National Parks and Recreation Areas

Spotlights

Arches National Park

Golden Spike National Historic Site 

Golden Spike National Historic Site - Completion of the world's first transcontinental railroad was celebrated here where the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads met on May 10, 1869.  Visitors can enjoy railroad exhibits, archaeological artifacts, films, steam locomotives and a visitor's center.

Timpanogos Cave National Monument - Timpanogos Cave National Monument sits high in the Wasatch Mountains. The cave system consists of three spectacularly decorated caverns. Each cavern has unique colors and formations.

Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail - Departing from Nauvoo, Illinois, in February 1846, thousands of Mormons crossed into Iowa seeking refuge from religious persecution. They spent the next winter in the Council Bluffs, Iowa and Omaha, Nebraska area. Early in 1847, Brigham Young led an advanced party west, generally paralleling the Oregon Trail, to Fort Bridger, Wyoming, where they turned southwest and eventually came to the Great Salt Lake.

Dinosaur National Monument - Dinosaur fossils, camping, rafting, hiking, wildlife, and interesting archeology.

Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area - In 1869, Major John Wesley Powell, on expedition down the Green River, looked in awe at this magnificent country and named it Flaming Gorge. Today the brilliant red cliffs are scenic attractions for thousands of visitors annually. The heart of the National Recreation Area is a 91-mile-long reservoir, created by the Flaming Gorge Dam. With over 300 miles of shoreline, boat ramps, full service lodges and marinas, Lake Flaming Gorge is an aquatic paradise. While motor boating, sailing, swimming, windsurfing, water skiing, and scuba diving are among the lake's popular recreation activities, "The Gorge" is most famous for its fishing.

Mormon Pioneer National Historic Trail - Departing from Nauvoo, Illinois, in February 1846, thousands of Mormons crossed into Iowa seeking refuge from religious persecution. They spent the next winter in the Council Bluffs, Iowa and Omaha, Nebraska area. Early in 1847, Brigham Young led an advanced party west, generally paralleling the Oregon Trail, to Fort Bridger, Wyoming, where they turned southwest and eventually came to the Great Salt Lake.

Capitol Reef National Park - Capitol Reef offers nearly 250,000 acres of beautiful landscapes and amazing rock formations.  Visitors can enjoy camping, hiking, picnicking, biking, swimming, horseback riding and wildlife scenery.

Cedar Breaks National Park - Cedar Breaks located near Cedar City is an enormous amphitheater which spans  three miles, and is over 2,000 feet deep.  Visitors can enjoy pine, spruce and aspen trees as well as colorful wildflowers that abound throughout the park.  Activities include hiking, backpacking,  picnicking, camping and sight seeing.

Glen Canyon National Recreation Area - Glen Canyon National Recreation Area consists of one of the Nation's largest canyon country.  Lake Powell stretches 186 miles and provides over 1,900 miles of shoreline.  Visitors can enjoy some of the Nation's best fishing, hiking, boating, water sports, camping and other outdoor recreation.

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument - Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument offers beautiful and colorful landscapes. The Monument extends across 1.9 million acres.

Zion National Park - Zion National Park offers a  229 square miles of spectacular cliff-and-canyon landscape and wilderness.  Visitors can see the world's largest arch - Kolob Arch - with a span measuring 310 feet. Wildlife such as mule deer, golden eagles, and mountain lions, also inhabit the Park.

Canyonlands National Park -  Canyonlands National Park offers beautiful landscapes, canyons, colorful sandstone formations, Indian ruins and spectacular views.  Visitors can enjoy activities such as hiking, mountain biking, rafting, climbing and camping.

Hovenweep National Monument - Hovenweep National Monument protects some of the finest examples of ancient stone architecture in the southwest. The inhabitants of Hovenweep were part of the large farming culture which occupied the Four Corners region of Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona from about 500 B.C. until nearly A.D. 1300.

Natural Bridges National Monument - Natural Bridges National Monument covers 7,636.49 acres. The park features three natural sandstone bridges.  Recreational activities in the park include hiking, camping, scenic drives and a visitor's center.

Rainbow Bridge National Monument - Rainbow Bridge is the world's largest natural bridge.  The bridge rises 290 feet above the floor of Bridge Canyon and is 270 feet long.  The bridge is also one of the seven natural wonders of the world and considered a sacred site by Navajo Indians.  Rainbow Bridge can be reached by boat, on foot or by horse.