Northern Utah?

[redir]

I'll be in Salt Lake for work in mid September and my wife and I will take a week vacation after that. We have been to all the typical canyon land, red rock, Moab places in Utah though it's been quite some time. I'd love to see all that stuff again but then I've never been in northern Utah either.

My wife's family is from Bulder/Denver and New Mexico so if Northern Utah is basically just like Colorado then we'll probably head back to the canyons.

Just wondering if any one who is in the know has any opinion of the north?

This will not involve any cycling but we do plan on camping.

[mhespenheide]

It's not remarkably different from other parts of northern New Mexico or central Colorado, although each of those places has their own distinct subtleties. Bear Lake is interesting for its size.

Mid- to late-September is when the aspens and maples start going off; the aspens a little earlier up on the high-elevation plateaus and the maples a little later in the mountain canyons.

If it were me and I hadn't been in the Southern Utah canyon country for a while, I'd probably head down there, personally. But then, I love that geography and take any excuse to head there if I can. I might try to hit the mountain canyons outside Provo to see if any of the maples are turning, the Wasatch Plateau (above Mount Pleasant and Ephraim, east of 89) to see if the aspens are in color, and then continue down 89 towards Capital Reef, then highway 12 over the Boulder Plateau to look for more aspen and head towards Grand Staircase-Escalante and Bryce for some more red rock. (Bryce and the Boulder Plateau will be fairly cold at night; probably the low-40's.)

[sfscott]

I highly recommend Park City (as long as you're just visiting.):)

It's a great time of year there. Still warm days, no crowds. Great biking (MTN and Road,) hiking, fishing, golf...just about anything.

The lift served MTB goes until about the second weekend in Sep, but plenty of trails if you don't care about uphill.

Town is fun and has a lot of good (but not spectacular)restaurants, including a couple of micro breweries and whiskey distillery. Hotel rates this time of year are really good, even at the best places.

Only downside is that, depending on when you go, you may find restaurants etc. closed for shoulder season.

[Mr. Pink]

Jackson Hole is maybe a five hour drive north, so, you'll see a lot on the way. It can be an S show in summertime, but when school is back I'll bet the national parks aren't THAT bad. The town can be a tourist circus. That said, it's a spectacular place. Just beautiful. I'm a skier, so I would recommend Targhee ski resort on the Idaho side for cool hiking and MTB with much less crowds. Spectacular views of the backside of the Grand Teton from up there. Summer lifts close 9/15. Driggs is cool.

edit: If you're in Jackson Hole and maybe it's raining, check out the National Museum of Wildlife Art. Sounds a bit tacky, but, it's not like that stuff you see in all the western tourist towns. Very good collection. Pretty cool.

Oh, I just remembered. The Eden valley in Utah. Just google map Eden. Only been up there in the winter to ski Snowbasin and Powder mountain, but, I'll bet it's awesome in Summer. Both mountains have lift serviced mtb until mid to late September. The valley itself has some pretty decent roads, and the approaches to both Snowbasin and Pow Mow (sorry) Are good climbs. Ogden is the closest city, not pretty.

September is a great time to catch Aspen turning in the west. It can get cold at night, wear a sweater!

[Mr. Pink]

Picture of me on top of Grand Targhee in winter. You can hike to that spot in summer, and some people do overnights from over on the Teton Park/Wyoming side.

[Elefantino]

The Huntsville area has camping on Pineview Reservoir, and the area is much less crowded with school back in.

The Shooting Star Saloon in Huntsville is a great place for a burger and beer, assuming you're into burgers and beer. It's the oldest establishment in Utah, and for a while the only place in the state you could get a drink without having to join a "club."

If you venture down into Ogden, 25th Street is a nice area with shops, restaurants and the Utah Train Museum.

Furthern north, if you're into trains, is Promontory Summit and the Golden Spike National Monument.

