We left the hoodoos of Bryce Canyon and continued our day trip up UT-9 through the mountains of Utah. One of the things I love about traveling is getting to learn about each area we visit. For instance, I never knew this, but the state of Utah boasts of five national parks, seven national monuments, five national forests, and 43 state parks (if you remember, our journey through the mountains of Utah began at the Cedar Breaks Monument…if you haven’t read it, go back and give it a read 😊). There are 22.8 million acres of red rock canyon, snowcapped mountains, and wild rivers to roam around, marvel at, and play in!
We ended our day trip at one of the most scenic, breathtaking national parks, and also one of the most visited, in the U.S. – Zion National Park. (https://www.visitutah.com). Zion is located all the way down in the Southern part of Utah near the town of Springdale. Zion has so much outdoor activity to offer from hiking to bird & wildlife watching, and camping to canyoneering & rock climbing. One of the best things I liked about Zion is that you can see so much beauty and wonder from your car as you drive any of the scenic routes, which is what we chose to do. There are three scenic drives that will allow you to see and experience all the wonder that is Zion.
From Canyon Junction, Zion Canyon Scenic Drive follows the north fork of the Virginia River through some of the most breath-taking scenery. Zion Park Scenic Byway runs 54 miles one way and follows Highway 9. This drive will take you up from the switchbacks of the canyon floor to the high plateaus and through two narrow tunnels that were blasted through the cliffs back in the 1930’s. Kolob Fingers Road Scenic Byway is a five-mile drive one way and runs from the north west corner of Zion. You will see the same dessert landscape as in the main section of the park, the soaring cliffs, narrow twisting canyons, forest plateaus, and wooded trails that twist their way along the side of the canyon. This area is not as populated as the others and is the perfect place to unwind and have some quiet reflection time.
But, if that’s not enough outdoor adventure, Utah is an outdoor playground! There’s mountain biking, water sports: rafting, kayaking, boating, swimming, & waterskiing. Utah has a fabulous golf course, OHV adventures and beautiful fall foliage. But the biggest boast in Utah is what they refer to as The Greatest Snow on Earth…now we’re talking! 😊
The ideal time to catch Utah’s high elevation color display is mid-September to early October. We just happen to be there in late October and it was still beautiful. Utah’s color display comes from the canyon maples, quaking aspen, scrub oak, Douglas hawthorn, serviceberries, and evergreens all putting on their brilliant show in succession.
If it’s winter sports you dig, skiers and snowboarders from all over claim Utah as having the Greatest Snow on Earth. Salt Lake City is less than an hour drive from the Salt Lake City International Airport and offers 10 ski resorts. The mountains of Utah literally surround the booming urban communities and frame the nearby mountain resort destinations. Whether its backcountry adventures like snowmobiling, snowshoeing and ski touring or family time snow tubing, ice skating and exploring ice castles, there is something for everyone. The people of Utah say that skiing in Utah is one of the best ski destinations in the US! I don’t know, but I plan on checking that claim out for myself.
