23 Best Sights in Park City and the Southern Wasatch, Utah

Beyond Timpanogos Cave, Highway 92 continues up American Fork Canyon before branching off to climb behind Mount Timpanogos itself. Designated the Alpine Loop Scenic Byway, this winding road offers stunning mountain views and fall foliage in the latter months before dropping into Provo Canyon to the south. The 14-mile round-trip Timpooneke Trail and the 14-mile round-trip Aspen Grove Trail, both off the byway, reach the summit of Mount Timpanogos. Also along this highway is the famed Sundance Resort. Closed, depending on snowfall, from late October to late May, the Alpine Loop is free to drive, but you need to purchase a National Forest pass ($6, good for three days) to park at any of the trailheads and recreation areas along the route. This is the roundabout way to get to scenic Provo Canyon and Deer Creek Reservoir from I–15 (if heading south from Salt Lake City); the more direct route is U.S. 189 east from near Orem and Provo (stop by Bridal Veil Falls on your way in).

In the warmer months, the resort transforms itself into a mountain amusement park, with attractions such as the Alpine Slide and the Alpine Coaster, ziplines, and a climbing wall. Visitors take a chairlift up the mountain to the Alpine Slide, then hop aboard special sleds that carry them down 3,000 feet of winding concrete and fiberglass track at speeds controlled by each rider. The gravity-propelled Alpine Coaster (which operates year-round) zooms through aspen-lined twists and turns at speeds up to 35 mph. Two ziplines offer a high-flying adrenaline rush as riders strap into a harness suspended from a cable. In addition to the climbing wall, there's a miniature golf course, trampolines, an adventure zone for younger children, and some of the West's best lift-served mountain biking and hiking.

Set on the eastern slopes of the breathtaking 11,750-foot Mount Timpanogos, the resort came into being when Robert Redford purchased the land in 1969. Though he sold the property in 2020, the 5,000-acre mountain resort continues to reflect Redford's legacy and commitment to the natural environment, outdoor exploration, and artistic expression. All resort facilities—constructed from materials such as indigenous cedar, fir, and pine and locally quarried stone—compliment the natural landscape. No matter the season, you'll find plenty of recreational opportunities, including hiking, biking, fly-fishing, horseback riding, alpine and cross-country skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, and ziplining. If you're looking for a more indulgent experience, relax with a body treatment in the Spa at Sundance or take one of many creative classes in the Art Studio. Dine in one of the on-site restaurants, like the cozy Tree Room or the hip western Owl Bar on a night when they play live music. The Sundance Film Festival, based in nearby Park City each January, is an internationally recognized showcase for independent films. Festival screenings and summer workshops are held at the resort.

An exciting legacy of the 2002 Winter Olympics, this is a mecca of bobsled, skeleton, luge, and ski jumping. As it is one of the only places in America where you can try these sports, you might have to wait your turn behind U.S. Olympians and aspirants who train here year-round. In summer or winter, screaming down the track in a bobsled at nearly 80 mph with a professional driver is a ride you will never forget. In summer, check out the freestyle ski jumpers doing flips and spins into a splash pool and Nordic jumpers soaring to soft landings on a synthetic outrun. Ride the ziplines or the Alpine Slide, or explore the adventure course. There's also an interactive ski museum and an exhibit on the Olympics; guided tours are offered year-round, or you can take a self-guided tour.

Provo and the entire region are probably best known as the home of BYU. The university was established as the Brigham Young Academy in 1875, with a mandate to combine teaching about the sacred and the secular. It has grown into one of the world's largest church-affiliated universities, and still reflects the conservative nature of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Students must adhere to a strict dress and honor code, and refrain from alcohol, tobacco, coffee, and tea. BYU is known for its large variety of quality undergraduate and graduate programs, and is a considerable force in regional athletics. Heading up BYU attractions is a quartet of museums. A free guided university tour is offered weekdays on the hour, and reservations are recommended.

The permanent collection of more than 17,000 works here includes primarily American artists, such as Maynard Dixon, Dorothea Lange, Albert Bierstadt, Minerva Teichert, and Robert Henri, and emphasizes the Hudson River School and the American impressionists. Rembrandt, Monet, and Rubens also turn up, along with some fine Far Eastern pieces. The museum's café overlooks the sculpture garden.

This museum, across from LaVell Edwards Stadium, features dinosaur bones, fossils, and tours for adults and children. Kids love the hands-on activities, which include several small tables of touchable artifacts.

A student-curated collection of artifacts relating to cultures from all over the world is housed here. Clothing, pottery, rugs, weapons, and agricultural tools of Utah's Native American cultures are often on display. A permanent display includes artifacts from the first Provo Tabernacle that BYU students dug up in 2012.

A thriving nonprofit community art center, this venue hosts national and regional exhibitions, sells art supplies, provides educational opportunities including seminars and art classes for all ages, and hosts special events.

A thriving nonprofit community art center, this venue hosts national and regional exhibitions, sells art supplies, provides educational opportunities, including seminars and art classes for all ages, and hosts special events.

