things to see in Utah things to see in Utah

Where to Find Utah’s 16 Breathtaking Views?

Utah is one of the most precious states in the U.S., located in the Mountain Western subregion of the Western United States. Its capital is Salt Lake City.

There are several things to see in Utah, including mountains, high plateaus, lakes, five national parks, snow, fascinating landscapes, excellent resorts, restaurants, events, festivals, and much more. All these together make Utah a perfect tourist destination.

If you plan your visit to this wonderful place, you must go through this article at least once and make up your mind about the places to visit in Utah.

Most Amazing Things to See in Utah – 16 Top Places Listed!

Now let’s check out the best places to visit and the most wonderful things to see in Utah and plan your trip accordingly to enjoy the most in your upcoming holidays.

1. Capitol Reef National Park

Things to see in Utah
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Capitol reef national park is in south-central Utah in the red rock country. It is known for its white sandstone domes and is one of the most adventurous tourist spots.

Highlights of Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol reef national park got its name because of the resemblance of its white rock formations with the U.S. Capitol building.

The park offers some stunning and magnificent views with amazing sandstone structures and impressive canyons.

Some of the major attractions in the park include

  • Chimney Rock
  • Hickman Bridge
  • Capital dome
  • Fruita
  • Cathedral valley

This park is also known for its beautiful trails; anyone would love to go hiking. There is

  • The Hickman Bridge trail leading to the Hickman bridge
  • Chimney Rock Loop trail serves tourists magnificent views of Chimney Rock and Waterpocket Fold.
  • The Cassidy Arch trail

You will spot the numerous wildlife as this park is home to several species of plants and animals. There are more than 300 spirals, including antelope, chipmunks, golden eagles, ravens, mountain lions, black bears, and many more.

2. Zion National Park

Things to see in Utah
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Zion national park is Utah’s first national park located in southwestern Utah, near the town of Springdale. It is a famous nature reserve and one of Utah’s best things to see.

Highlights of Zion National Park

One of the biggest highlights of this park is that it is an expansive canyon that offers several hiking trails. There is a 20 to 30-foot wide area known as the Narrows and some challenging areas known as the Subways.

Discover the scenic beauty of Zion national park by walking along the Observation Point and Watchman Trail. Some easy trails are also there, like Canyon Overlook Trail and Pa’rus Trail. The Zion Canyon scenic drive is also worth watching.

Zion national park is a perfect tourist destination that offers everything from peaks and plateaus to wonderful waterfalls, cliffs, and canyons. The Kolob canyons are the most prominent ones.

If you plan to stay there for some days, you can go to some of the best lodging options:

  • Desert Pearl Inn
  • Zion Mountain Ranch
  • Zion Ponderosa
  • Cable Mountain Lodge

There are over 1000 species of wildlife in the park and more than 1000 plant species.

One of the major attractions in the park is the Kolob arch, the fourth-largest free-standing arch in the world and the second-largest arch in the country.

3. Arches National Park

Things to see in Utah
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The wonderful Arches national park is located north of Moab in eastern Utah, adjacent to the Colorado River.

Highlights of Arches National Park

Arches national park is popular as it has more than 2000 natural sandstone arches, pinnacles, fins, balanced rock, and other geographical formations.

  • Red hued delicate arch in the east is the most famous
  • Landscape Arch in the Devil’s garden

Enjoy the leisurely float in the steady water flow of a section of the Colorado river in Arches national park.

Experience the 19-meter-long arches scenic drive from Highway 191 to the Devil’s garden. Get the 360-degree panoramic view of the park and La Sal mountains during the drive. You can also use the self-guided driving tour.

You will also spot the North Window, South Window, and Turret arch during the short hiking trails before reaching the Garden of Eden. The Double Arch is the tallest in the park.

The Arches national park is one of the best things to see in Utah and a perfect place for photography.

4. Canyonlands National Park

Things to see in Utah
Photo by Akash Dutta on Unsplash

Canyonlands National Park is located in south-eastern Utah near the town of Moab. It is famous for its colourful cliffs and desert landscapes.

Highlights of Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands is famous as it is the largest national park in the state.

