Golden Spike National Historic Site
Travelers along I-15 may think that northern Utah is dominated by the sprawling suburbs of the Wasatch Front. However, there are plenty of things to do and see in the state’s chunky panhandle. One of Utah’s signature features is Great Salt Lake, a remnant of a network of ice-age lakes that once covered the West. It’s not exactly easy to visit the lake itself—and at certain times of the year, not exactly pleasant—but it is a one-of-a-kind destination that merits a detour to scenic Antelope Island, where bison and bighorn sheep graze along with the island’s namesake pronghorn.
The region has a rich railroad history. Ogden was born of the railroads, and the city’s historic downtown is dominated by Union Station, now home to multiple museums. The first transcontinental railway joined the Atlantic and Pacific coasts near here in 1869, at Promontory Summit. This windswept pass is preserved as the Golden Spike National Historic Site, with a visitors center and exhibits to beguile the student of history and the rails.
Logan is one of Utah’s most pleasant towns, home to Utah State University and a profusion of summer festivals, including the Utah Opera Festival. The town’s alpine setting and the surrounding dairy farms make the deserts and saline lakes of Utah seem far away.
The mountains of the Wasatch Range east of both Logan and Ogden are filled with great recreational opportunities. Ogden Canyon, just east of town, is the site of good hiking trails and the road to some of the state’s best skiing at Snowbasin as well as a couple of smaller ski areas. Logan Canyon includes trails to lakes and wildflower meadows; on the east side of the mountains, Bear Lake is a popular summertime vacation spot.
LOOK FOR M TO FIND RECOMMENDED SIGHTS, ACTIVITIES, DINING, AND LODGING.
M Union Station Museums: The cavernous Union Station is a glorious relic of Odgen’s railroading past, and it now serves as home to a clutch of interesting museums and collections (see here).
M Antelope Island State Park: Hike or bike to explore the curious natural history of the largest island in Great Salt Lake (see here).
M Golden Spike Visitor Center: The first transcontinental rail lines were joined at this remote site in 1869; the visitors center and replica steam trains help recreate the epoch-making event (see here).
M American West Heritage Center: The living history museum enacts aspects of the Logan area’s rich human history, from Native American culture to homestead farming. Seasonal celebrations and ritual events make for a year-round series of festivals (see here).
M Logan Canyon: Immediately behind Logan, U.S. 89 winds up a steep forested canyon in the Wasatch Mountains. The landscape is beautiful—picture-perfect for picnicking or hiking—and the valley’s end, at 7,800-foot Bear Lake Summit, offers incredible vistas of Utah, Wyoming, and Idaho (see here).
Northern Utah is close to Salt Lake City, and in fact, many of the sights could be visited on a day trip from the state capital. Antelope Island State Park is a good destination for hiking and mountain biking (plan to spend half a day exploring this island in Great Salt Lake). Ogden’s museums and old city center can also be visited as a side trip from Salt Lake City, but if you’re heading as far as Logan to attend one of its many music and theatrical festivals, it’s worth spending the night. Logan also makes a good base camp if you are visiting more remote destinations, such as the Golden Spike National Historic Site or Bear Lake.
Located at the northern edge of the Wasatch Front urban area, Ogden, off I-15 and 35 miles north of Salt Lake City, remains very much its own city even as it is engulfed by suburbs. Ogden was one of the West’s most important rail hubs at the beginning of the 20th century, and in the downtown area vestiges of the city’s affluence remain in the grand architecture and the impressive Union Pacific Depot.
Ogden is named for Peter Skene Ogden of the Hudson’s Bay Company. He explored and trapped in the upper reaches of the Ogden and Weber Valleys in 1828-1829, but he never descended to the site of the city that bears his name. In 1846, Miles Goodyear established an out-of-the-way trading post and stockade here, one of the first permanent settlements in Utah, and named it Fort Buenaventura.
When Mormons arrived at the site of Salt Lake City in 1847, Goodyear, a former mountain man, felt too crowded, so he sold out to the Mormons and left for California. In 1849, Brigham Young visited the site, then known as Brownsville, and thought it favorable for settlement. The following year he sent 100 families to found the town of Ogden.
Arrival of the transcontinental railroad in 1869 changed Ogden forever. Although the railroad’s Golden Spike had been driven at Promontory Summit, 55 miles to the northwest, Ogden earned the title “Junction City” as lines branched from it through Utah and into surrounding states. New industries and an expanding non-Mormon population transformed the sleepy farm town into a bustling city. Today, Ogden, with a population of 83,000, serves as a major administrative, manufacturing, and livestock center for the intermountain West; it’s also home to a large Air Force base.
Ogden is worth exploring for its museums, historic sites, and access to scenic spots in the Wasatch Range, which looms precipitously just behind the city. Ogden Canyon, beginning on the east edge of town and leading into the Wasatch, leads up to lakes, campgrounds, hiking trails, and three downhill ski areas. Several 2002 Winter Olympic events took place in the Ogden area, including the downhill and super-G ski races and the men’s and women’s curling competition.
Mormon pioneers laid out the city in their typically neat fashion but adopted an unusual street system. Streets running east-west are numbered, from 1st Street in the north of town to 47th Street in the south; streets running north-south commemorate U.S. presidents and other historical figures. The streets were laid out before the city had found its center—today, the intersection of 25th Street and Washington Boulevard is usually considered the center of downtown.
The Junction, a downtown entertainment, retail, and residential complex, fills the area around 23rd and Kiesel Streets. The complex is anchored by the Salomon Center, a sports, recreation, and fitness center complete with Gold’s Gym, a wave pool for surfing practice, a climbing wall, and a vertical wind tunnel that recreates the experience of free-fall skydiving. (If skydiving lessons are going on, it’s fun just to stop in to watch.) Also at the Junction is a Megaplex 13 movie theater and a number of restaurants, mostly chains.
Travelers thronged into the cavernous Union Station Building (2501 Wall Ave., www.theunionstation.org) during the grand old days of railroading. Completed in 1924, it saw more than 120 trains daily during the peak World War II years. When passenger trains stopped serving Ogden in 1977, the station was leased to the city of Ogden. Today, the depot is mostly known for its fine museums and the Forest Service Information Center (801/625-5306, 8am-4:30pm Mon.-Fri.), which provides recreation information for public lands in the Wasatch Range.
Ogden’s historic Union Station is home to several museums.
Union Station’s museums and art gallery are well worth a visit. A single ticket allows admission to all exhibitions (10am-5pm Mon.-Sat., $5 adults, $3 ages 3-12, $4 ages 13-17 and over age 61).
The Browning-Kimball Classic Car Museum displays a glittering collection of about a dozen antique autos, ranging from a one-cylinder 1901 Oldsmobile to a 16-cylinder 1930 Cadillac sports sedan.
The Utah State Railroad Museum comprises two rail exhibits. In the Wattis Dumke Model Railroad collection, highly detailed dioramas illustrate railroad scenes and construction feats. Eight HO-scale model trains roll through the Ogden rail yard, wind through a model of the Sierra and Humboldt Palisades, cross Great Salt Lake on the Lucin Cutoff, and descend Weber Canyon. Exhibits and photos show railroading history and great trains, such as the “Big Boys,” which weighed more than one million pounds and pulled heavy freights up the mountain ranges. A documentary film about the first transcontinental railroad is shown on request. Outside, just south of the station, at the Eccles Railroad Center, you can visit giant diesel locomotives and some cabooses.
Browning Firearms Museum (upstairs) contains the gun shop and many examples of firearms invented by the Browning family. John M. Browning (1855-1926), a genius in his field, held 75 major gun patents. He developed the world’s first successful automatic firearms, which used gases from the bullet to expel the old shell, load a new one, and cock the mechanism. The skillfully done exhibitions display both military and civilian handguns, automatic weapons, rifles, and shotguns.
Myra Powell Gallery displays paintings, sculpture, and photography in a former pigeon roost. Exhibitions rotate monthly.
The station also houses the Union Grill Restaurant, a model train store, and a gift shop.
When Ogden was the railroad’s main transport hub, 25th was the city’s main street. Running like a wide boulevard between Washington Boulevard and the palatial Union Pacific Depot, the street boasted the city’s first grocery and hardware stores, blacksmith shops, livery stables, hotels, and restaurants, many of them run by immigrants attracted by the railroads. Most of the buildings were built for posterity in redbrick and handsome vernacular styles.
Be sure to step inside Peery’s Egyptian Theater; the interior is as striking as the exterior.
After the city’s residents came to rely less on the railway and more on the motor car, the city’s orientation changed, and this historic precinct fell into disrepair. Artists and small cafés have since colonized the lovely historic commercial buildings. The street now serves as a combination gallery and restaurant row while still functioning as the city’s bowery. It’s a pleasant place for a stroll, and many of the shops and cafés are worth a detour. Pick up a brochure detailing histories of many of these buildings from the tourism office on Washington Boulevard.
