Zion's Narrows Makes Favorite Spots List

The Narrows in Zion National Park is listed as a top attraction by a group of retired National Park Rangers asked to list their 10 favorite places to get "outside, escape the crowds and see some of the most beautiful spots that are hidden away in the less-traveled sections of America's national parks." This article has details.

Scenic Desert Waterfalls

Our latest Travel Tips newsletter includes a fun essay about viewing waterfalls in our national parks. With all the rain and snow we’ve been getting, streams are running high and our waterfalls are impressive. The piece includes nice photos.

Road Work May Hamper Travel

Most construction will occur in northern Utah. This article provides details.

Fly UOP Named USSA Freestyle Club Of The Year

The FLY UOP (Freestyle Lives Year-Round) program based at the Utah Olympic Park was named Freestyle Club of the Year by the United States Ski and Snowboard Association. In addition, Bruce Erickson, FLY UOP coach, was honored as USSA’s Domestic Coach of the Year.

Rides on wheeled bobsleds will be offered this summer at Utah’s Olympic Park. Also at the park, signup is underway for youth adventure camps. More details.

Travelocity Reveals Utah's Secrets

The small southern Utah community of Kanab is featured in Travelocity’s Local Secrets, Big Finds section. The popular travel industry website choose 10 Utah “secrets” to highlight, including excellent but lesser-known scenic drives, restaurants and festivals. Here’s the complete list. Here’s a pdf news release from Kanab.

Spring snow delights skiers, creates hazards

Heavy snow has fallen in Utah mountain areas over the past few days. Most resorts have received 15-20 inches over the past 24 hours, and several feet during the past week. Ski conditions are wonderful. Avalanche danger is high on steep backcountry slopes. Avalanche control work is ongoing at ski resorts and along developed highways to insure safety.

Spring Utah Outdoor Activities

This article highlights great Utah outdoor activities appropriate for spring, focusing on Easter weekend.

Two Utah Hikes Included in “Classics” Book

Two Utah hikes are included in a new book entitled Classic Hikes of the World, by Peter Potterfield. The coffee-table type book features 23 treks, including Utah’s Buckskin Gulch in Grand Staircase National Monument and Chesler Park in the Needles section of Canyonlands National Park. This article provides more information.

Ski Resorts Announce Closing Dates

Snowbird Ski Resort intends to stay open until May 30 this year. Managers are confident the resort has the snow base needed. That will be one of the latest closing dates ever for a Utah resort.

Most other resorts have announced tentative closing dates:

Beaver Mountain and Sundance will close on April 2
The Canyons, Deer Valley and Park City will close on April 10
Brighton, Solitude and Alta will be open through April 17

We've had great snow this season. All indicators suggest this will go down as one of the best ski years ever.

Cathedral in the Desert emerges from Lake Powell

The fabled Cathedral in the Desert is now high and dry – Lake Powell’s waters have receded to the point that the lake no longer engulfs the Cathedral's waterfall and sandy bottom.

Powell is now approaching its low point – the lake level will start to rise within a few weeks. With massive snowpack in drainage mountains, I don’t expect the lake to drop this low again during my lifetime.

I hope to boat into the area during the next week or two. I’ll post a photo when I get back.

Powell is a big, deep lake and offers plenty of opportunity for boating, even at this low level. Launch ramps are usable at Waheep, Bullfrog and Halls Crossing.

Cathedral in the Desert has become a rallying point for environmentalists seeking to restore Glen Canyon to its pre-lake condition. Some have long dreamed of the day when the Cathedral’s chambers would fully emerge from the lake.

The next few weeks will provide an opportunity to see Glen Canyon and Lake Powell as few have seen them. Whether you love or hate the lake, this is you chance to see amazing scenery usually covered by lake water.

- Dave Webb

Maynard Dixon Art Invitational

40 artists will participate in Maynard Dixon Country 2005, an annual invitational art show and paint-out sponsored by the Thunderbird Foundation for the Arts. The event will be held at the historic Maynard Dixon property in Mt. Carmel, Utah, August 24-28. More information.

Spring fly fishing and skiing

Our late winter weather has been unusually warm and so some seasonal changes are coming ahead of schedule.

Fly fishing is already great on the Provo River and other trout streams. This article gives details.

Spring ski conditions remain good. Snow is falling now and more is expected over the next several days. Most resorts are expected to stay open through mid or late April.

Provo Canyon Construction and Olympic Park Events

Traffic on US 189 may be delayed at times in Provo Canyon and around Deer Creek Reservoir as crews work to widen the highway. Most work will take place at night to minimize delays. Some parking areas used primarily by fishermen will not be available at times. The entire stream will stay open to fishing but access may be difficult in some places. This website has current info.

At the Utah Olympic Park:
· Freestyle Junior Olympics will be held March 15-20
· Public winter bobsled rides will continue through March 27

U.S. Freestyle Championships Moved to Park City

The Sprint U.S. Freestyle Championships, scheduled for March 24-26 at Bogus Basin in Idaho, have been relocated because of weather to Park City Mountain Resort and the Utah Olympic Park. Details

Walleye fishing is picking up at northern Utah reservoirs, as beautiful spring-like weather warms the water. This article provides practical fishing tips.

Terrain parks at Park City Mountain Resort are featured in this newspaper article.

Deer Valley Chef Named Best in Utah

Clark Norris, executive chef at Deer Valley’s Silver Lake Lodge, was named “Best Chef” in Utah at the 8th annual Salt Lake Magazine Dining Awards. He was selected by a panel of local food/restaurant experts.

“Clark is duly impressive, as he is a self-taught chef,” said Julie Wilson, Deer Valley food and beverage director. “He didn’t learn his craft at cooking school. He started here at Deer Valley as a cook and worked his way up. He’s a natural, with great creative instincts and wonderful taste buds. We’re very pound of him.”

The Burr Trail - The Most Scenic Backroad of Them All

Utah's scenic Burr Trail is featured in this newspaper article. The trail makes a great spring drive. A 4X4 vehicle is not required unless the road is wet.

New highway map; Alta Ski Resort

The state of Utah has just released a new highway map, which will now be available at travel information centers. Basic map info is little changed but it does correct a few errors found on the previous version. Details.

A free Utah travel guide with a foldout highway map can be requested from our website.

Alta Ski Resort is featured in a newspaper article describing its conscious decision to focus on appealing to die-hard skiers.

The Canyonlands Half Marathon is featured in this newspaper article.