We know that Utah is beautiful, and that its people are pretty amazing, too. But as much as we sometimes like to pretend that the Beehive State is just like the rest of the country, it’s really not. Utah is truly unique – our places and people are like no other in the country. Take a look at these 12 attractions that show just how unique we really are.
- Gilgal Sculpture Garden
sandwich/flickr Well, it certainly doesn’t get more unique than a Joseph Smith sphinx, does it? You’ll find this quirky little garden at 749 East 500 South in Salt Lake City.
- Temple Square
J. Stephen Conn/flickr No other place in the world has a higher concentration of Mormons. And though the LDS Church has built hundreds of temples elsewhere, the Salt Lake Temple is the quintessential temple.
- Delicate Arch
John Getchel/flickr While other places certainly have natural arches, the 65-foot-tall Delicate Arch, located in Arches National Park, is truly the most unique and remarkable one anywhere.
- Bonneville Salt Flats
Mr. Nixter/flickr People come from all over the world to race on the Bonneville Salt Flats. This hard-packed salt is the remnant of Lake,Bonneville which once covered a large portion of Utah.
- The Great Salt Lake
Andrew Allingham/flickr The Great Salt Lake covers about 1,700 square miles and is the largest saltwater lake in the entire Western hemisphere. You really can float in this lake, which has a salt content of up to 27 percent, depending on the water level.
- Moab Slickrock
Pierce Martin/flickr The rock looks slick and smooth, but its texture will grab your bike tires and make it possible for you to climb inclines and rocket down steep slopes like you never thought possible. It’s been called the best bike ride in the world, and we certainly can’t disagree.
- This Is The Place Heritage Park
Jacqueline Poggi/flickr When the Mormon settlers first laid eye on the Salt Lake Valley, they must have been relieved that their long journey had finally come to an end. This (literally) is the place where Brigham Young stood and confirmed it, and this place has never been the same since.
- House on Fire
Darrel Liu/flickr Before the Mormons got here, the ancestral Pueblo people lived in the Cedar Mesa region of Utah as many as 2,000 years ago. The House on Fire dwelling in Mule Canyon is just one example of the ruins left from these remarkable people. If you visit, please leave it just as you found it.
- Dinosaur National Monument
InSapphoWeTrust/flickr Before the Puebloan people got here, the dinosaurs roamed this land. Dinosaur National Monument is a unique place where visitors can get up close and even touch dinosaur bones that are millions of years old.
- The view from the top of Utah’s ski resorts.
Cinematic Social Inquiry/flickr Our powder is legendary, and you simply can’t beat this view. This photo was taken from the top of Snowbird.
- Waterpocket Fold
John Fowler/flickr The Waterpocket Fold extends for nearly 100 miles. It’s a monocline - basically a wrinkle in the earth’s crust - and it’s definitely unique. Visit Capitol Reef National Park to see it.
- Angel’s Landing
Krankin99/flickr It’s one of the scariest hikes in the world, and only Utahns are crazy enough to call it a tourist attraction. The thing is…the view is totally worth it!
What’s your favorite attraction in Utah? Utahns are unique folks – check out these 12 things that we do better than anyone else.
sandwich/flickr
Well, it certainly doesn’t get more unique than a Joseph Smith sphinx, does it? You’ll find this quirky little garden at 749 East 500 South in Salt Lake City.
J. Stephen Conn/flickr
No other place in the world has a higher concentration of Mormons. And though the LDS Church has built hundreds of temples elsewhere, the Salt Lake Temple is the quintessential temple.
John Getchel/flickr
While other places certainly have natural arches, the 65-foot-tall Delicate Arch, located in Arches National Park, is truly the most unique and remarkable one anywhere.
Mr. Nixter/flickr
People come from all over the world to race on the Bonneville Salt Flats. This hard-packed salt is the remnant of Lake,Bonneville which once covered a large portion of Utah.
Andrew Allingham/flickr
The Great Salt Lake covers about 1,700 square miles and is the largest saltwater lake in the entire Western hemisphere. You really can float in this lake, which has a salt content of up to 27 percent, depending on the water level.
Pierce Martin/flickr
The rock looks slick and smooth, but its texture will grab your bike tires and make it possible for you to climb inclines and rocket down steep slopes like you never thought possible. It’s been called the best bike ride in the world, and we certainly can’t disagree.
Jacqueline Poggi/flickr
When the Mormon settlers first laid eye on the Salt Lake Valley, they must have been relieved that their long journey had finally come to an end. This (literally) is the place where Brigham Young stood and confirmed it, and this place has never been the same since.
Darrel Liu/flickr
Before the Mormons got here, the ancestral Pueblo people lived in the Cedar Mesa region of Utah as many as 2,000 years ago. The House on Fire dwelling in Mule Canyon is just one example of the ruins left from these remarkable people. If you visit, please leave it just as you found it.
InSapphoWeTrust/flickr
Before the Puebloan people got here, the dinosaurs roamed this land. Dinosaur National Monument is a unique place where visitors can get up close and even touch dinosaur bones that are millions of years old.
Cinematic Social Inquiry/flickr
Our powder is legendary, and you simply can’t beat this view. This photo was taken from the top of Snowbird.
John Fowler/flickr
The Waterpocket Fold extends for nearly 100 miles. It’s a monocline - basically a wrinkle in the earth’s crust - and it’s definitely unique. Visit Capitol Reef National Park to see it.
Krankin99/flickr
It’s one of the scariest hikes in the world, and only Utahns are crazy enough to call it a tourist attraction. The thing is…the view is totally worth it!
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