On summer Saturdays, the 25th Street Farmers and Art Market (25th St. and Grant Ave.) takes over Ogden Municipal Park. Also in the park is the Ogden Amphitheater, which hosts free events all summer, including movies and classical music concerts on Monday nights.
You can’t miss the unusual facade of this venerable building (2415 Washington Blvd., 801/689-8700 or 866/472-4627, www.peerysegyptiantheater.com). Looking suspiciously like an Egyptian sun temple, this old-time movie palace and vaudeville theater was built in 1924 in the “atmospheric” style during the fit of Egyptomania that followed the discovery of King Tut’s tomb. After falling into disrepair for many years, the old theater was completely refurbished; it now serves as Ogden’s performing arts center. The interior of the hall is equally astonishing, with a sun that moves across the ceiling, floating clouds, and glittering stars. With columns, hieroglyphs, and mummies everywhere, the theater looks like the set for Aida. The Egyptian keeps very busy with a series of top-notch musical performances and regional theater productions.
Adjacent to the Egyptian Theater is the David Eccles Conference Center (801/689-8600), a handsome building designed to harmonize architecturally with the theater. Together the conference center and the theater form the core of Ogden’s convention facility.
The Ogden LDS Temple (350 22nd St.), once a modern structure much like the Provo Temple, began a huge reconstruction in 2011 that is expected to last until about 2014, resulting in a much grander and more classical granite-clad building. When the temple reopens, the Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum (closed during temple construction) will be just west of the temple on the corner of Lincoln Street and 21st Avenue. On Tabernacle Square, the white-steepled Ogden Tabernacle (2133 Washington Blvd., 9am-5pm Mon.-Sat. in summer), completed in 1956, sits just to the north. Visitors are welcome inside the tabernacle.
Miles Goodyear built the original Fort Buenaventura (office 2450 S. A Ave., 801/399-8099, www.co.weber.ut.us, 9am-dusk daily spring-fall, $1) in 1846 to serve as a trading post and way station for travelers crossing the remote Great Basin region. Now a replica of the tiny fort provides a link with Utah’s mountain-man past. The location, dimensions, and materials used for the stockade and three cabins inside closely follow the originals. Special programs are scheduled throughout the year, including a mountain-man rendezvous on Labor Day weekend and a pioneer skill show held on July 24. The 32-acre park has a campground and a pond popular for canoeing in summer (rentals are available). From downtown Ogden, take 24th Street west across the rail yard and the Weber River, turn left on A Avenue, and follow the signs.
A series of monthly changing exhibitions at the Eccles Community Art Center (2580 Jefferson Ave., 801/392-6935, www.ogden4arts.org, 9am-5pm Mon.-Fri., 9am-3pm Sat., free), a historic mansion, displays the best of regional paintings, sculpture, photography, and mixed media. The ornate mansion, once owned by the philanthropic Eccles family, whose name is attached to many arts centers in northern Utah, is an attraction in itself. Turrets, cut glass, and carved woodwork decorate the brick and sandstone structure, built in 1893 in a Richardsonian-Romanesque style. The carriage house in back contains a sales gallery, and the grounds are used as a sculpture garden.
The Ogden Nature Center (966 W. 12th St., 801/621-7595, www.ogdennaturecenter.org, 9am-5pm Mon.-Fri., 9am-4pm Sat., $4 ages 12-54, $3 over age 54, $2 ages 2-11) is a 127-acre wildlife sanctuary on the outskirts of Ogden that provides a place for children and adults to enjoy nature while learning. It’s a popular spot for school field trips, and it’s also fun to just visit on your own. Hiking trails lead through woods, wetlands, and open fields. Deer, porcupines, muskrat, rabbits, snakes, and about 130 species of birds have been spotted here. Injured or orphaned animals are cared for at the rehabilitation center and then released into the wild. The new visitors center offers classes, workshops, displays, and activities year-round; the pillars used in construction are recycled from the railroad trestle that once spanned Great Salt Lake. Visitors are welcome to use the picnic area. To get here, follow West 12th Street northwest from downtown.
Paths at the leafy Eccles Dinosaur Park (1544 E. Park Blvd., 801/393-DINO—801/393-3466, www.dinosaurpark.org, 10am-8pm Mon.-Sat., 10am-6pm Sun. Labor Day-Memorial Day, 10am-6pm daily Memorial Day-Labor Day, $7 adults, $6 seniors and students, $5 ages 2-12) lead to over 100 realistic life-size replicas of dinosaurs, complete with robotics, making this a favorite with children. Exhibitions are based on the most up-to-date studies of paleontologists, and the replicas were created by the same folks who build “dino-stars” for Hollywood films. A large museum includes an area to watch technicians work on recently excavated dinosaur bones.
Construction of Hill Field began in 1940, just in time to serve the aircraft maintenance and storage needs of the military during the hectic World War II years. The decades since have seen a parade of nearly every type of bomber, fighter, helicopter, trainer, and missile belonging to the U.S. Air Force. At Hill Aerospace Museum (7961 Wardleigh Rd., 801/777-6868, www.hill.af.mil, 9am-4:30pm daily, donation), about 50 of these can be seen close-up in outdoor and indoor exhibits, from the Stearman dual-wing trainer—which helped many military pilots learn to fly during the late 1930s and early 1940s—to the super-fast (Mach 3.5) SR-71 Blackbird strategic reconnaissance plane. The Engine Room displays cutaway models of a 28-cylinder Pratt and Whitney R-4360 and several jet engines. Other exhibits inside include flight simulators, missiles, a Norden bombsight, uniforms, aircraft art, and model aircraft. Chances are you’ll see jets from the adjacent Air Force base streaking overhead on training missions. To get here, take I-15 exit 341 for Roy, five miles south of Ogden, and follow the signs east.
Weber (WEE-ber) State University (3848 Harrison Blvd., 801/626-6000, www.weber.edu) is southeast of downtown on a bench of prehistoric Lake Bonneville; the Wasatch Range rises steeply behind. The school began in 1889 as Weber State Academy under the Mormon Church, became a state-supported community college in 1933, Weber State College in 1963, and Weber State University in 1991. Visitors are welcome on campus for the Museum of Natural Science (1551 Edvalson St., 801/626-6653, 8am-5pm Mon.-Fri., free), Shaw Art Gallery (Kimball Visual Arts building, 801/626-7689, 11am-5pm Mon.-Fri., noon-5pm Sat.), library, student union and bookstore, and cultural and sporting events. Wilderness Recreation Center (4022 Taylor Ave., 801/626-6373, www.weber.edu, 11am-6pm Mon.-Sat.), next to the Swenson Gym, rents kayaks, rafts, skis, camping gear, and other sports equipment; although it’s geared toward students, the center also rents to visitors and people from the local community. The 2002 Olympic curling competitions took place at the Ice Sheet (4390 Harrison Blvd., 801/778-6300, www1.co.weber.ut.us/icesheet), a county-owned ice rink and stadium on the Weber campus; call for a public skating schedule.
Obtain a free parking permit and map at the information booth (along the main entrance road off 3750 Harrison Blvd.). A clock tower at the center of campus makes a handy landmark, so it’s hard to get lost.
Ogden has a busy calendar of theater, dance, festivals, shows, and sporting events. To find out what’s going on, contact the Ogden-Weber Convention and Visitors Bureau Information Center (www.visitogden.com). In January, the Winterfest/Hof Sister City Festival celebrates winter and Ogden’s German sister city, Hof, with ski and dogsled races and German food, music, and dancing.
The Ogden Marathon (www.ogdenmarathon.com), held in late May, is considered to be a good first-timer’s marathon. Every Saturday morning July-October, there’s a lively Farmers Market on historic 25th Street. Pioneer Day (July 24) comes with a parade, rodeo, and many other events.
August brings the Weber County Fair (1000 N. 1200 W., 801/399-8798, www.webercountyfair.com) with horse shows and racing, a livestock sale, and exhibits. The Ogden Valley Balloon Festival (www.ogdenvalleyballoonfestival.com) takes place outside of town in Eden and Huntsville during August. During the spring and summer, it seems that every week brings a different race to Ogden; in early August, cyclists compete in the multi-stage Tour of Utah (www.tourofutah.com), which usually has at least one stage starting or finishing in Ogden.
At the Salomon Center (2261 Kiesel Ave., 801/528-5370, www.salomoncenter.com) are Gold’s Gym (801/399-5861); IFLY (801/528-5348), an indoor skydiving simulator; Flowrider (801/528-5352), an indoor surf wave pool; I-rock Climbing Gym (801/528-5350); a megaplex movie theater; a huge arcade; and more.
Hikers, trail runners, and winter snowshoers have easy access to trails in and around Ogden. Right in town, the 9.6-mile Ogden River Parkway links a number of the city’s major parks and attractions along the Ogden River, including Eccles Dinosaur Park and the Utah State University Botanical Gardens. The easternmost end trail is at the mouth of Ogden Canyon, near Rainbow Gardens (1851 Valley Dr.), which is a busy gift shop, and its western terminus is at Fort Buenaventura, just west of 24th Street. Join the trail at 18th Street and Washington Boulevard, at 1700 Monroe Boulevard, or at the east end of Park Boulevard.
