Get Out There: 5 things you don’t know about Utah
-
- In this photo from 2002, the Spiral Jetty, a piece of art built in the 1970s along the shore of the Great Salt Lake, is more visible recently due to low water levels.
-
- Stars fill the eastern sky above North Fork Park in Eden. The park was designated as an International Dark Sky Park in 2015.
-
- Blake Snow
You think you know Utah? You certainly know our famous ski resorts, red rocks and “Mighty Five” National Parks. But do you know about our secret wonders, hidden gems, cosmic nights and Martian landscapes hiding in plain sight sometimes, the very ones millions of people travel halfway around the world for?
In my two and half decades of devoted residence, this is real Utah — unfiltered, unforgettable, utterly underrated. The places where lesser-known adventures meet originality — no crowds, no ticket lines, no “Seen it before.” Just wonder.
1. A secret slot canyon that out-narrows The Wave
Zion’s Narrows and Antelope Canyon may hog the spotlight. But tucked deep within the bowels of Grand Staircase National Monument you’ll find Peek’A’Boo and Spooky Gulch — an off-the-beaten-path pair of slot canyons that are wild, narrow and often crowd’free. Both form a thrilling loop. You crawl into Peek’A’Boo, scramble over slickrock, then worm through Spooky’s jaw’tight passages — some just 10-15 inches wide. Think of it as an adult playground molded by nature. And because it’s less advertised, you won’t feel like cattle in a tourist corral. Pro-tip: Go early, bring water and wear a small pack — you’ll thank yourself in those tight squeezes.
2. The longest stretch of interstate without services
Most folks know Interstate 70 links coast to coast. But did you know Utah contains the longest service-free stretch of interstate in the country? Between Green River and Salina spans over 100 miles of desert road with no gas stations, cafés, or bathrooms. Even locals might forget how vast and deserted this section is — until their tank hits “E.” While I-70 may not be as “lonely” as Nevada’s Highway 50 — aka “The Loneliest Road in America,” which runs an even more intimidating 287 miles “without services” — the former is the longest stretch of interstate and no joke when it comes to planning gas and potty breaks.
3. Spiral Jetty: world-famous, rarely visited
Here’s another: The Spiral Jetty is a massive 1,500’foot land art installation that juts into the Great Salt Lake. It was created in 1970 by artist Robert Smithson and considered to be his most important work, if not cultural icon. Yet it still flies under the radar for many Utah residents. The lake’s dry spell of the 2000s exposed the Jetty and revived some global interest. But the free public site remains mostly rugged and devoid of visitors. Want to get up close and personal? Pack a picnic, snap some surreal photos and revel in solitude. But be on the watch for flying insects. They can get out of hand real fast.
4. ‘Dark Sky’ tourism that’s out of this world
Sure, winter lights up Park City. But Utah’s night skies also belong in the global hall of fame. In fact, the state boasts more International Dark Sky Parks than any other place in the Lower 48. These include Bryce Canyon, Capitol Reef and Natural Bridges — spots with little to no light pollution. The getting is so good here that astro-tourists from Europe and Asia regularly show up with telescopes and DSLRs to witness the Milky Way’s sky-spanning splendor, something many Utahns are just waking up to. You don’t know how beautiful your own skies are until you’ve seen them from a Dark Sky Park.
5. The most Martian landscape on Earth
Out near Hanksville, Utah hosts the Mars Desert Research Station — a bona fide simulated Martian habitat run by the Mars Society. Since its founding in 2002, the station has been used by NASA researchers, sci’fi filmmakers and National Geographic television crews to imitate the “Red Planet.” Make no mistake: The research station isn’t a theme’park gimmick. It’s a serious operations hub where people live, work and experiment under harsh desert conditions that mimic those found on Mars. And it’s right here, among Utah’s crimson canyons.
BONUS: The only warm-water scuba diving in the Mountain West, aka “Midway Crater,” a 95-degree hot spring inside a limestone dome that you can swim, snorkel and dive year-round.
Blake Snow contributes to fancy publications and Fortune 500 companies as a bodacious writer-for-hire and seasoned travel journalist to all seven continents. He lives in Provo with his wife, five children and one ferocious chihuahua.
