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THE GREAT OUTDOORS — We all know Utah is full of beautiful landscapes. Here's a collection of six places that make Utah a nature-lover's dream.
Island in the Sky
Canyonlands National Park is so full of gorgeous landscapes that it's difficult to pick just one, but Island in the Sky is sure to make your jaw drop. These are the kinds of rock formations you see in movies about astronauts visiting Mars. Canyonlands is about four hours from Salt Lake City and costs $25 per car if you don't have a pass.
Delicate Arch
There's a reason the Delicate Arch has its own license plate: It's perhaps one of the most recognizable symbols the state has to offer. People come from all over the world every year to visit the 60-foot natural arch, located in Arches National Park near Moab.
Arches is about four hours southeast of Salt Lake City. It's $25 per vehicle for a seven-day pass to the park or you can get an annual pass.
Provo Falls
Don't let the name fool you: The Provo Falls are a good 90-minute drive northeast of Provo into the Uintas, and it'll take you about that long to get there if you're heading southeast from Salt Lake City.
It's worth the drive, though. A set of three gorgeous cascades is easily accessible via a trail, and they're perfect for a hike or picnic lunch. Keep driving along Highway 150 for the added bonus of seeing Mirror Lake, situated at the base of the 11,943-foot Bald Mountain. Visitors who use SR-150 and don’t use recreation facilities are not subject to fees, according to the U.S. Forest Service website. A one-to-three-day pass is $6.
Gunsight Butte
You're missing out if you've never seen Lake Powell from Alstrom Point, a favorite overlook for visitors to the lake. Gunsight Butte towers over the water that surrounds it, displaying some of the best of what southern Utah has to offer.
Alstrom Point is on the Utah side of Lake Powell just northeast of Page, Arizona, and about a 3.5-hour drive east of St. George. Entrance to the area is free.
Golden Cathedral
More of the state's unique rock formations are showcased at Golden Cathedral in Neon Canyon near Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Run-off from the Escalante River has created archways overhead, allowing sunlight to stream through during daylight hours in giant golden columns.
Neon Canyon is about five hours south of Provo. The hike is not for the faint of heart, but if you want to give it a try, you can find exact coordinates here. Entrance to the area is free.
Bonneville Salt Flats
The Salt Flats may be best-known for the numerous land-speed records that have been set on the speedway, but there's a reason the area is so popular for family and engagement photos: It's just plain cool.
Look out over the bare expanse of earth on some days — especially when the sun comes out after a light snow or heavy rain — and you might just think you're looking into a mirror. To see the phenomenon for yourself, stop just short of Wendover on I-80. There's no cost to enter the recreation management area.
Steph Grimes is a writer and editor based in Las Vegas. Follow her on Twitter: @stephgrimes