Several trails into the Wasatch Range start on the east side of town. Good resources for trail information include the Forest Service Information Center in Odgen’s Union Station (801/625-5306) and Weber Pathways (www.weberpathways.org), a nonprofit trail advocacy group whose excellent printed trail map is widely available around town, including at the visitors center.
The Bonneville Shoreline Trail follows the eastern bench of ancient Lake Bonneville along the western edge of the Wasatch Range. This relatively new trail is still being developed, and it may someday run along the entire Wasatch Front. For now, the stretch near Ogden can be accessed by five trailheads (from north to south): Rainbow Gardens, where Valley Drive intersects Highway 39; 22nd Street; 29th Street; 36th Street; and 46th Street. The trail is right on the urban interface, and it is popular with mountain bikers as well as hikers and trail runners. Also right at the eastern edge of town, Indian Trail, which follows an old Shoshoni route 4.3 miles into Ogden Canyon, can be accessed from the 22nd Street trailhead at the western edge of the canyon; follow it to its terminus at the Cold Water Canyon trailhead in Ogden Canyon. There’s also a spur trail off Indian Trail leading to a nice viewpoint; about 0.5 miles up the trail, take a sharp right turn, and head 1.4 miles uphill to Hidden Valley.
At the eastern edge of the canyon, just across from the Pineview Dam, the easy Wheeler Creek Trail is also popular with mountain bikers. Head 1.8 miles up the canyon to emerge at the Art Nord trailhead; it’s also possible to fashion loop hikes from this trail.
Ogden’s 9,712-foot Ben Lomond Peak was supposedly the inspiration for the Paramount Pictures logo. The 7.6-mile Ben Lomond Trail starts from North Fork Park in Liberty. To get here from Ogden, head up Ogden Canyon, go left over the Pineview Reservoir Dam, and keep left. At the four-way stop in Eden, go left on Highway 162 and travel north until you must stop at the three-way stop in Liberty at Liberty Park. Go left (west) at the three-way stop for one block, then go right (north) on 3300 East, and follow it 1.5 miles; veer left at the Y intersection and travel one mile to the park and trailhead sign. For an early start, plan to camp at the trailhead.
The Ogden area has a number of golf courses, with some of the lowest greens fees you’ll find anywhere (all prices are for 18 holes unless noted). Try any of these courses: Ben Lomond (1800 N. U.S. 89, 801/782-7754, $26); the municipal courses El Monte (1300 Valley Dr., at the mouth of Ogden Canyon, 801/629-0694, nine holes $13) and Mount Ogden (1787 Constitution Way, 801/629-0699, $26); Nordic Valley (3550 Nordic Valley Way, Eden, 801/745-0306, nine holes $15), 15 miles east of Ogden; Valley View (2501 E. Gentile St., Layton, 801/546-1630, $28); The Barn Golf Club (305 W. Pleasant View Dr., North Ogden, 801/782-7320, $26); and Wolf Creek (3900 N. Wolf Creek Dr., Eden, 801/745-3365, $45), 15 miles east.
You’ll find good downhill skiing in the Wasatch Range 15-19 miles east of Ogden at Snowbasin, Powder Mountain, and Wolf Mountain. Cross-country skiers can use the easy set tracks at Mount Ogden Golf Course (1787 Constitution Way) or head into the mountains for more challenging terrain. One place that’s groomed for classic and skate skiing is the trail system at North Fork Park, at the base of Ben Lomond Peak in Liberty.
Swim year-round at Marshall White Center Pool (222 28th St., 801/629-8346) or at the Weber State University gym (3848 Harrison Blvd., 801/626-6466), on the south end of campus. The outdoor Lorin Farr Community Pool (1691 Gramercy Ave., 801/629-8291) is open in summer.
Lodging is relatively inexpensive in Ogden, which makes it a good base for exploring the area (remember, Salt Lake City is only 35 miles south).
You’ll find the city’s cheapest rooms along Washington Boulevard, which was the main highway before the interstates were built. Quite a number of older motor-court motels still operate here, but caveat emptor: Some are in fairly grim shape, and for just a bit more money you could find better values.
The huge M Ben Lomond Suites (2510 Washington Blvd., 866/627-1900, www.benlomondsuites.com, $90-170), a downtown landmark, was built in 1927 in Italian Renaissance Revival style. The lobby is pretty spectacular, and the rooms are spacious, though a bit frumpily decorated. All of the guest rooms are suites, with sitting rooms and bedrooms; there are also short-stay condo units on the upper floors with full kitchens. Pets are allowed in some guest rooms.
A few blocks south of downtown is Days Inn Ogden (3306 Washington Blvd., 801/399-5671, www.daysinn.com, $70-80), with reasonably spacious guest rooms, an indoor pool, a spa, and a fitness room. Sleep Inn (1155 S. 1700 W., 801/731-6500, www.sleepinn.com, $70-80), just west of I-15 exit 344, is a good bet if you don’t mind staying out by the freeway.
At I-15 exit 347 is the Best Western High Country Inn (1335 W. 12th St., 801/394-9474 or 800/594-8979, www.bestwestern.com, $90), with a pool, a spa, and a fitness room. Pets are accommodated, and there’s a good restaurant in the motel.
The M Hampton Inn and Suites Ogden (2401 Washington Blvd., 866/394-9400, http://hamptoninnogden.com, $144-206) is a grand art deco souvenir of the early 20th century. In addition to comfortable guest rooms and a gracious formal lobby, guests are offered exercise facilities, a business center, and a fine-dining restaurant. The Hampton Inn was completely renovated and refurbished for the Olympics, and it’s a charming place to stay, with frequent rate specials on the hotel’s website.
At I-15 exit 347, the pet-friendly Comfort Suites of Ogden (2250 S. 1200 W., 801/621-2545, www.comfortsuites.com, $110-200) has an indoor pool and a fitness center; all guest rooms have efficiency kitchens and coffeemakers, and rates include continental breakfast.
Ogden’s newest hotel is the M Hilton Garden Inn (2271 S. Washington Blvd., 801/399-2000, http://hiltongardeninn3.hilton.com, $150-220), a striking-looking hotel right next to the Salomon Center with amenities such as HD TVs, a business center, an indoor pool, and a fitness room. Although breakfast is not included in the basic rates (it’s available for about $10 extra per couple), there’s a good restaurant in the hotel.
Near the city center is Ogden Marriott Hotel (247 24th St., 801/627-1190 or 888/825-3163, www.marriott.com, $159-179), with an indoor pool, a hot tub, guest laundry, and a business center; there’s a lounge and a good restaurant on the premises.
For a unique lodging experience in a pretty setting, consider the Alaskan Inn (435 Ogden Canyon, 801/621-8600, www.alaskaninn.com, $125-179), six miles east of Ogden. A 26-unit log lodge and cabin complex, the Alaska Inn sits along the banks of a mountain stream. Lodging is either in suites in the central lodge building or in individual log cabins. The rustic decor includes hand-hewn pine furniture, brass lamps, and Western art. Breakfast is included in the rates.
The Ben Lomond Suites hotel has a grand lobby and spacious rooms.
Camp in town at historic Fort Buenaventura (office 2450 S. A Ave., 801/399-8099, Apr.-Oct., tents or RVs without hookups $18, RVs with hookups $23); it’s a pleasant riverside spot, with canoes available for rent. Near I-15, Century Mobile Home and RV Park (1399 W. 21st St. S., 801/731-3800, year-round, RVs $38) is suitable for RVs, although it caters largely to long-term renters; take I-15 exit 346, then head one block west on Wilson Lane.
Quite a number of good restaurants line 25th Street, the somewhat gentrified Main Street of turn-of-the-20th-century Ogden. In addition to the dining options noted below, there are bakery cafés, a Greek restaurant, sushi joints, taverns with burgers, and home-style Mexican food. If you’ve got time, just saunter along 25th Street, and you’ll be sure to find someplace to suit your fancy.
If your idea of breakfast is strong coffee, fresh pastries, and the option of an omelet, plan on frequenting M Grounds for Coffee (111 25th St., 801/392-7370, www.groundsforcoffee.com, 7am-8pm Mon.-Sat., 8am-5pm Sun., $5), the city’s best coffee shop; there’s often entertainment in the evening. The coffee shop is in a beautifully preserved 19th-century storefront along historic 25th Street.
The combined Zenger’s Deli-Great Harvest Bakery (272 25th St., 801/334-9494, www.ogdenbread.com, 7am-6pm daily, $4-8) serves up hearty baked goods and sandwiches made on tasty whole-grain breads.
