5 places in Utah you must experience in a plane


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There's nothing quite like it, seeing the world from an aerial perspective. It makes your heart beat faster and gives your mind the ability to internalize the beauty of the earth in a way never experienced before.

Aviation has provided practical solutions to human needs since its inception and now it's hard to imagine a world without it.

Before planes existed men only dreamt about seeing the world in ways that are now possible. Greek philosopher, Socrates, once said, "Man must rise above the Earth—to the top of the atmosphere and beyond—for only thus will he fully understand the world in which he lives."

Tule Valley
Tule Valley (Photo: Leading Edge Aviation)

Socrates yearned for something unattainable in his day, but his words should resonate well in our day. Whether you have an interest in aviation as a career choice or just would like to be along for the ride, here are 5 places in Utah that are definitely worth seeing from a plane to help you "fully understand the world in which you live."

1. Tule Valley (Ibex)

Not familiar with Tule Valley? You'll want to be now. Located in west-central Utah, it's easily accessible from a small plane and you'll be only minutes away from awesome hiking and rock climbing. If you do an overnight trip, you'll see stars you never knew existed and have the desert landscape as your backyard as you camp.

Mexican Mountain
Mexican Mountain (Photo: Leading Edge Aviation)

2. Mexican Mountain

Located in the heart of the San Rafael Swell in southern Utah, there are Native American petroglyphs within a few minute hike of the landing strip. You'll see some of the best red rock Utah has to offer with amazing rivers intermixed in the landscape. It's a true beauty from the air and the ground. This adventure will leave you thinking, "I wish I'd known about this sooner!"

3. Great Salt Lake

John Muir, a world-renowned writer, called it "one of the great views on the American Continent." Many Utahns, on the other hand, don't resonate with that comment until they've seen an aerial view of the largest salt water lake in the Western Hemisphere. So get ready to change your perspective of the Great Salt Lake by seeing it from a bird's view.

4) Delta Uranium Mine

Discovered by Vernon J. Pick in the early 1950s, the Delta Uranium Mine provides exceptional visuals from the sky and ground.

There are remnants of the mining shacks and other mining relics that can be explored along with some of the most secluded camping in Utah. If you're worried about the uranium, nobody who has visited the location via plane or on the ground has developed any superhuman powers.

Hole-in-the-Rock, Utah
Hole-in-the-Rock, Utah (Photo: Shutterstock)

5) Hole-in-the-Rock

There's nothing quite like the Hole-in-the-Rock road and area near Escalante, Utah. As fun as it is to be on the ground while visiting the southeastern part of the state, aerial views from a small plane provide rare and beautiful imagery even Google can't beat.

What many Utahns don't know is that near Bryce Canyon there is a historic airstrip in close proximity to the Hole-in-the-Rock Monument. The strip is all but forgotten and only accessible by select aircraft by proficient backcountry pilots.

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