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.

women sitting on a rock in a canyon watching the sunset over the mountains
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.

Person in snow gear on a snowboard in mid-air with pine trees behind them
Amusement Parks

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.

Evermore Park offers a different type of park experience. This fantasy adventure park allows guests to become fully emerged in what resembles a permeant renaissance fair with a choose your own adventure twist. The only ride is a themed train ride around the park, while the main features are the seasonal events which include Lore during Halloween, Aurora during Christmas, and Mythos running from spring to summer.

close up photo of the ferris wheel and tall roller coaster in Lagoon Amusement Park
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.

a couple of nbae basketball players in the middle of a game with one of them about to pass the ball