One of the liveliest places along 25th Street is M Roosters Brewing Company (253 25th St., 801/627-6171, http://roostersbrewingco.com, 11am-10pm Mon.-Thurs., 11am-11pm Fri., 10am-11pm Sat., 10am-9pm Sun., $8-16), a brewpub with good food (burgers, pizza, ribs, fresh fish, steak, and sandwiches) and good microbrews. It’s a popular weekend brunch spot, and in summer there’s a pleasant shady deck.
The Irish pub atmosphere of MacCool’s (2510 Washington Blvd., 801/675-5920, www.maccoolsrestaurant.com, 11am-10pm Mon.-Sat., 11am-9pm Sun., $10-18) brings a lively crowd to the ground floor of the Ben Lomond Hotel. Dine on traditional Irish dishes such as corned beef and cabbage, Sheppard’s Pie, or Guinness stew, or opt for a burger or a sandwich.
Regulars gather for morning coffee and a chat at Grounds for Coffee.
If you’re looking for good modern American-style food—grilled fish, gourmet sandwiches, and salads—head to the historic Union Pacific Station and try the Union Grill (2501 Wall Ave., 801/621-2830, www.uniongrillogden.com, 11am-10pm Mon.-Thurs., 11am-10:30pm Fri.-Sat., $8-19).
La Ferrovia Ristorante (234 25th St., 801/394-8628, http://laferrovia.com, 11am-9pm Tues.-Thurs., 11am-10pm Fri.-Sat., $10-19) offers an inexpensive selection of pasta, pizza, and calzones. It’s a good place to bring kids, but it’s also possible to get a glass of wine or a beer with your meal.
Find good upscale nonchain Mexican food, including several varieties of seviche, at M Sonora Grill (2310 S. Kiesel Ave., 801/393-1999, www.thesonoragrill.com, 11am-10pm Mon.-Thurs., 11am-11pm Fri.-Sat., $10-23), just across from the Salomon Center.
The sushi is fresh and quite lovely at Tona, Sushi Bar and Grill (210 25th St., 801/622-8662, http://tonarestaurant.com, 11:30am-2:30pm and 5pm-9:30pm Tues.-Thurs., 11:30am-2:30pm and 5pm-10pm Fri.-Sat., $11-20), with a wide range of Japanese dishes besides the sushi and sashimi; on a chilly after-skiing evening, a bowl of Japanese beef stew might be just the thing.
Head to South Ogden for some of the region’s best Italian food as well as a market and deli at Zucca (1479 E. 5600 S., South Ogden, 801/475-7077, www.myzucca.com, market and deli 10am-8pm Mon.-Sat., restaurant 11am-3pm and 5pm-9pm Mon.-Thurs., 11am-10pm Fri.-Sat., $11-25). The pizza is very good, and the deli is well stocked with Italian and southern European specialties; meats and cheeses are provided by Tony Caputo’s, which is Salt Lake City’s leading deli.
Bistro 258 (258 25th St., 801/394-1595, www.ogdenrestaurant.com, 11am-9pm Mon.-Thurs., 11am-10pm Fri.-Sat., $14-27) has good food in an atmosphere that’s not too stuffy. The dishes have both European and Asian influences, although there’s also a good selection of Utah beef. Stop in for a rice-bowl lunch ($7-10); at dinner, the rich New York steak is worth clogging a minor artery for.
Jasoh (195 25th St., 801/399-0088, www.jasoh.com, 11:30am-9pm Mon.-Thurs., 11:30am-10pm Fri., 5pm-10pm Sat.) is a stylish restaurant with both a formal dining room ($22-49) and a casual brewpub ($12-19). In the dining room, roast duck is served with black truffle oil and wild mushrooms; grilled salmon is topped with grilled balsamic-glazed watermelon and served with a watermelon-avocado salad. And talk about unusual—this is probably the only restaurant in Utah where you can order a yak steak. The pub side serves wood-oven pizzas and comfort food such as meat loaf and pot roast as well as more typical (but carefully prepared) pub fare.
Dine in a covered wagon at Prairie Schooner (445 Park Blvd., 801/392-2712, http://prairieschoonerrestaurant.com, 11am-2pm and 5pm-9:30pm Mon.-Thurs., 11am-2pm and 4pm-10pm Fri.-Sat., 2pm-8pm Sun., $12-59). The menu includes everything from burgers to big surf-and-turf combos, with a focus on really good steaks.
The very helpful Ogden Convention and Visitors Bureau Information Center (2438 Washington Blvd., 866/867-8824, www.visitogden.com, 9am-5pm Mon.-Fri.) can tell you about the sights, facilities, and goings-on for Ogden and surrounding communities, including Davis, Morgan, and Box Elder Counties.
Visit the U.S. Forest Service Information Center (2501 Wall Ave., 801/625-5306, 8am-4:30pm Mon.-Sat. summer, 8am-4:30pm Mon.-Fri. fall-spring) at Union Station, or the U.S. Forest Service Ogden Ranger District Office (507 25th St., 801/625-5306, 8am-4:30pm Mon.-Fri.) to find out about local road conditions, camping, hiking, horseback riding, ski touring, snowshoeing, and snowmobiling.
Hospital care and physician referrals are provided by McKay-Dee Hospital Center (4401 Harrison Blvd., 801/387-2800) and Ogden Regional Medical Center (5475 S. 500 E., 801/479-2111). There is a Post Office (2641 Washington Blvd., 801/627-4184) downtown.
Utah Transit Authority (UTA, 2393 Wall Ave., 877/621-4636, www.rideuta.com, 7am-6pm Mon.-Fri.) buses serve many areas of Ogden and head south to Salt Lake City and Provo; buses operate Monday-Saturday and offer some late-night runs. The UTA’s Front Runner commuter train also travels between Salt Lake City and Ogden. Greyhound (801/394-5573, www.greyhound.com) provides long-distance service from the bus terminal (2393 Wall Ave.).
Air travelers use the Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC, 776 N. Terminal Dr., 801/575-2400, www.slcairport.com), just 35 miles away. Wasatch Crest Shuttle (801/466-3122, www.wcshuttle.com) provides service between the airport and Ogden.
Yellow Cab (801/394-9411) provides 24-hour taxi service.
Ogden is at the northern edge of Salt Lake City, and from here it’s quick to get out into the hinterlands of northern Utah. Ogden Canyon is particularly scenic, and it leads to some of the best downhill skiing slopes in Utah.
Just a short distance offshore from Salt Lake City, Antelope Island (office 4528 W. 1700 S., Syracuse, 801/773-2941, http://stateparks.utah.gov, $9 per car, $3 bicycles and pedestrians) seems a world away, and since it’s accessed from its north end, it is closer by road to Ogden than SLC. Its rocky slopes, rolling grasslands, marshes, sand dunes, and lake views instill a sense of remoteness and rugged beauty. An extension of the Oquirrh Mountains, Antelope Island is the largest of the lake’s 10 islands. It measures 15 miles long and 5 miles wide; Frary Peak (elev. 6,596 feet) rises in the center.
The entire island is a state park, accessible via a seven-mile paved causeway. Antelope Island is a great place for mountain biking; park trails are open to hiking, bicycling, and horseback riding, allowing access to much of the island; there’s also a marina for sailboats and kayaks and a historic ranch house. Rates for campsites (reservations 800/322-3770, http://utahstateparks.reserveamerica.com, $13) include the park’s day-use fee. Showers and restrooms are available in the swimming area in the northwest corner of the island. Take I-15 exit 332, near Layton, and then drive nine miles west to the start of the causeway and the entrance booth.
Archaeologists have found prehistoric sites showing that Native Americans came here long ago, perhaps on a land bridge during times of low water levels. In 1843, explorers John Frémont and Kit Carson rode their horses across a sandbar to the island and named it after the antelope (pronghorn) herds that the party hunted for food. The Fielding Garr Ranch, on the southeast side of the island, was established in 1848 and operated until it became part of the park in 1981.
Just east of town, Ogden Canyon leads to many fine hikes.
Antelope Island is now home to more than 600 bison as well as deer, bighorn sheep, pronghorn, and other wildlife. The best place to see bison is usually along the road on the east side of the island near the ranch. The yearly bison roundup (late Oct.) is a big event for both cowboys and visitors: The bison are driven to corrals on the north end of the island and given veterinary checkups. To keep the herd small enough to avoid overgrazing, some animals are culled for sale or for hunting.
Thanks largely to its population of brine flies and shrimp, Great Salt Lake attracts a wide variety of birds and is an important migratory stop. Antelope Island is a good place to look for eared grebes, avocets, black-necked stilts, willets, sanderlings, long-billed curlews, burrowing owls, chukars, and all sorts of raptors. The same insect life that attracts birds can attack visitors, especially during May-June; come prepared to do battle with no-see-ums.
Cliffs rise thousands of feet above narrow Ogden Canyon, just barely allowing Highway 39 and the Ogden River to squeeze through. In autumn, the fiery reds of maples and the golden hues of oaks add color to this scenic drive deep within the Wasatch Range. Ogden Canyon begins on the eastern edge of Ogden and emerges about six miles later, at Pineview Reservoir in the broad Ogden Valley.
