Utah is a landlocked state that borders on Colorado, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona and Wyoming. The capital of the state, Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Olympics. It is most famous for being the state where the Mormon Church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) has its world headquarters, as well as the location of many gorgeous places.

The Wasatch Mountains run north-south next to Provo, Salt Lake City, and Ogden, and are home to seven ski resorts. Summertime brings excellent hiking opportunities; over 5 million hikers visit these mountains yearly. For less crowded alpine scenery, go east to Kamas, Utah, the gateway to the Mirror Lake Highway and the Uinta Mountains, one of only two east-west mountain ranges in the USA. Teeming with many small lakes, the rugged Uinta range is home to Utah's biggest wilderness area and its highest peak. King's Peak is over 13,000 feet in elevation.

For real solitude, try the mostly undiscovered Great Basin and West Desert. Try Notch Peak in the House Range, or the ghost town of Frisco, or the Pony Express Trail. You won't find crowds out here. The northern reaches of the Great Salt Lake can be accessed via roads and trails from Golden Spike National Historic Site, where the transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869.  

In the south of the state Glen Canyon National Recreation Area offers unparalleled opportunities for water-based & backcountry recreation. The park offers opportunities for boating, fishing, swimming, backcountry hiking and four-wheel drive trips. Canyonlands and Capitol Reef National fare close by and offer more excellent outdoor opportunities.

In Springdale you find Zion National Park with the world's largest natural arch, the Kolob Arch.

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