This large park is divided into four districts– Island in the sky, the Needles, the Rivers, and the Maze. Among these Islands in the sky is the easiest section you can visit on your own.

The horseshoe canyon is one of my favourite parts of this park!

Several amazing viewpoints in this park will make you love this place. The Grand View is the most famous in this park. There is an Island in the sky visitors centre viewpoint that gives excellent views of the Canyonlands national park.

Apart from these two viewpoints, you will spot the Mesa Arch, a worth-seeing arch.

Shafer trail viewpoint, Upheaval dome, White rim overlook, another short hike, Aztec Butte, and Green river overlook are some unique spots to visit in this park.

Don’t forget to experience the sunset at Dead horse point state park.

You will also spot around 50 mammals, 273 species of birds, many reptiles, and a wide variety of plant species.

5. Cedar Breaks National Monument

Things to see in Utah
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Cedar Breaks National Monument is in the U.S. state of Utah, near Cedar City. It is situated at the west end of the Colorado plateau.

Highlights of Cedar Breaks National Monument

Cedar break is one of the best things to see in Utah, with lush meadows of wildflowers, timeless bristlecone pines, crystal clear night skies, and subalpine forests.

Cedar breaks national monument is home to numerous hiking trails, high-elevation camping, and magnificent over-the-top views along the Circle of Painted Cliffs.

A three miles long amphitheater cirque plunges 2000 feet below, where you will spot arches, towers, hoodoos, and canyons.

The park is perfect for hiking, with 9 hiking trails.

Some of them are the Alpine pond, Spectra point trail, Bartizan arch trail, Sunset trail, Dark hollow, Ashdown gorge trail, and others.

While exploring this beautiful gift of nature, you will see the Navajo lake, naturally created by volcanic activity. Also, spot deer, elk, birds, groundhogs, and other species of animals.

Travelling through southern Utah, you should not skip this amazing hidden gem.

6. Natural History Museum

 Natural History Museum is known as one of the fine arts museums in Utah, located at 301 Wakara way.

Highlights of the Natural History Museum

This Utah museum is an active research institution that highlights the natural world and inhabited places within it.

The Museum’s biggest attraction is the exhibitions held there throughout the year. Most exhibitions are permanent, while some special exhibitions are organized from time to time.

The galleries in the Museum represent natural history concepts, a large collection of fine arts, and the state of Utah. You can also experience the Virtual Field Trip of exhibitions created by one of the Museum’s experts.

Amenities at Natural History Museum

The Museum is fully wheelchair accessible, and restrooms are available on every floor. The infant care room facility is also there.

Bathrooms and changerooms for every gender are available.

The Museum also offers special tools for visitors who are blind, have low vision, are deaf, or are hard of hearing.

7. Dinosaur National Monument

things to see in Utah
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The Dinosaur National Monument is among the fascinating things to see in Utah. It is located at 11625 E 1500 S, Jensen, UT 84035, United States.

This American National Monument is widely spread over an area of 210,000 acres.

Highlights of Dinosaur National Monument

If you want to explore more about dinosaurs, then this protected area on the Utah-Colorado border is a must-visit place for you.

Palaeontologists keep venturing into this spot with over 800 paleontological sites to see the array of fossils and explore the colourful canyons.

The Dinosaur National Monument shows clear shreds of evidence that dinosaurs once lived in this area. The dinosaurs’ remains are still found in the red rocks of the monument. In Quarry Exhibit Hall, you will discover around 1500 dinosaur fossils in rocks.

This National monument has much more to offer to the visitors. It is home to many wildlife, including mountain lions, coyotes, peregrine falcons, and white-tailed prairie dogs. There are canyons, rivers, deserts, and mountains.

Also, have an adventurous experience at the park by hiking, scenic driving of the tilted rocks, river rafting, and camping.

The monument also displays 1000-year-old pictographs and petroglyphs in several areas that give an insight into earlier cultures and their rich history.

8. Bryce Canyon National Park

Things to see in Utah
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The Bryce Canyon National Park Sunshine Point is located at Rim Trail, Bryce, UT 84764, United States.

Highlights of Bryce Canyon National Park

The best thing you can do while visiting Bryce Canyon National Park is to experience the magnificent views of sunrise and sunset there.

