Salt Lake City Utah Tourist Attractions & Sports and Recreation

Sports and Recreation

It's a sunny, spring day in Salt Lake and a decision needs to be made. The question is whether to play a round of golf in the valley or head up to the mountains to hit the ski slopes. Sound too good to be true? Not in Salt Lake! The variety of recreation in Utah is unmatched. From hiking to sailboarding in the summer, to skiing and snowmobiling in the winter, there's something to satisfy everyone.

National Parks There are seven national forests and five national parks within the borders of the state. Seven national monuments, two national recreation areas and one national historic site add to the mix. It's hard to imagine a land with more natural treasures. Within a few hours of Salt Lake City are the following national parks: Arches National Park; including the famous Delicate Arch, with the largest concentration of natural stone arches in the world; Bryce Canyon National Park with its thousands of delicately-carved spires rise in brilliant color from the amphitheaters of the park; Canyonlands National Park with a view down thousands of feet to the Green and Colorado Rivers or up to red rock pinnacles, cliffs and spires that create unfathomable beauty; Capitol Reef National Park with splashes of color in an inviting wilderness of sandstone formations and cliffs; and Zion National Park, one of the nation's oldest parks, with a quiet grandeur that has been carved over thousands of years by the Virgin River. There are many national monuments, recreation areas, historic sites and state parks (45) that weave a trail of beauty and intrigue throughout the state.

Recreational Sports Utah offers an extensive menu of recreational opportunities to enjoy: stamina may be your only limitation! Toss into this menu of recreational activities fishing, rock climbing and horseback riding to round out the mix. Then add tours (including dinosaur, rock art and outlaw history tours), historic railroad excursions, covered wagon treks, folklore fests, nature treks and archaeological tours to complete the list. http://www.rentarock.com/ http://www.saltlakechamber.org/visitors_info/thingstosee_do.htm

Winter Sports Skiing the steep and deep attracts national and international visitors from November through April to Utah's top-ranked resorts. Reader surveys conducted by national ski magazines consistently rank the state's ski areas among the best in the country. Beyond skiing, snowshoeing is a winter sport that's becoming popular among Wasatch Front residents and visitors. Trails that provide hikers solitude in the summer offer a winter solstice for snowshoers. See Skiing drop down menu

Golfing Utah's golf courses are famous for their scenery, conditions, variety and low fees. Utah has more golf courses per capita than any other state in the nation. According to the U.S.G.A., Salt Lake has some of the best maintained and most accessible courses in the country. Golf Digest has ranked Salt Lake City as a number one golf city for big cities in the country. See Golfing drop down menu

Cycling Over the last several years, cycling opportunities for all abilities have expanded dramatically. There are scenic rides both in the red rock country of southern Utah or in the alpine terrain in the northern part of the state. http://www.cyclingutah.com/ http://www.spincycleut.com/ http://www.golsancycles.com/what.htm

Hiking and Backpacking Experience Utah's diverse landscape to its fullest by hiking or backpacking. Try easy walks to clear mountain lakes or more strenuous hikes to pristine wilderness areas. http://www.wasatchtouring.com/ http://www.imeutah.com/ http://www.utah.com/hike/ http://www.uphill.com/

Inline Skating The greater Salt Lake area offers miles of scenic trails for inline skaters, such as the Jordan River Trail. It's a great off-season sport for skiers as well. http://skatenow.home.att.net/where_to_skate.html

Water Sports Recreation is not limited to land. Utah ranks sixth in the nation in surface acres of boatable waters within its boundaries. http://www.werenttoys.com/

Whtewater Rafting Utah is world-renowned for its whitewater rafting on the Green, Colorado and San Juan rivers in the southern part of the state. http://www.navtec.com/river.html

Phone (801)537-7020