[FlashUNC]

Dinosaur National Monument outside Vernal is a must-see on the Colorado/Utah border. Extremely cool. We didn't stay for the other outdoor amenities, but the hiking, camping and nighttime sky are supposed to be pretty incredible out there.

https://www.nps.gov/dino/index.htm

[Mr. Pink]

Dinosaur National Monument outside Vernal is a must-see on the Colorado/Utah border. Extremely cool. We didn't stay for the other outdoor amenities, but the hiking, camping and nighttime sky are supposed to be pretty incredible out there.

https://www.nps.gov/dino/index.htm

Yeah, that's a good one. The visitor center built around that wall is worth a visit alone.

[jamesdak]

Jackson Hole is maybe a five hour drive north, so, you'll see a lot on the way. It can be an S show in summertime, but when school is back I'll bet the national parks aren't THAT bad. The town can be a tourist circus. That said, it's a spectacular place. Just beautiful. I'm a skier, so I would recommend Targhee ski resort on the Idaho side for cool hiking and MTB with much less crowds. Spectacular views of the backside of the Grand Teton from up there. Summer lifts close 9/15. Driggs is cool.

edit: If you're in Jackson Hole and maybe it's raining, check out the National Museum of Wildlife Art. Sounds a bit tacky, but, it's not like that stuff you see in all the western tourist towns. Very good collection. Pretty cool.

Oh, I just remembered. The Eden valley in Utah. Just google map Eden. Only been up there in the winter to ski Snowbasin and Powder mountain, but, I'll bet it's awesome in Summer. Both mountains have lift serviced mtb until mid to late September. The valley itself has some pretty decent roads, and the approaches to both Snowbasin and Pow Mow (sorry) Are good climbs. Ogden is the closest city, not pretty.

September is a great time to catch Aspen turning in the west. It can get cold at night, wear a sweater!

Shhhhhhh!!!!!!!! I live in Eden, too many people around all ready, don't let the secret out. :no:

;)

[jamesdak]

Ok, in all seriousness I'll take northern Utah over the south any day of the week. All the recommendations earlier are great. I didn't see anyone one bring up The Mirror Lake Highway but it's gorgeous up there and if you do want to ride it would be awesome.

This gallery of mine has a lot of pics taken right off the side of The Mirror Lake Highway.

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/utah

This this gallery is all in the little valley east of Ogden where the above mentioned Eden, Huntsville, Snowbasin, and Powder Mt are. This is where I ride daily and it's fantastic. There is even a path now that goes around 1/2 of the lake.

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/ogden_valley_images

Then finally, in this gallery are lots of quick snapshots I've grabbed over time while out on bike rides in Ogden Valley.

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/bikerides


The Shooting Star Saloon in Huntsville.

https://pbase.com/jhuddle/image/166057349.jpg

[wkeller79]

Dinosaur National Monument outside Vernal is a must-see on the Colorado/Utah border. Extremely cool. We didn't stay for the other outdoor amenities, but the hiking, camping and nighttime sky are supposed to be pretty incredible out there.

https://www.nps.gov/dino/index.htm

This.... and then head north through the Flaming Gorge!

[redir]

Thank you fellow Paceliners, I knew I could count on you for advice. As a geology student back in the 90's I spent a lot of time In Wy doing glacial geology including stays in Jackson Hole. Love that area but I'll probably save that for another day. My wife, an actual geologist/geographer, and I definitely want to see Dinosaur and some of the other suggestions sound great. So it looks like the North it is.

[p nut]

More places closer to SLC: Alpine Loop through American Fork Canyon is a nice drive (my favorite road ride). Fall colors should be starting. Stop by Sundance Resort and do a short hike to Stewart Falls. Good restaurant at the resort as well (bit spendy).

Any of the canyons is a nice drive. Mill creek, Big and Little Cottonwood.

Head to Deere Valley and ride up the ski lifts for a nice hike and great views. Stein Eriksen lodge has good food (again, kind of expensive).

Short hike behind the capital to Ensign Peak. Cool views of the city.

If you need a bike to ride, let me know.

[Elefantino]

Ogden has its own Dinosaur Park. It's more for the kidlets, though.