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Culture & History
The history of the land now known as Utah goes way back to the age of dinosaurs. Fossilized evidence is abundant in our state.
The Ancestral Puebloan and Fremont cultures, came later, and our lands are rich with evidence of their lives found in pictographs and petroglyphs panels – left behind on rock walls, as well as in the dwelling sites of their homes and villages. Other Native American nations continue to contribute to Utah's rich cultural heritage.
At the time of the American Revolution, Spanish priests explored and proselytized in this area. Trappers, mountain men and traders followed close behind. Then, in 1847, Mormon pioneers (members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) arrived in the Salt Lake Valley and established settlements throughout the intermountain west. Twenty-two years later, the first transcontinental railroad was completed in Utah at Golden Spike National Historic Site, and immigration to the region grew tremendously.
All of these early cultures wove, and many continue to weave, the tapestry that is Utah.
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Dinosaurs & Paleontology
Explore Utah’s rich dinosaur history through its many museums and archeological dig sites dedicated to the prehistoric creatures.
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Filmed in Utah
Add a touch of film history to your Utah itinerary, or plan your trip around these iconic cinema locations. You'll soon discover why we say Utah. America's Film Set.®
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Ghost Towns in Utah
From the southern reaches of Grafton and up north to Thistle, these abandoned towns have left behind crumbling relics, memories and stories of another era.
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Mormon Heritage
In 1847, Brigham Young and the first party of Latter-day Saint (known as Mormon) emigrants reached the desolate Salt Lake Valley. Since that day, Mormon cultural and heritage has made Utah a unique place to visit, today, Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints members comprise about 60 percent of the state's population.
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National Historic Trails
Four National Historic Trails pass through Utah, recognizing routes of travel that are of national historic significance.
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Native Nations
Learn about the Native Nations influenced and shaped Utah. Find information about ancient habitation sites, art panels and museums.
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Utah Heritage Hot Spots
Today, evidence of a blend of indigenous culture and Mormon pioneer heritage abounds throughout Utah’s astonishing landscapes. This combined heritage is the foundation for a modern legacy of arts and culture that also includes a thriving Olympic spirit, inspiring earth art and fascinating drives on historic roads.
History
"We simply need that wild country available to us... For it can be a means of reassuring ourselves of our sanity as creatures, a part of the geography of hope."
– Wallace Stegner, “Crossing to Safety”
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10 Places to Honor Women's History on Your Trip to Utah
Written By Lindy Callahan
Notable places you can visit where women have shaped history
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11 Family-Friendly Activities Near SLC
Written By Matcha
4 minute read
Find fun family activities in Salt Lake City with this guide from the Utah Office of Tourism. From roller coasters to ski slopes, SLC has it all. Plan your trip now!
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A Matter of Geological Consent
Written By Darby Doyle
7 minute read
A billion years of geological history surrounds Salt Lake City, where a modern landscape reflects ancient constraints.
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Ancient Pictographs, Petroglyphs and Timeless Mysteries
Written By Matcha
5 minute read
Exploring Horseshoe Canyon isn’t for everyone. First of all, the effort to get there is an adventure in itself, but those efforts make the reward — namely, the chance to see up close some of the most significant pictograph panels in North America — even more noteworthy.
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Art Deco in Motion: Ogden’s Creative Remodel
Written By Maria Milligan
6 minute read
Visitors looking for Art Deco architecture and art often travel to New York, Chicago or Los Angeles. But the Intermountain West has preserved what may be Art Deco’s best-hidden gem: Ogden, Utah.
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At Lagoon, a Utah-grown Amusement Park where the Fun Never Ends
Written By Heather May
8 minute read
As the Farmington park marks the 100th-anniversary of its wooden roller coaster, Lagoon continues to attract crowds with its nostalgic rides and novel thrills.
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Bryce Wildlife Adventure Museum
Explore wildlife near Bryce Canyon at the Bryce Wildlife Adventure Museum.
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Chasing John Wesley Powell: Six Places to Explore Utah's Green and Colorado Rivers
Written By Heather May
5 minute read
One hundred and fifty years ago a one-armed Civil War veteran set off with nine mountain men on a scientific expedition to map one of the last blank spaces left on the U.S. map: The Green and Colorado rivers. Much of the river remains wild today. Follow Powell's journey here.
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Dinosaurland Top 5
Written By Visit Utah
3 minute read
Vernal, Utah, is an adventure base camp to the best of eastern Utah. Uintah County around Vernal — called Dinosaurland — is home to diverse outdoor recreation and natural history at three state parks, Dinosaur National Monument and countless trailheads to the Ashley National Forest.
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Explore a Pioneer Homestead Near Flaming Gorge
In the heart of Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, the Swett Ranch is a testament to the self-sufficiency and ingenuity of Utah pioneers, representing the bygone homestead era, and it’s a historic site not to be missed by those interested in pioneer life.
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Frisco: West Desert Ghost Town
Written By Visit Utah
3 minute read
Standing in the Basin and Range topography of Utah's West Desert at ghost town Frisco, you'll feel the solitude of the space
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Guardians of the Old Spanish Trail
Written By Katya Wagstaff
6 minute read
The Old Spanish Trail stretches from Santa Fe to the San Gabriel Mission, now Los Angeles, and covers over 2,500 miles. The trail was originally blazed by animals, then Native Americans and Spanish traders.
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Hole N'' the Rock
Your road trip in Moab might call for a stopover at the famous Hole N” The Rock.
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In Search of Robbers Roost
Written By Lindy Callahan
4 minute read
Robbers Roost Utah, one of the infamous hideouts of Butch Cassidy and his Wild Bunch, is not easy to find even with directions from the locals. Explore Utah.
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Journey Through Utah's History at This Is the Place Heritage State Park
Written By Matcha
This Is the Place Heritage State Park has a major place in Utah’s history — quite literally.
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Kanab's Western Legends Heritage and Music Festival
2 minute read
Kanab's Western Legends Heritage and Music Festival is filled with round-the-clock Western-themed entertainment — think: music, cowboys and history.
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Legacy and Craft
Written By Austen Diamond
4 minute read
Three of Glen Thompson’s custom leather horse saddles are fitting examples of craftsmanship and a Utah folk art tradition. See more at the Chase Home Museum.
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Movies Filmed in Utah: Plotting a Cinematic Drive-Through
Written By Andrea David
Follow a Germany-based film enthusiast on an extended road trip to discover the rich history of Utah cinematography.
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Navajo: Fry Bread, Tacos, Pizza
Despite its troubling origins, Navajo fry bread is an inspired food of the nation’s people, and it can be found in many forms with various names around the southwest.
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The Art of Supporting Utah Artists
Written By Lindy Callahan
5 minute read
Here’s a look at six local artists whose work draws upon Utah’s diverse environments as inspiration.
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The Legendary Joe McQueen: Utah's Original Jazz
Written By Visit Utah
6 minute read
Legendary saxophonist Joe McQueen came to the city of Ogden , Utah, in 1945 for a two-week gig and he never left. For decades he was the musical godfather of Ogden's lively 25th Street.
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Time Traveling at Ogden's George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park
Written By Matcha
4 minute read
Many have dreamed of exploring jungles and forests only to discover a land filled with dinosaurs of all shapes and sizes? The George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park is the place to bring that dream to life, with 100-plus exhibits and realistic, full-sized dinosaur replicas, capturing the imagination of young and old alike.
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Utah Female Artists Explore the Sublime Through Art
Written By Ashley Mae Hoiland
10 minute read
See how Utah women artists are creatively interpreting a dramatic landscape into art.
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Utah’s Unexpected Pit Stops
Written By Melissa McGibbon
5 minute read
You’re doing it wrong if you think road trip pit stops are boring layovers on your way to more exciting destinations. How many of these hidden gems have you been to? Here are 11 mini-adventures to check off your list next time you’re road-tripping through Utah.
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Why a Visit to the Blanding Dinosaur Museum is a Must
Written By Matcha
4 minute read
The Blanding Dinosaur Museum, off U.S. 191 in Southeastern Utah, is a hidden gem: The artifact collection here includes bones, dinosaur eggs, and even fossilized skin! The museum also has three wonderfully preserved petrified trees and unique movie memorabilia.