This fertile agricultural basin is a crossroads for recreationalists. In winter, skiers turn south from the reservoir to Snowbasin Ski Area and north to Wolf Mountain and Powder Mountain ski areas. Summer visitors have a choice of staying at swimming beaches and campgrounds on the shore of Pineview Reservoir or heading to canyons and mountain peaks in the Wasatch Range.
The first nonnatives to see the lake were fur trappers in the 1820s, and it has both mystified and entranced visitors ever since. Early explorers guessed that it must be connected to the ocean, not realizing that they had come across a body of water far saltier. Only the Dead Sea has a higher salt content. When Mormon pioneers first tried evaporating the lake water, they found the residue bitter tasting: The resulting salt is only 84 percent sodium chloride (table salt) and the remaining 16 percent is a mix of sulfates and chlorides of magnesium, calcium, and potassium. The lake’s northern arm, isolated by a railroad causeway, contains the highest mineral concentrations, about twice those of the southern arm. Bacteria and algae grow in such numbers that they sometimes tint the water orange-red or blue-green. A tiny brine shrimp (Artemia salina) and two species of brine fly (Ephydra spp.) are about all that can live in the lake.
The lake is always changing—rising with spring snowmelt, then falling due to evaporation that peaks in late summer and autumn. These annual variations result in differences in lake levels of 6 to as much as 18 inches. Long-term changes have affected the lake as well: Climate variations and diversion of river water for irrigation have caused a 21-foot difference between record low and high levels, and the lake’s surface area has varied dramatically, between 900 square miles at the lowest water level to 2,500 square miles at the highest.
Pineview Reservoir is a popular place for boating, fishing, and camping.
This many-armed lake on the Ogden River provides excellent boating, fishing, waterskiing, and swimming (elev. 4,900 feet). For day-tripping, the Bluffs offers sandy beaches and shaded picnic areas at Cemetery Point on the lake’s east side (day-use only, $13). A marina with boat ramp, docks, and a snack bar is nearby; follow Highway 39 to the Huntsville turnoff (10.5 miles east of Ogden), then turn west and go two miles. Middle Inlet (day-use $12) is another beach area, 1.5 miles north of Huntsville, on the lake’s western shore, with a boat ramp, a small store, a dock, slips, fuel, and storage. North Arm Wildlife Viewing Trail makes a 0.4-mile loop at the north end of the reservoir, where the North Fork of the Ogden River joins the reservoir; the trail, built especially for wildlife viewing, is off Highway 162. The Anderson Cove campground (reservations 877/444-6777, www.recreation.gov, May-late Sept., $22), on the south shore, is the reservoir’s main camping spot; it’s only 10 miles east of Ogden.
A community of 30 Trappist monks, the Abbey of Our Lady of the Holy Trinity (1250 S. 9500 E., 801/745-3784, www.holytrinityabbey.org, 10am-noon and 1:15pm-5pm Mon.-Sat.) welcomes visitors to its chapel and reception room. The monks explain the monastery’s work and sell locally produced honey. Although no tours are given, a slide show illustrates the religious life and work of the community. You can attend the Mass and chants held daily in the chapel. Adult men are welcome to stay in the abbey’s retreat house for up to three days of quiet reflection (reserve in advance, donation requested). Quonset buildings, originally just temporary, have proved both practical and unique for nearly all the monastery’s needs. The founders chose this location for its seclusion and beautiful setting. The abbey is four miles southeast of Huntsville; follow “Monastery” signs from Highway 39.
A fun place to stay is the M Atomic Chalet (5917 E. 100 S., Huntsville, 801/745-0538, www.atomicchalet.com, summer $100, ski season $130), a B&B right on Pineview Reservoir near Snowbasin. It’s a lodge-like building with a casual and relaxed vibe, and it’s a favorite of skiers in winter, when a two-night minimum stay is required. All three guest rooms have private baths, fridges, TVs, and DVD players.
At the Jackson Fork Inn (7345 E. 900 S., Huntsville, 801/745-0051 or 800/609-9466, www.jacksonforkinn.com, $90-160), at milepost 18 on Highway 39, loft bedrooms are up a spiral staircase from a living area or second bedroom; this inn, which started out as a barn, also has a popular restaurant.
On the northern arm of Pineview Reservoir is a charming log B&B, the Snowberry Inn (1315 N. Hwy. 158, Eden, 801/745-2634, www.snowberryinn.com, $119-129). The inn overlooks the reservoir and provides access for water sports and swimming, while Ogden-area ski resorts are only 15 minutes away. All eight guest rooms come with private baths; guests share a hot tub, a billiard table, and a TV room.
A number of condo developments have sprung up in the Ogden Valley to serve the needs of skiers at the local ski areas. For a selection of condo options, check out the listings at www.lakesideresortproperties.com.
The Alaskan Inn (435 Ogden Canyon, 801/621-8600 or 888/707-8600, www.alaskaninn.com, from $125) is near the top of Ogden Canyon near Pineview Reservoir.
A couple of campgrounds are on the south shore of Pineview Reservoir: Anderson Cove (801/625-5306, www.recreation.gov, May-late Sept., $22 plus $9 reservation fee) and Jefferson Hunt (801/625-5306, June-Sept., $18, no reservations). Both are quite close to the highway.
The Maples Campground (801/625-5306, June-Sept., no drinking water, free) is nestled among maples and aspens at 6,200 feet elevation in the mountains near Snowbasin Ski Area. Drive to the ski area’s lower parking lot (marked “Lower Shop”), and then turn west and go 1.5 miles on a gravel road.
Travel Highway 39 east from Huntsville to find eight U.S. Forest Service campgrounds ($18) within 10 miles. Most of these campgrounds have water. Perception Park (877/444-6777), 7.5 miles east of Huntsville, was specially built to accommodate people with disabilities. Some sites can be reserved.
The Weber County Memorial Park (801/399-8491, first come, first served, $18) is one mile down the paved road to Causey Reservoir, a narrow crescent-shaped lake in the upper South Fork of the Ogden River. A paved road in the park crosses the river to individual sites; three group sites can be reserved. Water is available late May-late September. The turnoff for Causey Reservoir is on Highway 39 one mile east of Willows Campground. Monte Cristo Campground (Highway 39, between mileposts 48 and 49, 40 miles east of Ogden, 21 miles west of Woodruff, July-Nov., $18) sits at 8,400 feet in elevation in mountain forests of spruce, fir, and aspen.
Some of the Ogden area’s favorite places to eat are nestled in the bucolic Ogden Valley, just minutes from downtown Ogden. The little town of Huntsville offers a couple of places to eat and Utah’s oldest bar—the M Shooting Star Saloon (7345 E. 200 S., 801/745-2002, noon-11pm Mon.-Sat., 2pm-11pm Sun., sandwiches $6-10), in business since 1879. This is a favorite place to come for burgers; the signature model combines a burger and a hot dog. There’s interesting graffiti in the restrooms, and the bar boasts the stuffed head of an enormous St. Bernard dog that is rumored to be the subject of Jack London’s Call of the Wild.
Utah’s oldest bar, the Shooting Star Saloon is still a good place to come for burgers.
Downtown Huntsville is also home to the M Huntsville Barbecue Company (235 S. 7400 E., 801/745-2745, www.texaspridebarbecue.com, 11am-8pm Tues.-Sat., $6-13), serving slow-cooked Texas-style beef brisket, pulled port, ribs, smoked chicken, and sausage as well as a full range of side dishes, including a tasty broccoli slaw.
A fun place to eat near Eden is Eats of Eden (2529 N. Hwy. 162, 801/745-8618, http://eatsofeden.biz, 11:30am-9pm Tues.-Sat., $8-11), which serves good sandwiches on homemade bread; the pizza hits the spot after a day of skiing.
An old general store houses Carlos and Harley’s Fresh-Mex Cantina (5510 E. 2200 N., Eden, 801/745-8226, www.carlosandharleys.com, 11am-11pm daily, $8-22); during the summer, you can eat your Tex-Mex food outdoors.
Harley and Buck’s (3900 N. Wolf Creek Dr., Eden, 801/745-2060, http://harleyandbucks.com, 4pm-9pm Tues.-Sun., $9-26) is an attractive restaurant on the road to Powder Mountain with dinners ranging from burgers to pasta to steaks and seafood—basically it is well-prepared, slightly upscale American comfort food.
Ogden Canyon begins on the eastern edge of Ogden and extends six miles to Pineview Reservoir in the broad Ogden Valley. Reach the canyon from Ogden by heading east on 12th Street (take I-15 exit 347).
Snowbasin (3925 E. Snowbasin Rd., Huntsville, 801/620-1000 or 888/437-5488, 801/620-1100 for snow report, www.snowbasin.com) was gussied up substantially for the 2002 Winter Olympics when it hosted the men’s and women’s downhill, super-G, and combined competitions. Snowbasin, which is owned by Sun Valley, is now one of Utah’s largest ski areas, with an excellent lift system, great panoramic views, and few crowds. Although it gets a bit less snow than the Cottonwood resorts, Snowbasin is well equipped with snow-making machines.
