| Have you been to Utah yet? So many people | | | | desert to alpine and is divided into three kinds of |
| visit Las Vegas but never travel the two hours | | | | landscape. First the Basin and Range, then Middle |
| into the outdoor wonderland that Utah is! Utah is a | | | | Rocky Mountain and Colorado Plateau. Normally |
| wonderful place to get in touch with the outdoors. | | | | referred to as the Great Basin, the Rockies and |
| It can be great during all 4 seasons, fall, winter, | | | | Canyon Country. There is so much to choose and |
| spring and summer. Any time of the year is a | | | | • Hiking • Camping • |
| great time to do some southern Utah tours. | | | | Biking • Golf • Boating |
| Author: Bob Therrien Covering 84,904 square | | | | • Beaches • ATV • |
| miles, Utah is bordered on the north by Idaho, on | | | | Museums • Scenic Drives • Dog |
| the east by Wyoming and Colorado, on the south | | | | Sledding • Snowmobiling • |
| by New Mexico and Arizona and on the west by | | | | Horseback Riding • Hunting • |
| Nevada. Utah is located in the heart of the | | | | Antique Shopping • Festivals/State Fairs |
| American West. The land itself embraces | | | | • Rafting • Ice Skating |
| everything from desert to alpine and is divided | | | | • Fly Fishing • Wildlife • |
| into three major kinds of landscape: Basin and | | | | Lake/Rivers • Alpine & Nordic Skiing |
| Range, Middle Rocky Mountain and Colorado | | | | Snowboarding Red rock canyons, sandstone cliffs, |
| Plateau. (Now, don't you wish you'd paid attention | | | | the desert, the best snow on earth skiing, Joshua |
| in that geography class?) To make it easier, we | | | | trees, slot canyons, canyoneering, travel, tour & |
| generally talk about the Great Basin, the Rockies | | | | adventure await you for your Southern Utah |
| and Canyon Country. Southern Utah is a land of | | | | tours. Utah has five National parks. Arches National |
| drop-dead beauty. Gorgeous! Awesome! | | | | Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, Canyonlands |
| Unbelievable! It doesn't really matter which byway | | | | National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, and Zion |
| you take (but be sure to take Highway 12-Utah's | | | | National Park. If that's not enough of the most |
| All-American Road); it doesn't matter which St. | | | | incredible landscape anywhere, there are 3 |
| George golf course you tee off, which back | | | | National Monuments. Cedar Breaks National |
| country guide you charter, which spa you use to | | | | Monument, Dinosaur National Monuments and |
| escape: it's all one stupendous eyeful after | | | | GSENM, Grand Staircase National Monument. How |
| another. Ever wonder how Dead Horse Point | | | | about adding two National Recreation areas to the |
| State Park got its name? Well, a bunch of | | | | mix and maybe you'll never want to leave Utah. |
| cowboys forgot to water the horses | | | | The Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area and |
| and…you get the picture. No matter what | | | | Glen Canyon National Recreation Area all add up |
| its origins, the views from Dead Horse will leave | | | | to one of the most spectacular places on earth |
| you speechless. Southern Utah is "The Old | | | | to visit. Southern Utah has Saint George just a |
| west…" "John Wayne Country…" | | | | couple of hours north of Las Vegas. It has an |
| "Little Hollywood…" For amphitheaters | | | | elevation of 2,880 feet above sea level. St. |
| chock-a-block with sandstone spires all aglow in | | | | George has an average annual temperature of |
| luminescent earth tones: Bryce Canyon National | | | | 59.9° F with summer temperatures well into |
| Park. For looming sandstone walls guarding a | | | | the 100s. Palm trees and red rock cliffs are the |
| pastoral Virgin River landscape marked by unique | | | | norm in Saint George along with all the |
| microclimates, fauna and flora: Zion National | | | | convenience of a city of 100 thousand. 45 |
| Park…Monument Valley, Lake Powell? | | | | minutes north on highway Interstate 15 is Cedar |
| Southern Utah is the kind of place other states | | | | City. It is a well known festival city. It is home to |
| can only dream of. An ancient spirit inhabits | | | | Southern Utah University, The Utah |
| southern Utah. It is evident in the cataclysmic | | | | Shakespearean Festival, The Utah Summer |
| forces that have thrust the earth up into | | | | Games, The American Children's Christmas |
| snow-capped mountains; in the towering fins of | | | | Festival, The Cedar City SkyFest, Neil Simon |
| ruddy sandstone cut by the patient forces of | | | | Festival, Himmelsk Festival Royal, yearly Cowboy |
| erosion into bridges, arches, deep canyons, and | | | | Gathering, Rodeo, July Jamboree, Utah |
| strange "hoodoos" of stone; in dramatic faults | | | | Midsummer Renaissance Faire, Groovefest, and |
| where the earth jumbles and twists, contrasting | | | | Paiute Restoration Gathering & Pow-wow. Cedar |
| with gentle, rolling hummocks of "slick rock. | | | | City is very close to Brian Head Ski Area. Close |
| Visiting Utah can be quite an experience. The | | | | enough to be in the Vegas desert, ski during the |
| major airport to fly into the region is normally Las | | | | day with views of Cedar Breaks Red Rocks and |
| Vegas, Nevada for southern Utah tours. Saint | | | | back to the desert for dinner. You'll enjoy your |
| George and Cedar City both have growing | | | | trip there. Source Credit: Some content provided |
| airports with thousands of travelers who fly there | | | | by The Utah Office of Tourism. |
| too! Utah is very diverse. It has everything from | | | | |