Utah: Ski Resorts, National Parks and Scenic Byway 12

If you are looking for a ski hotel in Utah, two clear facts provide the starting point for orientation: Utah is associated with 15 ski resorts, and ten ski resorts are located within one hour of Salt Lake City International Airport. This means you can plan your ski holiday around both winter sports and your preferred regional focus. Utah also encompasses red-rock landscapes, major national parks, designated scenic byways, museums and local cuisine.

Ski Resorts and Regional Highlights

The connection to 15 ski resorts makes Utah an appealing destination for a ski holiday, although this does not mean that every area has the same character. The information that ten ski resorts are within one hour of Salt Lake City International Airport primarily provides an easy-to-understand arrival reference. When choosing accommodation for your ski holiday, you can therefore first decide whether the focus should be on winter sports in the Salt Lake City area or on a broader trip through Utah.

Red Rocks, Canyons and Distinctive Natural Formations

Arches National Park features more than 2,000 natural stone arches. In the same park, Delicate Arch is considered the largest freestanding arch; its opening is 46 feet, or 14 meters, high and 32 feet, or 9.8 meters, wide. The round trip to Delicate Arch is 3 miles, or 4.8 kilometers, long and climbs 480 feet, or 146 meters, in elevation.

Bryce Canyon is home to hoodoos shaped by erosion: intricately formed rock spires that have remained standing. The canyon lies at elevations ranging from 8,000 feet, or 2,438 meters, to more than 9,000 feet, or 2,743 meters. Canyonlands, by contrast, presents a wilderness of canyons, mesas and rock spires carved by the Colorado River and Green River. The national park is divided into four districts that are not connected by roads and has hundreds of miles of hiking trails leading to natural and cultural features.

The San Rafael Swell Recreation Area covers approximately 217,000 acres of eroded sandstone badlands, deep canyons and steeply tilted slabs of rock. Opportunities for hiking and cycling are available there; the Wedge Overlook is known as “The Little Grand Canyon.” Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is also home to the Coral Pink Tiger Beetle, which occurs only there.

Hiking, Cycling and Outdoor Activities

Zion National Park offers trails ranging from short walks to challenging excursions. The Pa'rus Trail and Zion Canyon Scenic Drive are accessible to bicycles. There are also ranger-led programs where you can learn more about Zion National Park.

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument supports camping, hiking, canyoneering and off-road driving as recreational activities.

Scenic Byway 12 as a Travel Route

Utah's Scenic Byway 12 is also known as the “A Journey Through Time Scenic Byway” and is designated as an All-American Road. The route runs from Panguitch to Torrey through winding canyons, red-rock spires, pine forests and pioneer towns. For accommodation in Utah, this road can therefore serve as a thematic reference point if, in addition to staying at a ski resort, you would also like to explore the landscapes and towns along a designated route.

Museums and Regional History

The Natural History Museum of Utah is the state's official natural history museum. It has twelve permanent exhibits across four levels covering Utah's natural history. The Prehistoric Museum at Utah State University Eastern offers exhibits on paleontology, archaeology and geology. Its archaeology hall also displays the Pilling Figurines. A Discovery Area with a dinosaur excavation and other hands-on activities complements the exhibits.

At Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Anasazi and Fremont cultures left rock art panels, settlement sites, campsites and granaries between 950 and 1100 AD.

Local Cuisine, Stars and Waters

The Downtown Farmers Market has stalls from more than 100 farms and ranches within a 250-mile radius of Salt Lake City. Utah also has food trails that generally follow a thematic approach and focus on local specialties. Anyone who wants to discover regional foods in addition to ski resorts and national parks will find two differently structured points of connection: a market with many agricultural vendors and themed routes centered on local specialties.

Utah has more than 1,000 fishable lakes and numerous fishing waters. State parks, national parks and national monuments also offer many opportunities for stargazing. These options add activities to your trip that are not tied to a ski slope. When choosing accommodation for your ski holiday, you can therefore also consider whether nature observation, fishing or an evening outdoors should be part of your travel plans alongside skiing.

Regional Overview

For further regional orientation, you can compare Summit, Salt Lake and Weber.

For the overarching travel overview: USA.

More About the Destination

Relevant information for planning your trip:

Ski Holiday in Utah | Ski Holiday Information.

More Destinations

More places within the same destination:

Maryland, Washington, Rhode Island, Nevada.