East of Park City, this scenic byway winds through aspens and ponderosa pines, skirts alpine lakes and waterfalls, and reaches 11,943-foot Bald Mountain. The ride is good, but getting out of the car is better. A spectacular hike is the 5-mile, five-lake Lofty Lake Loop, which starts at the Pass Lake Trailhead at mile 32. It's also a great place to snowshoe in the winter. Keep an eye out for moose, wildflowers, and changeable weather. Reward yourself with jerky from Samak Smoke House, a typical dry goods store near the Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest's Kamas entrance.

This museum at BYU, north of the bell tower, has extensive collections of birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, insects, plants, shells, and eggs from around the world, as well as revolving nature-art exhibits. You'll also see current NASA satellite images, wildlife art, and various interactive ecology exhibits. If you bring a toddler, head for the play area themed around animal habitats.

Held rain or shine each Wednesday from June through October, the Farmer's Market is always a good spot to pick up locally sourced bread, fruits and vegetables, flowers, and more.

A must-see for history buffs, this museum is housed in the former library, city hall, and whistle tower on Main Street. With a two-story scale model of the 19th-century Ontario Mine, a 20th-century gondola hanging overhead, and the old jail below, this is an authentic tribute to Park City's mining and skiing past. Climb aboard a re-created Union Pacific train car, hold on to a quivering and noisy jack drill for a feel of the mining experience, and, if you dare, step inside a jail cell. Tours of historic Main Street also depart from here.

A funky and constantly changing assortment of artisans, entertainers, and culinary vendors transform Old Town into a street festival complete with beer garden and Bloody Mary bar on Sunday, June through September. The Park Silly Market strives to be a no-waste event with everything recycled or composted. Look for the free bike valet to park your ride while you walk through the crowds.

This museum re-creates what life was like for the first settlers in the mid-19th century. Original cabins and shops furnished with period antiques are staffed by volunteer history buffs.

On the southern end of Wasatch Mountain State Park, this activity center was one site for the 2002 Winter Olympics and still hosts the national championship Nordic ski events and other events, including powwows and sheepdog championships. It's open to the public year-round for hiking, horseback riding, cross-country skiing, tubing, and snowshoeing, as well as biathlon and other events. A beautiful lodge has food concessions, equipment rentals, and a souvenir shop.

There's plenty of family fun at this popular local water park, including more than 15 water play areas, slides, and pools. Float along the relaxing Rainforest River, catch a wave in the wave pool, or rent a cabana and cool off with a delicious Dole Whip. 

Springville, 10 miles south of Provo on I–15 or U.S. 89, is known for its support of the arts, and its museum is a must-stop for fine-arts fans. Built in 1937 to accommodate works by John Hafen and Cyrus Dallin, the museum now features mostly Utah artists, among them Gary Lee Price, Richard Van Wagoner, and James T. Harwood. It also has a collection of Soviet working-class impressionism and a sculpture garden with rotating exhibits.

Home to more than 100 migratory and native birds (most notably sandhill cranes) and small critters (like the spotted frog), as well as foxes, deer, elk, moose, and coyotes, this 1,200-acre preserve is both a bird-watchers' paradise and an example of land restoration in action. Naturalist-led walks, snowshoe tours in winter, and other events are hosted here throughout the year. The EcoCenter is filled with interactive exhibits, such as a climbing wall with microphones emitting the sounds of the wetlands as climbers move through habitats. The facility serves as an exhibit in itself, given its eco-friendly construction, incorporating everything from recycled denim insulation to solar panels. More than 10 miles of hiking and biking trails and 15 wetland ponds give visitors a great place to unwind and get away from the urban life.

This steam train takes passengers on a nostalgic trip along a line that first ran in 1899, past the Deer Creek Reservoir and through beautiful Provo Canyon. It continues past Bridal Veil Falls, a veil-like waterfall near snow-capped Mount Timpanogos. Each car has been restored, and two of the engines are fully operational, steam-powered locomotives. The railroad offers special events, including cheese-tasting rides, the local favorite North Pole Express, Raft 'n Rails (pairing rafting with a train excursion), Reins 'n Trains (with horseback riding), and Wilderness. Lunch is available for an extra cost.

There's no climate control in the rail cars, so dress for the weather.

Soaring to 11,750 feet, Mount Timpanogos is the centerpiece of a wilderness area of the same name and towers over Timpanogos Cave National Monument along Highway 92 within American Fork Canyon. After a somewhat strenuous hike up the paved 1½-mile trail to the entrance, you can explore three caves connected by two man-made tunnels. Stalactites, stalagmites, and other formations make the three-hour round-trip hike and tour worth the effort. No refreshments are available on the trail or at the cave, and the cave temperature is 45°F throughout the year, so bring water and warm clothes. Although there's some lighting inside the caves, a flashlight will make your explorations more interesting; it will also come in handy if you're heading back down the trail after dusk. These popular tours often sell out; it's a good idea to book online in advance, especially on weekends.

This 22,000-acre preserve is 3 miles from Heber City and provides for a number of activities, ranging from serene hikes along winding mountain trails to golfing at one of the four 18-hole courses. Children have their own fishing pond near the visitor center. In winter, hiking turns to snowshoeing and cross-country or backcountry skiing along the Dutch Hollow, Snake Creek, or Pine Creek Trails winding up through stands of Gambel oak, aspen, and maple.