With more than 3,200 acres of terrain and relatively few other skiers and snowboarders, there’s almost always room to roam here. The area is well covered with speedy lifts, meaning that you can spend more time skiing and less time standing in line or sitting on pokey chairlifts. Four triple chairlifts, two quads, two gondolas, and a short 15-person tram serve 113 runs, of which 20 percent are rated beginner, 50 percent intermediate, and 30 percent expert; snowboarding is allowed. The longest run is three miles and drops 2,400 feet in elevation.
With 40 percent of trails marked with black diamonds, Snowbasin is clearly an expert skier’s dream. The north side of the mountain (the John Paul area) has incredible expert terrain—long and steep. However, John Paul is sometimes closed for races. There are also extra-black chutes off the top of the Strawberry Express gondola. Several terrain parks include lots of rails, a large pipe, and many other features. But intermediate skiers can also have a good nonterrifying time here. The Strawberry area in particular is full of nicely groomed long blue cruisers. Beginners will find limited territory but a couple of nice long runs.
Ski season at Snowbasin normally runs Thanksgiving-mid-April. Adult lift tickets are $82 full-day, $67 half-day (sold starting at 12:15pm); children’s rates are $49 full-day, $39 half-day; ages 65-74 pay $67 full-day, $49 half-day, and people over age 75 pay $25 full-day, $19 half-day.
Near parking area 2, find a 26-kilometer Nordic area groomed for classic and skate cross-country skiing (free) and a lift-assisted tubing hill (1 ride $5, all day $25).
Snowbasin offers a ski school, a ski shop, rentals, and three day lodges. Of particular note is the outdoor ice rink at Needles Lodge (801/620-1021), at the top of the Needles gondola.
The lifts at Snowbasin remain open in summer for hikers ($14) and bikers ($18), making it easy to reach the high country. In addition, Snowbasin sponsors a series of Sunday afternoon concerts at Earl’s Lodge (801/621-1000), located at the base of the ski runs. Hikers can pull off the ski area access road to hike the Green Pond Trail, which heads a relatively gentle 2.5 miles up to a picnic area and the pond.
The Wolf Mountain Utah Ski Resort (Eden, 801/745-3511, www.wolfmountainutah.com) is the closest to Ogden and is especially popular with families. It’s an unintimidating place to learn to ski. Two double chairlifts and a magic carpet serve 19 runs and a terrain park. About 35 percent of the territory is beginner-level, 45 percent intermediate, and 20 percent expert. Elevation drop is 1,000 feet. You can ski at night too—all runs are under lights Monday-Saturday. The season runs daily early December-late March. Adult lift tickets cost $35 full-day, $22 half-day, and $20 at night; children’s rates are $19 full-day, $14 half-day, and $18 at night. Prices bump up a couple of dollars on holidays. The resort has a ski school, a ski shop, and a day lodge. It’s 15 miles northeast of Ogden; go through Ogden Canyon, turn left at Pineview Dam, and follow the signs.
If you’ve ever wanted to take up snow-kiting, Powder Mountain (Hwy. 158, 8000 N. 5100 E., Eden, snow report 801/745-3771, office 801/745-3772, www.powdermountain.com) is the place to do it: Here you’ll find lessons ($75), kites, and harnesses.
But, of course, Powder Mountain, a family-owned resort, is mostly about skiing and boarding. One double chairlift, a triple, and two quads, one fixed and the other detachable, reach two different peaks and serve more than 135 runs (25 percent beginner, 40 percent intermediate, and 35 percent expert). Three surface tows supplement the chairlifts for beginners; for expert skiers, there is a huge skiable area that’s not lift-served (snowcats are often used to access more remote areas). High elevations of 6,895-8,900 feet catch plentiful powder snow. You can ski at night from the Sundown lift until 9pm. Powder Mountain’s season lasts mid-November-mid-April. Adult lift tickets cost $65 full-day, $55 half-day, and $18 for night skiing; ages 7-12 are $35 full- or half-day, $15 night; ages 62-69 pay $50 full-day, $45 half-day, $18 night; seniors ages 70-79 pay $35 for any lift ticket. Facilities include a ski school, ski shops, rentals, and three day lodges. Powder Mountain is 19 miles northeast of Ogden; drive through Ogden Canyon, turn left at Pineview Dam, and follow the signs. In summer, mountain bikers are free to use the trails, but there is no lift-assisted hiking or biking.
Powder Mountain is the only one of these Ogden-area ski resorts with slope-side lodging; the Columbine Inn (801/745-1414, www.columbineinnutah.com) has simple hotel-style guest rooms ($110-150) as well as condos, suites, and cabins with full kitchens and fireplaces ($270-680). Rates are much lower in summer.
Most skiers and boarders drive up from Salt Lake City or Ogden; the Ogden Valley lodgings are also quite handy, with a number of B&Bs and condos catering to skiers.
Dining options are pretty limited: You can eat at casual or fancy places at Snowbasin such as Earl’s Lodge (801/621-1000), the mountain-top Needles Lodge (801/620-1021, 9am-4pm Sun.-Fri., 9am-8pm Sat. in ski season, $6-20), or at John Paul Lodge (801/620-1021, 9am-3pm daily in ski season). Lunch will set you back $10-15 at any of these places.
Most travelers driving north from Ogden simply take I-15. However, if you like life in the slow lane, you can follow the Golden Spike Fruitway, or old U.S. 89, as it winds north to Brigham City through orchards and farmland. Fruit stands, open during the July-mid-September season, offer a bountiful supply of cherries, apples, peaches, pears, apricots, plums, berries, and vegetables.
Two separate recreation areas along the eastern shore of freshwater Willard Bay (900 W. 650 N., Willard, 435/734-9494, http://stateparks.utah.gov, day-use $10) provide opportunities for water sports, camping, and nature study. Only two miles of Willard Bay’s 15-mile circumference are natural shoreline; dikes enclose nearly the entire bay to keep out saltwater from Great Salt Lake, just to the west. Canals carry water into the bay during winter and spring, and then out for irrigation during the growing season.
More than 200 species of birds have been observed near the park; common ones include the white pelican, California gull, snowy egret, Western grebe, killdeer, black-necked stilt, and American avocet; eagles visit in winter. Conditions are great for waterskiing and powerboating, and anglers catch channel catfish, smallmouth bass, bluegill, crappie, and walleye. Winter visitors find good ice fishing in the bay mid-December-late February.
The North Marina, just west of I-15 exit 360 for Willard, features a sandy swimming beach, a campground with showers, a boat ramp, and a dock. The developed Willow Creek and Cottonwood campground (800/322-3770, www.utahstateparks.reserveamerica.com, $9 reservation fee, day-use $10, camping $16-25) is normally open April-October, but an overflow area on the shore stays open year-round. Reservations are recommended on summer weekends and holidays.
Brigham City is known for its tasty peaches and the nearby bird refuge.
The South Marina has a boat ramp, docks, and a campground ($25) with showers. The area is set up mostly for day use, as the open grassy areas used for camping lack designated sites. The dikes on this part of the bay prevent beaches and lake views, but you won’t be so crowded here on summer weekends, and the campground nearly always has room. South Marina is open April-October; no reservations are accepted. Access is from I-15 exit 354; follow signs west 2.5 miles.
Peaks of the Wasatch Range exceeding 9,000 feet form the backdrop to this agricultural center, known for its peaches, with a population of 19,000. There’s not much here to delay the traveler, although students of history will enjoy the displays in the Brigham City Museum-Gallery (24 N. 300 W., 435/723-6769, www.brighamcitymuseum.com, 11am-6pm Tues.-Fri., 1pm-5pm Sat., free) that show how residents lived in the 19th century. The art gallery features changing shows by local artists and artists from all over Utah. The Brigham City Depot (833 W. Forest St., 435/723-2989, 1pm-5pm Mon.-Tues. and Thurs.-Sat. May-Oct.), built in 1906, has been lovingly restored to its original condition, with separate waiting rooms for each gender and many antiques from railroading in the past. Many people think the Mormon Box Elder Tabernacle (251 S. Main St., 435/723-5376, tours 9am-9pm daily May-Oct.) is Utah’s most beautiful building. Non-Mormons are welcome.
Amid the taco stands and fast-food restaurants along Main Street is a unique place to eat. Idle Isle Cafe (24 S. Main St., 435/734-2468, 10am-7pm Mon.-Sat., $6-10) is an ice cream parlor, candy store, and diner little changed from the 1920s, when it first opened. At lunch, there’s soup, homemade rolls, and various sandwiches on the menu; in the evening, all meals—good American-style dishes like roast pork and chicken-fried steak—come with a piece of pie. The atmosphere is splendid.
The Box Elder Tabernacle in Brigham City is considered by many to be Utah’s most beautiful building.