01
5 Days
Attagirl! Women’s History & Highlights
This five-day itinerary pairs Utah women's history and time for reflection with active adventure, beautiful scenery and instagrammable locations.
Arts, Community, Glamping, Guided Experiences, Hiking, History and Heritage, Mountain Biking, Support local, Urban Experiences, Wellness, Women's Travel
Highlights
- Suffrage Walking Tour
- Thelma & Louise Filming Locations
- Capitol Reef Glamping
- Women's History in Utah
- Capitol Reef Red Rocks

02
7 Days
History & Hoodoos
Just the national parks, ma'am. We get it. You're a bucket-lister with a checklist and a pen. We hope it has a lot of ink.
Camping & Backpacking, Hiking, History and Heritage, Stargazing
Highlights
- The Mighty 5® national parks
- All-American Road Scenic Byway 12
- Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument
- Dead Horse Point State Park

03
6 Days
Classic Westerns of the Silver Screen
From the alpine backwoods of Jeremiah Johnson to the sweeping vistas of Westworld and all the John Ford's in between, Utah is the place to travel for movie magic.
Arts, Film Tourism, History and Heritage, Photography, Scenic Drives/Road Trips
Highlights
- Westworld to Thelma and Louise
- John Ford Classics
- Gunsmoke to the Outlaw Josey Wales
- Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid

04
4 Days
Golden Spike Empire
Participate in railroad history, bird migration and iconic earth art in the quiet stretches of Northern Utah's rural Box Elder County.
Arts, Community, History and Heritage, Kid-Friendly, Wildlife
Highlights
- Historic Union Station
- Golden Spike National Historic Site
- Spiral Jetty
- Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge

05
5 Days
Native Spirit
Countless generations of Native Americans have called the landscapes of Utah home, from the hunter-gatherers of the prehistoric era to the more than 50 Native Nations currently in Utah.
Arts, Hiking, History and Heritage, Native American, Scenic Drives/Road Trips
Highlights
- Nine Mile Canyon
- Indian Creek Corridor Scenic Byway
- Hovenweep National Monument
- Navajo Fry Bread

06
7 Days
Trekking Along the Dinosaur Diamond Highway
Utah’s Dinosaur Diamond Highway is the perfect guide to experience ancient history, millions of years in the making.
Dinosaurs, Hiking, Kid-Friendly, Scenic Drives/Road Trips
Highlights
- Dinosaur National Monument
- Jurassic National Monument
- San Rafael Swell
- Dead Horse Point State Park