beyond accessible to all.

Walk past the fossilized remains of dinosaurs at this short path west of Arches National Park, where you’ll find evidence of allosaurus, stegosaurus, camarasaurus, and camptosaurus. Trail-side signs here describe the dinosaurs that once roamed this region, and how their bones and footprints came to be frozen into the Utah sandstone.

Upon completion in 1930, the Zion-Mount Carmel Tunnel was the longest tunnel in the rural US. The 1.1-mile (1.8-kilometer) tunnel serves as the unofficial entrance to the east side of Zion National Park, allowing easy passage between Zion, Bryce Canyon, and the north rim of the Grand Canyon along the Zion-Mount Carmel Highway—a national historic landmark.

Salt Lake City’s Latter-Day Saints Family History Library is the largest genealogical library in the world. Founded primarily to assist members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints to fulfill one of their fundamental tenets—to baptize and otherwise save deceased ancestors—today many individuals use the library to simply research their ancestry.

Liberty Park is Salt Lake City’s oldest and liveliest city park. Located just southeast of the city center, the park features numerous playgrounds, seasonal amusement rides, a swimming pool, basketball courts, concession stands, and a popular running path. The park is also home to the Tracy Aviary, a sanctuary for rare and endangered birds from around the world.

A natural oasis set on the outskirts of Salt Lake City, Red Butte Garden blankets the foothills in blossoms, plant displays, and hiking trails. The 100-acre (40-hectare) garden is the largest botanical garden in the Intermountain West, and it is best known for its magnificent spring bulb blooms and educational water-conservation garden.

The Discovery Gateway Children's Museum is an interactive, hands-on museum in Salt Lake City’s Gateway District. Programs and exhibits encourage the whole family to learn about science, engineering, art, animals, music, and more. There are temporary exhibits too, and a daily offering of workshops and special activities for kids.

Opened in 2011 on Salt Lake City’s Library Square, this museum of science, art, and technology is named after Leonardo da Vinci, Italy's famous painter, mathematician, and inventor. Its mission is to inspire visitors to explore the creative side of science and technology through interactive exhibits.

Towering rock formations, colorful slot canyons, and a maze of hiking trails make Zion Canyon the heart of activity in Zion National Park. The Virgin River courses through the green valley floor and painted sandstone cliffs, creating a desert oasis that draws hoards of visitors to the scenic park.

Formerly the lavish Hotel Utah, the Joseph Smith Memorial Building is now a social center for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). Named after the church’s founder, the Salt Lake City building acts as the welcome center for Temple Square and features the Legacy Theater, which regularly shows church-produced films.

Through hands-on exhibits and educational programs, the Church History Museum tells the story of the pioneers of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS Church), from the church’s founding in 1830 to the arrival in Salt Lake City in 1847. In addition to LDS history, the museum also houses an extensive art collection and hosts an annual international arts competition.