Millions of birds drop in to feed or nest in the freshwater marshes created by the intersection of the Bear River and Great Salt Lake; about 60 species nest in the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge (2155 W. Forest St., 435/734-6425, www.fws.gov/bearriver, 8am-5pm Mon.-Fri., 10am-4pm Sat.) and many more stop by this oasis on their migratory routes. In pioneer days, reports told of flocks of waterfowl blackening the sky. Flooding in the late 1980s closed the area and displaced many birds until receding waters allowed it to reopen in 1990. The visitors center has good displays about wetlands and the birds that inhabit them. A four-mile gravel loop road is open to visitors, and refuge tours are offered at 9am Friday-Saturday in summer.
At 12:47pm on May 10, 1869, rails from the East Coast and the West Coast met for the first time. People across the country closely followed telegraph reports as dignitaries and railroad officials made their speeches and drove the last spikes, then everyone broke out in wild celebration. The joining of rails at this 4,905-foot-high windswept pass in Utah’s Promontory Mountains marked a new chapter in the growth of the United States. A transcontinental railroad at last linked both sides of the nation. The far Western frontier would be a frontier no more. Swift-moving Army troops would soon put an end to conflicts with Native Americans. Vast resources of timber, mineral wealth, and farmland lay open to development.
The Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads, eager for land grants and bonuses, had been laying track at a furious pace and grading the lines far ahead. So great was the momentum that the grader crews didn’t stop when they met but laid parallel grades for 250 miles across Utah. Finally Congress decided to join the rails at Promontory Summit and stop the wasteful duplication of effort. A ragged town of tents, boxcars, and hastily built wooden shacks sprang up along a single muddy street. Outlaws and crooked gambling houses earned Promontory Summit an awful reputation as a real hell-on-wheels town. The party ended six months later when the railroads moved the terminal operations to Ogden. Soon only a depot, roundhouse, helper engines, and other rail facilities remained. The Lucin Cutoff across Great Salt Lake bypassed the long twisting grades of Promontory Summit in 1904 and dramatically reduced traffic along the old route. The final blow came in 1942, when the rails were torn up for scrap to feed wartime industries.
The Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads met at this site in 1869. The famous golden spike used to mark the spot is now in Stanford University’s Cantor Arts Center.
The Golden Spike National Historic Site, authorized by Congress in 1965, recreates this momentous episode of railroad history. The visitors center (32 miles west of Brigham City, 435/471-2209, www.nps.gov/gosp, 9am-5pm daily except Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Day, vehicles $7 summer, $5 winter, cyclists $4 summer, $3 winter) offers exhibits and programs that illustrate the difficulties of building the railroad and portrays the officials and workers who made it possible. A short slide show introduces Promontory Summit’s history. A 20-minute program, The Golden Spike, presents a more detailed account of building the transcontinental railroad. Rangers give talks several times a day in summer. An exhibit room has changing displays on railroading, and historic markers behind the visitors center indicate the spot where the last spike was driven.
The two locomotives that met here in 1869, Central Pacific’s Jupiter and Union Pacific’s 119, succumbed to scrap yards around the turn of the 20th century. However, they have been born again in authentic replicas. Every day in summer, the trains steam along a short section of track from the engine house to the historic spot. These runs will include arrivals of the Jupiter and 119 at 10am and 10:30am, steam demonstrations of both locomotives at 1pm, and departures of the 119 and the Jupiter at 4pm and 4:30pm. You can’t ride on the engines; they’re here mostly for photo ops. During the winter, the locomotives are stored in the engine house; tours are usually available at 10am, 11:30am, 1pm, 2:30pm, and 3:30pm daily from early October until the trains come outside again at the beginning of May.
The annual Last Spike Ceremony (May 10) reenacts the original celebration every with great fanfare. The Railroaders Festival in August has special exhibits, a spike-driving contest, reenactments, handcar races, and entertainment. A sales counter offers a good selection of books on railroading, Utah history, and natural history as well as postcards and souvenirs.
Motels and restaurants are nearby in Brigham City and Tremonton. From I-15 exit 368 for Brigham City, head west on Highway 13 and Highway 83 and follow the signs for 29 miles. If you’re coming from the north, it’s about 29 miles from I-84’s exit 40; follow signs to Highway 83 and the Golden Spike.
Imagine you’re riding the rails across Utah a century ago. This seven-mile scenic drive follows the old grades past many construction feats of the hardy railway workers. You’ll see the parallel grades laid by the competing Union Pacific and Central Pacific, clearings for sidings, original rock culverts, and many cuts and fills. Wildflowers, grass-covered hills, and views over blue Great Salt Lake appear much the same as they did to early train travelers. A booklet available at the visitors center (435/471-2209, www.nps.gov/gosp, 9am-5pm daily, closed major holidays) describes the features and history at numbered stops on the drive. There are two segments to the auto tour, a five-mile section to the west of the visitors center and a two-mile section to the east.
An easy 1.5-mile hike leads farther down a railroad grade to the famous Big Fill and Big Trestle sites. Rugged terrain on this side of the Promontory Mountains posed some of the greatest construction challenges to both lines. The Central Pacific tackled an especially deep ravine here with a massive fill, 170 feet deep and 500 feet long, requiring about two months of work by 500 laborers and 250 teams of animals. The Union Pacific, pressed for time, threw together a temporary trestle over the gorge, paralleling the Big Fill.
This peninsula that juts into Great Salt Lake has no connection with the first transcontinental railroad, but it does make a pleasant scenic drive. A paved road follows the eastern shore of the peninsula below the Promontory Mountains for 22.5 miles, then becomes gravel for the last 17.5 miles around to the west side. There are good views of Great Salt Lake, the Wasatch Range, and the Lucin Cutoff railroad causeway. Lake Crystal Salt Co., at road’s end, was a salt extraction plant (it’s no longer in operation). There’s no hiking or camping on Promontory Point—the land has been fenced and signed “No Trespassing.” The Promontory Point turnoff is six miles east of the Golden Spike Visitor Center.
Artist Robert Smithson constructed this massive spiral on the edge of Great Salt Lake in 1970 from black basalt and soil. The best views of this huge earthen spiral reaching out into the lake are from the air, but if you have a sturdy vehicle with good clearance, you can drive to the site. It’s about 16 miles via a maze of rough roads from the Golden Spike Visitor Center (801/471-2209, www.nps.gov/gosp, 9am-5pm daily, closed major holidays); ask the staff there for detailed directions.
Many buildings of this giant aerospace corporation lie scattered across the countryside about six miles northeast of the historic site. You can’t tour the facility, but you can see a display of missiles, rocket engines, and a space-shuttle booster casing in front of the administrative offices. Turn north and go two miles on Highway 83 at the junction with the Golden Spike National Historic Site road, eight miles east of the visitors center.
Missiles, rocket engines, and a space-shuttle booster are on display outside the headquarters of aerospace giant ATK.
Few Utah residents have visited these mountains in the northwest corner of the state despite their pretty alpine scenery. Panoramic views from the top of the Raft River Range take in Great Salt Lake, barren desert, farmlands, and mountains in Utah, Nevada, and Idaho. The range runs east-west, something of a rarity in the region. The summit ridge isn’t what you’d expect, either—it’s a long ridge of gently rolling grasslands. Bull Mountain (elev. 9,931 feet) crowns the range, though it’s hard to pick out from all the other grassy knolls.
Hikers haven’t yet discovered the range, so you’ll find pristine forests and canyons but no real trails. Aspens, Douglas and subalpine firs, and limber pines thrive in the canyons and on the northern slopes below the summit ridge. Ranchers run cattle on the top and in other meadow areas. A road that requires a 4WD vehicle climbs into the mountains from Yost.
Travelers can easily cross the lonely country of Utah’s northwest corner on paved Highways 42 and 30. Park Valley, south of the Raft River Mountains, has a small store and gas station (closed Sun.).
Clear Creek Campground (elev. 6,400 feet, June-Oct., free) offers sites in a beautiful setting below the north slope of the Raft River Range. The roads leading to the campground also offer access to the range’s best hiking. For information, contact the Minidoka Ranger District Office (208/678-0439) of the Sawtooth National Forest.
Without question one of the most appealing towns in Utah, Logan (pop. 48,000; surrounding area pop. just over 125,000) is surrounded by the lush dairy and farmlands of the Cache Valley and by the lofty peaks of the Bear River Range. Of all the mountain communities in the American West that advertise their Swiss or Bavarian aspirations, Logan comes closest to actually looking alpine.
The town itself is built on stair-like terraces that mark the ancient shorelines of Lake Bonneville. Logan is also one of the state’s festival centers, enlivened by theater, music, and performance series in summer. As everywhere in Utah, the outdoors is never far away: The mountains provide abundant year-round recreation, including scenic drives, boating on nearby Bear Lake, camping, fishing, hiking, and skiing.
