Resorts

If you think you’ve seen it all and haven’t explored much of Utah, then you are missing a big chunk of what there is to see. World class skiing and white water rafting, luxurious accommodations and spas, and all the offbeat adventureneering you could possibly want including, yes, even camel trekking. When it comes to resort experiences, Utah ranks among the most lofty – in both elevation and first-rate experience.

Powder, Mountains and More Powder

In the most recent (2004) rankings by various ski publications, Utah’s ski resorts consistently come out among the very best. Alta and adjacent Snowbird were ranked the Number 2 North American ski resorts by Skiing Magazine and best in the U.S., while Deer Valley was ranked Number 2 by Ski Magazine, which also ranked Park City Mountain Resort Number 8. For those who like to ‘board, Park City Mountain Resort was named as having the “Terrain Park of the Year” in North America by Transworld Snowboarding magazine.

Little Cottonwood Canyon is the site for Snowbird and Alta. The ’Bird’s terrain is loved by intermediate and advanced skiers. It has an aerial tram that takes you up to 11,000 feet above sea level, plus 10 chairlifts serving 2,500 skiable acres. Alta, the second oldest ski resort in the nation has 2,200 skiable acres. Alta and Snowbird now sell a joint pass that allows you to ski both resorts.

Drive 14 miles up Big Cottonwood Canyon and you'll find yourself in a whole new world. Solitude Mountain Resort has 1,200 acres of terrain with an intimate village designed to keep the serene mountain ambiance. At the top of the canyon Brighton Ski Resort offers diverse terrain, expanded night skiing, and riders enjoyed over 600" of snow during the 2004-05 ski season.

Park City, up Parley’s Canyon on I-80 from Salt Lake City, boasts three world-class ski locations. Park City Mountain Resort, with over 40 years of experience, spreads over 3,300 acres and enjoys an annual average snowfall of 350 inches. Deer Valley, often ranked among the top three North American ski resorts by the ski-industry press, averages 300 inches of snow a year, and has 1,750 acres of skiable terrain. New ownership has transformed The Canyons into a world-class facility with 3,500 skiable acres stretching over seven mountains with average snowfall of 355 inches.

Snowbasin, located above the Ogden Valley and a little over an hour from Salt Lake City, has 3,200 skiable acres which are covered on average by a robust 400 inches of Utah’s powder a year.

One of the most famous of Utah’s resorts is Sundance, created by Robert Redford and located about 70 minutes from the Salt Lake International Airport. This is truly a year-round resort, with skiing in the winter and spectacular hiking and horseback riding in the summer. It is home to the Sundance Institute. It also hosts an acclaimed author series, where notable writers come to discuss their work.

In the Near Future

Currently under construction and scheduled to open in April 2006 is Zermatt Resort & Spa. Located in Midway in the picturesque Heber Valley, it is a 45-minute drive from the Salt Lake International Airport and 15 minutes from Park City. This $90 million resort will include three restaurants, 64,000 square feet of indoor and outdoor meeting space, 23 meeting rooms, a 17,000-square foot spa, with a nine-hole executive golf course.

In early 2005, plans were announced for Park City area’s first branded luxury resort. Starwood’s St. Regis Resort & Residences, Deer Crest, located in Deer Valley opens in the fall of 2007. This slope-side resort is located on two sites connected by a steep cable
railway. It will offer a 24,000 square foot spa, a gourmet restaurant, a martini bar and an après ski lounge.

Other Resorts

While Utah’s ski resorts get most of the attention, the state is home to a number of other first-class resort facilities. Red Cliffs Adventure Lodge is located on a bend of the Colorado River, 14 miles from Moab, perhaps the world’s most famous location for serious mountain bikers. Red Cliffs includes the Castle Creek Winery and a movie museum that has memorabilia from the many movies shot in the area.

Red Mountain, the Adventure Spa, is located in Ivins, just outside of St. George. Framed by huge cliffs and red rock formations is located at the entrance of Snow Canyon State Park. Also in Ivins is Green Valley Spa. Both Red Mountain and Green Valley spas were voted by the readers of Spafinder magazine among the 10 best spas in the country for fitness programs, hiking and for “going solo,” and Green Valley was voted among the country’s 10 most romantic spas.

L.C. Ranch, in Altamont, is home base for the trout fly fisherman. Located on 2,600 acres at the base of the Ashley National Forest in the Uintah Mountains, the resort has over a dozen still water lakes for guided fly-fishing. There is also elk hunting from August to April.

Located about an hour from Salt Lake City and 20 minutes from Park City is the classic Homestead Resort in Midway, which is in the heart of the beautiful Heber Valley on its approximately 200 acres.

And what about those camels? The Camelot Adventure Lodge, on the Colorado River 18 miles from Moab, has five golden-brown camels. If you ever wanted to ride a camel in the desert but haven’t yet gotten around to trekking to the Sahara or Gobi, this resort could be the answer to your dreams.

If you are looking for relaxation or excitement—or a little of both, Utah has the world-class resorts to match your desires.