THE GREAT OUTDOORS — Utah is known as an outdoor mecca with its world renowned 14 ski resorts and five national parks. It is also home to 43 state parks, which are each unique and provide outdoor recreation for locals and tourists alike.

However, not all of the state parks are created equal. Some have iconic, breathtaking vistas, while others offer excellent boating and fishing, and others have a large variety of amenities like yurts and teepees.

"Utah state parks are unique and special to the local communities where they are located, but more importantly, they represent all of Utah as places deserving special attention for all Utahns to enjoy,” Utah State Parks spokesman Eugene Swalberg said.

But which park is the most popular?

In defining the most popular park, we looked at the parks with the most visitors during 2015. Swalberg said visitation is calculated from a mathematical formula based on the revenue collected at the park. Previously, the visitation numbers relied on vehicle counters, which gave slightly inflated numbers.

In descending order, here are the top five most popular state parks in Utah:

5. Great Salt Lake State Park: 266,784 visitors

At 75 miles long and 40 miles wide at one point, the Great Salt Lake is the biggest lake in the U.S. besides the Great Lakes, according to Great Salt Lake State Park officials. It offers swimming, sailing, paddleboarding, a boat dinner cruise and great bird watching.

“(The) Great Salt Lake Marina brings up the rear because of all the tour buses that visit the park,” Swalberg said. “With the new visitors center, buses stop and let the visiting public get a firsthand view/touch of the Great Salt Lake, which is a wonder into itself.”

4. Sand Hollow State Park: 351,339 visitors

Located about 15 minutes from St. George, Sand Hollow State Park was dedicated in 2003, making it one of Utah’s newest state parks, according to Sand Hollow Complex Park Manager Laura Melling. However, at 20,000 acres, the park is also one of the largest and most-visited parks in the state.

It offers ATV riding, fishing, boating and camping.

Related Stories:

Zion National Park named Utah’s ‘best’ attraction

After starting with 64 of Utah’s most popular attractions, a clear winner emerged from our KSL.com poll. Zion National Park handedly beat Bryce Canyon National Park in the championship round, snagging the grand title of Utah’s “best” attraction after weeks of voting.

3. Jordanelle State Park: 357,869 visitors

Located about 6 miles north of Heber City, Jordanelle State Park offers a host of different activities ranging from flyboarding to camping. The area was dedicated as a state park in 1995 and is one of the largest state parks in Utah. Jordanelle Reservoir has around 320,000 acre feet, making it a great place for water recreation. Along with water recreation, the park also offers camping and solar geocaching.

“Jordanelle and Sand Hollow state parks are recreation meccas,” Swalberg said. “They were both built in the late ‘90s, which means they were built to accommodate the more modern camper (larger rigs with more power demands). They both have large concessionaires (rental places) where folks can rent all the power and nonpower water toys they want.”

2. Antelope Island State Park: 380,611 visitors

Antelope Island State Park is rich with history and wildlife and offers several activities to get Utahns outdoors including the famous bison roundup, camping, wildlife viewing, hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding.

“Antelope Island is so totally cool and to be situated along the Wasatch Front so close to so many makes it even more unique,” Swalberg said. “The island would be a gem anywhere, but this close to the masses makes it so fun. The 7-mile causeway separates the island from the mainland which gives it the feel of being away — way away from anywhere else. The abundant wildlife, the unique feature within the Great Salt Lake ecosystem makes it a gem into itself.”

1. Dead Horse Point State Park: 383,478 visitors

Located 30 miles from Arches National Park and 10 miles from Canyonlands National Park, Dead Horse Point State Park was established as a state park in 1959, according to park officials. The park is located on a mesa top, and although it’s only 5,300 acres, it offers amazing views of Canyonlands and the Colorado River.

“Dead Horse Point is in the heart of Canyonlands overlooking the Island in the Sky of Canyonlands National Park,” Swalberg said. “This is a dream park and a wonderful asset for Utah.”

The park offers scenic hiking, mountain biking, yurts and camping.

“We encourage folks to venture out to places they've not visited before or in a long time,” Swalberg said. “Enjoy the park and the surrounding area to capture some of the flavor of the area and why it has been set aside and share your experiences with others".

What is your favorite Utah state park? Let us know in the comments.

Related topics