The Sunrise, Inspiration, and Bryce points are some of the best viewpoints for sunrise. The mossy cave section of the park and the sunset point are the best viewpoints for watching the sunset.

The park offers some amazing trails and hikes for visitors.

One of the most impressive sections of Bryce Amphitheater is the Rim trail, which begins from Sunrise point and allows you to spot the panoramic views.

It also serves the wonderful Queen’s Garden trail. Just towards its north, there is a fairyland canyon overlooked.

The park is famous for its hoodoos and several overlooks and is a perfect destination for camping and hiking lovers.

9. Utah Olympic Park

One of the best things to see in Utah is the Utah Olympic Park, built for the winter Olympics. This winter sports park is located at 3419 Olympic Parkway, Park City, UT 84098, United States.

Highlights of Utah Olympic Park

The Utah Olympic Park was purposely built for the winter Olympics in 2002, where it hosted skeleton, luge, ski jumping, bobsleigh, and Nordic combined events.

Join the guided tours available for the visitors and explore in detail the true and interesting stories of the achievements of this park.

Several summer activities and games are also available there, from ziplining and hiking in the summers and bobsledding in winter.

A perfect place for backcountry skiing with professional skiing guides who train you throughout the trip.

Try to book their Gold Pass session, in which you will get 3.5 hours for the unlimited use of Tubing, Alpine slide, Freestyle Zip, Airbag jumps, and Canyon course. You can easily book your tickets by clicking here.

Enjoy a visit to the Olympic 2002 museum and participate in several summer activities with your family.

10. Park City Mountain Resort

Things to see in Utah
Photo by Adam Littman Davis on Unsplash

The Park City Mountain Resort in the western U.S. is one of the most beautiful things to see in Utah. It is located at 1345 Lowell Ave, Park City, UT 84060, United States.

Highlights of Park City Mountain Resort

Lying on Park City’s doorstep, this is one of the poshest ski resorts in Utah that attracts adventure lovers worldwide.

Park city mountain resort is in an area of 7,300 acres of mountain and is America’s second-largest ski resort.

Once you get into the city, you will find several trails and hikes all over the area. Enjoy mountain biking, snow biking, hiking, hot-air ballooning, golf, dog sledging, and lots of fun activities there.

Don’t miss the Mountain coaster with over a mile of loops and turns, and enjoy the cinematic views with a side of adrenaline.

11. Bonneville Salt Flats

Things to see in Utah
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The Bonneville salt flats are among the highly densely packed salt pan in Tooele county in northwestern Utah.

Highlights of Bonneville Salt Flats

Bonneville salt flats comprise 30,000 acres of hard, white Salt. They are quite safe to drive in if you are in the approved area but still try to avoid them in spring or when they are wet.

They are most famous for being a speed track where many races are held and produce world records on the fastest land speeds ever reached.

Get the most amazing photos of salt flats; the shimmery white crust spreads as far as your eyes can see. Their beauty is like no other place in this world can show.

It’s a fully exposed area, a huge desert with miles and miles of flats. You will get no refuge, shelter, or recreation in this vast spread area. If you want to stay, you must search for accommodation outside the salt lake before visiting it.

12. The Great Salt Lake

Things to see in Utah
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The largest saltwater lake in the present in the western hemisphere and one of the most beautiful things to see in Utah is the Great Salt Lake.

Highlights of Bonneville Salt Flats

Due to its saltwater composition, the lake is not so preferable for natural life; it is most famous for its huge herd of American bison, which gazes at its grasslands. Besides these, the Brine Shrimp, mule deer, bighorn sheep, and livestock can also be seen there.

There are many islands on the Great salt lake; among them, Antelope island is the largest.

Experience boating, kayaking, swimming, fishing, and SUP-boarding on the beaches along Great Salt Lake’s shores.

Also, try the hiking trails at nearby parks and spot the wonderful wildlife and flora all around.

Two state parks are located nearby; one is Antelope island state park, and the other is Great salt lake state park.

13. Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument

Things to see in Utah
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The Grand Staircase Escalante national monument protects the Grand staircase, the Kaiparowits plateau, and the Canyons of Escalate in southern Utah.

