UTAH BUCKET LIST

Content Produced in Partnership with Visit Utah

Native Utahn Brett Prettyman grew up exploring the natural wonders of the state and shared them with the public as an outdoor writer and columnist for the state’s largest newspaper, The Salt Lake Tribune, for 25 years. Brett Prettyman is the former outdoor editor at The Salt Lake Tribune and author of “Fishing Utah,” “Best Easy Day Hikes in Capitol Reef National Park” and “Hiking Utah’s High Uintas”. When not covering stories, and sometimes while doing it, he can be found discovering new Utah adventures with family and friends. He also has his own Utah Bucket List. @BrettPrettyman on Twitter (X). For the full article visit: local.sltrib.com/charts/bucketlist/bucketlisthome.html

RAFTING CATARACT CANYON
CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK

There is big white water and then there is the appropriately named Cataract Canyon stretch of the Colorado River in Canyonlands National Park. Many visitors have a river trip on Cataract on their life lists, but it takes a special kind of adventurer to experience the raging Colorado at its peak flow.

During high water years, people drop everything to float Cataract. “It’s the biggest white water you can find in the country,” said Steve Young, a river ranger at Canyonlands National Park. “It’s kind of a bucket list within a bucket list.” Don’t worry, floating the Colorado is a thrill even at its lowest flow. There are few places where you can truly escape everything about the outside world; Cataract Canyon is one of them.

NIGHT SKY ASTRONOMY FESTIVAL
BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK

Embrace the dark side of Utah’s national parks by staying up at night. Bryce Canyon National Park will always be recognized for geologic wonders formed by erosion, but a growing number of visitors are sticking around the high-elevation park to play in the dark. The Dark Rangers of Bryce encourage such deviance.

Bryce, it turns out, is one of the best places in the world to take in the night skies. Two other Utah National Park Service units, Capitol Reef National Park and Natural Bridges National Monument, are also among the top stargazing spots.

Bryce celebrates its low level of light pollution with an annual astronomy festival and night sky programmes throughout the year.

UTAH POWDER DAY
WASATCH FRONT

Utah’s snow is the best on the planet for skiing and snowboarding. If you don’t believe it, just ask state officials who trademarked the phrase “The Greatest Snow on Earth” — seriously, legally trademarked it. Mother Nature has been known to dump up to 1.2 metres of the fluffy stuff in one storm on resorts within 40 minutes of downtown Salt Lake City. On days like these, “epic” is an understatement for skiers and snowboarders.

Whether you’re riding the lifts and cutting the slopes at one of the state’s 15 resorts, exploring the backcountry or venturing out for a Nordic ski adventure, Utah has the perfect winter holiday for hardcore skiers or families interested in strapping something on their feet to get down, or around, the mountain.

FLY-FISHING THE GREEN RIVER
GREEN RIVER

There are plenty of reasons why the Green River below Flaming Gorge Dam is on the bucket list of fly-fishers. 15,000, in fact, as in the average number of feisty trout per square kilometre on the river in northeastern Utah.

But anglers who don’t take time to look up every once in a while are missing out on some of the best scenery in the country. Explorer John Wesley Powell documented this country in 1869 while floating down the Green and Colorado rivers. Aside from the reservoir, the scenery on a river trip below the dam looked a lot like it does in the 21st century.

The emerald green waters and red rock canyon create visually pleasing contrasts. The excellent opportunities for fishing and wildlife viewing are just a bonus when floating the river.

OLYMPIC PARK
PARK CITY (WINTER AND SUMMER)

Most tourists visiting the state come to experience its many natural wonders. The 2002 Winter Olympics and the potential return of the Winter Games in 2034 are two additional reasons to come to Utah. Utah Olympic Park remains as a legacy to the 2002 Winter Games — not only for athletes training for future Olympics, but also for people interested in a taste of the sports.

Utah Olympic Park in Park City offers opportunities for people to ride down the same bobsled track used during the 2002 Games. Rides are available in the winter and the summer months. Fantasy bobsled and skeleton camps are also available in the winter. Another summer activity is taking a freestyle ski jumping lesson. Visitors can suit up and eventually jump into the 2.3 million litre pool used as a landing pad for skiers training for the Olympics.

HORSEBACK BISON ROUNDUP
ANTELOPE ISLAND STATE PARK

Many people believe the only place to see wild bison is at Yellowstone National Park. But visitors flying into Salt Lake City International Airport just have to look out the window while their plane makes its final descent.

Bison from Yellowstone were delivered to Antelope Island, the largest island on the Great Salt Lake, in 1893. Today, the state manages the island. The bison and other wildlife, including pronghorn antelope, mule deer, coyote, fox and numerous species of shorebirds, raptors and songbirds, make Antelope Island a great destination for tourists, families and photographers.

For a truly genuine Western experience, consider riding horseback during the annual Antelope Island Bison Roundup held late each autumn. Riders of all experience levels help encourage the bison into pens for health checkups and an auction.

CAMPING DEVILS GARDEN
ARCHES NATIONAL PARK

There are no lodges in Arches National Park, and that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Most daily visitors leave the gates near or shortly after sunset. The only place for a head to hit a pillow is the 50-site Devils Garden Campground.

After a day of hiking to some of the greatest natural wonders of the world — the park has more than 2,000 documented arches —
hanging out with the family around the campfire keeps the magic moments coming. As the fire dies and the night sky lights up, tired campers find a way to stay awake just a little longer.

Sunrise brings a new day of adventure and more exceptional hiking with options like Delicate Arch, Landscape Arch, Marching Men, Dark Angel and the Fiery Furnace.

CANYONEERING
GRAND STAIRCASE–ESCALANTE NATIONAL MONUMENT

From the famous Subway and Narrows routes in Zion National Park to the countless side canyons running into Lake Powell and the surrounding countryside, Utah is zigzagged with slot canyons galore. Naturally, the state would become a destination for canyoneers from around the world when interest in the activity escalated in recent years.

Grand Staircase-Escalante is a perfect place to wander desert slot canyons. People new to the sport and even those with outdoor skills developed from other interests should make at least their first trip canyoneering with experienced friends or guides.

BIKING WHITE RIM TRAIL
CANYONLANDS NATIONAL PARK

The slickrock country around Moab gets the majority of mountain biking attention in Utah, but those looking for a different pedal power experience have discovered the unique opportunity of the 160-kilometre White Rim Trail. Some do it all sunrise to sunset, but they could miss what the landscape has to offer while in such a hurry to set bragging rights.

A more popular way to ride the White Rim is with a sag wagon support vehicle chasing bikers on a more casual three-or four-day camping trip. The more leisurely ride allows visitors to soak up the stunning views and share them with family and friends. Like hiking, there is something special about powering yourself through nature — especially nature like Mother Nature gave Southern Utah.