Recreation
Life in Utah
Endless Opportunities to Live
Utah is filled with unique recreation opportunities. From our state and National parks, dark skies, ski resorts and other winter sports, amusement parks, hiking and camping, and professional sports teams, Utah offers unrivaled recreational opportunities.
State and National Parks
Utah has 43 state parks and recreation areas that include everything from historic Puebloan ruins to wetlands and wildlife viewing areas. Among these parks, Utah also has 22 Dark Sky locations, the highest concentration of International Dark Sky Association certified locations in a single state.
Utah is also home to the Might Five – Utah’s five national parks. Each one offers a unique opportunity to explore the endless buttes, sweeping canyons, and iconic hoodoos! These parks showcase the best of the western states with their ruggest orange cliffs and spectacular trails, the perfect playground for backpackers and day trippers alike.
Ski Utah!
Utah is home to the Greatest Snow on Earth! With 7 ski area featuring 15 resorts, Utah has thousands of acres of skiable mountains. And the best part is the accessibility. Many of the resorts are less than an hour from the Salt Lake International Airport, making hitting the slopes easy. There are resorts and hills for all ability levels, and for those who do not ski, there are plenty of tubing and sledding options too. For more information on skiing in Utah, please visit skiutah.com.
Amusement Parks, Zoos, and More
Lagoon Amusement Park, in Farmington, is the largest outdoor amusement park west of the Mississippi River and east of California. The White Roller Coaster (opened in 1921), is the fourth oldest coaster in the country and one of 11 coasters in the park. Others include Colossus the Fire Dragon, the last Schwarzkopf Double Looping coaster still in operation in the United States, and the four coasters designed in-house include Wicked, BomBora, Cannibal (built in-house with one of the world’s steepest drops), and the new Primordial interactive coaster set to open in the 2023 season.
The Dinosaur Park, in Ogden, is an exciting collection of creatures from prehistoric crawlers to predators and even flying reptiles. The park is home to more than one hundred life-size dinosaur sculptures fill the park. From the ferocious T-Rex to the gentle giants like the Brachiosaurus, the exhibits are carefully crafted to provide an immersive experience that will leave you in awe. Explore our 8.5-acre sculpture park complete with a playground and outdoor dinosaur dig!
Utah’s Hogle Zoo stretches over 42 acres of natural hillside terrain generously donated by the Hogle family in 1931 where the zoo has been for over 90 years. The zoo offers high-quality habitats for over 600 species of animals, many of which are threatened or endangered. Additionally, the zoo offers a variety of daily programs and experiences to enhance your visit.
Loveland Living Planet Aquarium inspires people to explore, discover, and learn about Earth’s diverse ecosystems. A world-class facility, the Aquarium provides learning opportunities for all levels, interests, and ages. Home to more than 6,500 animals representing 500 species, the Aquarium showcases ecosystems from around the planet including kelp forests, coral reefs, the deep ocean, Antarctic waters, Asian cloud forests, South American rain forests, and the waterways of our home state of Utah.
Nightmare on 13th started in 1990 and has since grown into one of the industry's most successful haunted attractions (Haunted House Magazine), one of America's scariest attractions (the Travel Channel), and one of America's best haunted houses (USA Today). Nightmare on 13th features 36,000 square-feet of themed haunting with professionally trained actors, professional costumes and makeup, and cutting edge animatronics and audio/lighting effects.
Fear Factory, rumored to actually be haunted, is one of the top Halloween attractions in the world, made up of 6 buildings, up to 6 stories high, with 2 underground passages, and is a massive haunted attraction in Salt Lake City. With awards ranking them as #3 in the world (buzzfeed.com), and top 10 in the US (USA Today & Travel Channel) Fear Factory has become one of Utah's - and the world's - favorite Halloween entertainment attractions.
Sports Enthusiasts
Sports enthusiast have a lot to cheer for in Utah! From college rivalries to pro teams, Utah has a team for every fan. The University of Utah vs Brigham Young University rivalry began in 1922 when both football teams played in the same conference. However, when BYU decided to become an independent team, the two universities agreed to continue playing each year in what is now one the most anticipated events of the year.
Utah is home to several teams and their club teams.
The Utah Jazz competes in the NBA, and came to Utah in 1979. The franchise began play as an expansion team in 1974 as the New Orleans Jazz before being relocated. The team has been an important part of Utah’s culture ever since.
Real Salt Lake is an MLS team located in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area. The club was founded in 2004. Real Salt Lake has five supporters groups—Salt City United, Rogue Cavaliers Brigade, Section 26, Riot Brigade and La Barra—which as of 2019 all exist under a larger unified umbrella group known as The Riot.
The Salt Lake Bees are a minor league baseball team in the Pacific Coast League and are a Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. Utah has a long history of baseball teams dating back to 1914 when the first Bees team was brought to Utah. The current franchise dates back to 1994.
The Utah Grizzlies are a professional ice hockey team in the ECHL which formally began playing in Utah in 2005 replacing the original Utah Grizzlies team which left the state in 2005. Over the last 24 years, the Grizzlies have been at .500 or better 19 times and made the playoffs in 18 seasons. Over 200 Grizzlies have gone on to play in the NHL.