It is located at 745 US-89, Kanab, UT 84741, United States.

Highlights of Grand Staircase Escalante National Monument

Famous geologist Charles Dutton described it as the largest stairway. He divided this layer of Earth’s history into 5 steps– Pink cliffs, Grey cliffs, White Cliffs, Vermilion cliffs, and Chocolate cliffs.

The monument covers an area of 1.7 million acres. It is also the first monument administered by the Bureau of Land Management, not the National park service.

There is a vast expanse of desert land where you can go hiking, spot wildlife, and capture fascinating views with your camera.

14. Temple Square

Temple Square is in Salt lake City in Utah, and it is also one of the most beautiful things to see in Utah.

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Photo by Michael Hart on Unsplash

Highlights of Temple Square

Temple Square is a complex spread over 10 acres owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Letter-Day Saints. It is one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in Utah.

It looks stunning with beautiful gardens, brightly coloured tulips blooming in the spring season, and majestic architecture. The atmosphere inside this place is very calm and peaceful, helping you rejuvenate your soul.

Temple Square has a temple, tabernacle, assembly hall, and visitors centre. Several activities and exhibits are organized there.

Not only this, explore the museums, libraries, and crisp acoustics held there. Also, discover the music and artworks showcased at the church.

Become a part of the dozens of live events organized there.

Have some nice food and dining experience in the nearby restaurants –

  • The Roof restaurant
  • The Lion House Pantry
  • The Nauvoo Cafe
  • The Garden House Restaurant

15. Natural Bridges National Monument

Up next on the list of best things to see in Utah is the Natural bridges national monument in the western U.S. at the beautiful junction of White Canyon and Armstrong Canyon.

It is located at lake Powell, UT 84533, United States.

Highlights of Natural Bridges National Monument

It is a natural attraction of multiple rock bridges formed naturally by erosion from the Colorado River. The river dried up and left the towering natural bridges.

They are around 5000 years old and not similar to the arches as the running water shaped them.

It is the best place to observe the night sky as there is no light pollution; you will observe one of the darkest skies there. So, it has also been designated the first International Dark sky park.

There are 13 campsites and several hiking trails for visitors. Other activities like guided walks, overlook talks, and evening programs are also held.

 16. Snow Canyon State Park

things to see in Utah
Photo by Aaron Roth on Unsplash

The Snow Canyon state park in Red Cliff’s deserts reserve is also among the most beautiful things to see in Utah.

It is located at 1002 Snow Canyon Dr, Ivins, UT 84738, United States.

Highlights of Snow Canyon State Park

This spectacular park has a lot to offer to outdoor enthusiasts. The hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and scenic drive along the tall mountains and terrains to experience its delightful scenery.

You will find dunes, slot canyons, cinder cones, lava tubes, and diverse landscapes in this 7,400-acre scenic park.

During your drive, you will also spot many desert tortoises on the road trip.

Key Takeaway

Above, we mentioned the 15 most beautiful things to see in Utah. These are no less than the hidden gems that will give you a memorable experience.

The mystic hot springs, grand canyon, pink coral sand, scenic parks, huge sandstone towers, soft sand mountains, and monument valley make it a popular tourist destination worth visiting.

If you are planning to extend your holidays, there are more things to see in Utah, including Goblin valley state park, ancient lake Bonneville, Lake Powell, Deer valley resort, Dead horse point state park, Delicate arch, and the list goes on.

So, friends, plan your trip accordingly and enjoy your vacation in this beautiful place Utah.

FAQs

  1. What is the number 1 attraction in Utah?

Ans. Zion National Park is the number 1 attraction in Utah.

2. What are the prettiest place in Utah?

Ans. The prettiest places in Utah are:

  • Bryce Canyon.
  • Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument.
  • Calf Creek Falls / The Hogback / Boulder.
  • Capitol Reef National Park.

3. What are the three most famous things in Utah?

Ans. The most famous things in Utah are – the Mormon community, the beautiful natural landscapes, and the pastrami burgers.

Also read:

Best Utah National Parks

Last Updated on June 11, 2023 by somya909