Logan has a lovely little downtown, filled with handsome architecture, lined with trees, and flanked by parks. A walk along Main Street is a pleasant diversion, but it’s even more fun to walk through the old neighborhoods around downtown. Head west on Center Street for some of the grander historic homes; a good brochure from the Cache Valley Visitors Bureau (199 N. Main St., 435/755-1890, www.tourcachevalley.com, 8am-5pm Mon.-Fri. and 10am-2pm Sat. June-Aug., 8am-5pm Mon.-Fri. Sept.-May) details the history of many of these houses.
The distinctive castellated Mormon Temple (175 N. 300 E.) rises from a prominent hill just east of downtown. After Brigham Young chose this location in 1877, church members labored for seven years to complete the temple. Architect Truman O. Angell, designer of the Salt Lake temple, oversaw construction. Timber and blocks of limestone came from nearby Logan Canyon. Only Mormons engaged in sacred work may enter the temple, but visitors are welcome on the grounds to view the exterior.
The tabernacle is also a fine example of early Mormon architecture. Construction of the stone structure began in 1865, but other priorities—building the temple and ward meetinghouses—delayed dedication until 1891. The public may enter the tabernacle, which is downtown at Main and Center Streets.
Some of Logan’s nicest historic homes are just west of downtown.
At the Cache Museum (160 N. Main St., 435/752-5139, 10am-4pm Tues.-Fri. June-Labor Day, free), exhibits show how Logan’s early settlers lived. You’ll see their tools, household furnishings, clothing, art, and photographs. It is also the chamber of commerce office.
The small Willow Park Zoo (419 W. 700 S., 435/716-9265, www.loganutah.org, 9am-dusk daily spring-fall, $2 adults, $1 ages 3-12) displays exotic birds such as an Andean condor, a golden pheasant, a mitered conure, and more familiar golden and bald eagles, peacocks, swans, and ducks. In fact, Willow Park has one of the greatest waterfowl collections in the region, showcasing more than 100 species. You’ll also see lemurs, red foxes, coyotes, elk, deer, bobcats, and more. The setting offers walkways beside shady willow trees, and children can feed the ducks, geese, and trout. Additionally, Willow Park offers picnic areas and a playground among its large shady trees.
The American West Heritage Center (4025 S. U.S. 89/91, Wellsville, 435/245-6050, www.awhc.org, 11am-4pm Tues.-Sat. June-Aug., $5 adults, $4 students and over age 54, $3 ages 3-11), six miles southwest of Logan, is an institution that combines the function of a visitors center with a look into the history and culture of the Old West. The center is quite ambitious, and it includes a permanent living history installation that highlights the lives and lifestyles of the Native Americans of the Cache Valley, the fur-trapping mountain men who arrived in the 1820s, and the pioneer Mormon farmers who settled here starting in the 1860s. Check the calendar for events such as mountain-man rallies, cowboy poetry recitations, art shows, harvest fairs, pioneer cooking contests, and so on. Also on the premises is the Northern Utah Welcome Center (9am-5pm Tues.-Fri., 10am-5pm Sat. June-Aug., hours vary Sept.-May), which provides visitor information, an introduction to local history, and a gift shop.
Adjacent to the center and incorporated into it is the Ronald V. Jensen Living Historical Farm, an outdoor museum that recreates life on a Cache Valley family farm in 1917. Workers dress in period clothing to plow soil, thresh grain, milk cows, shear sheep, and butcher hogs. The men mostly worked in the fields while women stayed closer to home to cook, can, quilt, gather eggs from the henhouse, and pick vegetables from the garden. You’ll see breeds of animals representative of early farms, a lineup of steam tractors, a giant early gasoline tractor, and many other pieces of farm machinery. Buildings here include an 1875 farmhouse, a summer kitchen, a root cellar, a smokehouse, a blacksmith shop, a horse barn, a sheep shed, and a privy or two. Special demonstrations take place all through the year, usually on Saturday; these range from planting the garden to shearing the sheep and harvesting the grain. In fall, the cornfield is converted into a maze.
In 1888 a federal land-grant program opened the way for the territorial legislature to establish the Agricultural College of Utah. The school grew to become Utah State University (USU, www.usu.edu) in 1957 and now has eight colleges, 45 departments, and a graduate school. USU’s “Aggies” number more than 25,000, led by 2,500 faculty and staff. The university has continued its original purpose of agricultural research while diversifying into atmospheric and space sciences, ecology, creative arts, social sciences, and other fields.
Attractions on campus include the Nora Eccles Harrison Museum of Art (650 N. 1100 E., 435/797-0163, http://artmuseum.usu.edu, 11am-4pm Mon.-Sat., free), one of the largest permanent collections of art in Utah; the student center; and several libraries. Old Main Building, with its landmark bell tower, was begun one year after the college was founded and has housed nearly every office and department in the school at one time or another. The oak-shaded campus is northeast of downtown on a bench left by a northern arm of prehistoric Lake Bonneville.
The USU dairy department is justifiably proud of its milk, cheese, and ice cream. Get a double-scoop at Aggie Ice Cream (750 N. 1200 E., 435/797-2112, https://aggieicecream.usu.edu, 9am-10pm Mon.-Fri., 10am-10pm Sat. May-Sept., 9am-9pm Mon.-Fri., 10am-9pm Sat. Oct.-Apr.).
One of the best reasons to visit Logan is to catch the community’s high-quality arts and music festivals. People from all over Utah and the intermountain West come to Logan to take in an opera, a chamber music concert, or an evening of theater in this scenic alpine valley. The Cache Valley Tourism Council (199 N. Main St., 435/755-1890, www.tourcachevalley.com) can fill you in on what’s happening in the area.
The professional Utah Festival Opera Company (59 S. 100 W., 435/750-0300 or 800/262-0074, www.ufoc.org) takes over the beautifully restored Ellen Eccles Theatre (43 S. Main St.) mid-July-mid-August. The fact that a small Utah agricultural college town has its own prominent opera company is slightly unusual. Two factors account for the opera and its hearty success. Michael Ballam, a Logan-area native and professional opera singer, decided in 1993 to start an opera company in Utah; at the same time, Logan’s old movie palace and vaudeville hall, the Capitol Theatre, was remodeled and transformed into a world-class performing arts center. Renamed the Ellen Eccles Theatre, the theater has excellent acoustics and an intimate yet formal atmosphere that perfectly suited Ballam’s operatic vision. Utah Festival Opera currently stages four operas and a number of music performances during its month-long season.
The Caine Lyric Theatre is said to be home to a friendly, Shakespeare-loving ghost.
The Old Lyric (28 W. Center St., 435/797-8022) provides a summer season of musicals, comedies, and dramas in the historic Caine Lyric Theatre in downtown Logan. Visiting equity actors lead the shows produced by Utah State University’s drama department. Other Logan-area summer stock theaters also present light comedies and musicals.
The Mendon May Day Festival (435/753-3326) takes place 11 miles west of Logan and features a maypole dance—performed by kids who know their stuff—and other festivities. Mid-June brings the Logan Summerfest (435/213-3858) to downtown Logan with works by local artists, music, and food.
The Cache County Fair and Rodeo (435/755-1462) has agricultural and craft exhibits along with a Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rodeo at the fairgrounds in Logan during August.
Early September brings the longest one-day bicycle road race (206 miles) in the country. LoToJa (www.lotojaclassic.com) riders take the back roads from Logan to Jackson Hole, Wyoming. In mid-September, the Top of Utah Marathon (www.topofutahmarathon.com) follows a gentle downhill course and is a qualifying race for the Boston Marathon.
Willow Park (450 W. 700 S.) is a good place for a picnic and has the added attractions of a small zoo, a playground, volleyball courts, and a softball field. Bicentennial Park (100 S. Main St.) offers picnic spots downtown. The outdoor Logan Aquatic Center (451 S. 500 W., 435/716-9266, June-Labor Day) has a 50-meter lap pool, a diving pool, and a kids pool with two waterslides. The Sports Academy (1655 N. 200 E., 435/753-7500) has indoor and outdoor pools and all the features of a good gym. The Community Recreation Center (195 S. 100 W., 435/750-9877) features tennis and handball-racquetball courts, basketball, volleyball, a weight room, an indoor track, table tennis, a sauna, and a whirlpool. Tennis courts are also available at Mount Logan Middle School (875 N. 200 E.), Central Park (85 S. 300 E.), and Worthington Park at Logan High School (162 W. 100 S.).
The cool and verdant Cache Valley is especially suited to golf, and there are some dandy courses in the Logan area. Play at the 18-hole municipal Logan River Golf Course (550 W. 1000 S., 435/750-0123, $26); the 18-hole Birch Creek Golf Course (600 E. Center St., Smithfield, 435/563-6825, $28), seven miles north; or the small but pretty nine-hole Sherwood Hills (Sardine Canyon, U.S. 89/91, 435/245-6055, $16 for nine holes), 13 miles southwest, which is part of the Sardine Canyon conference center, hotel, and spa (435/245-6424). Facilities here include swimming pools, horseback riding, cross-country ski trails, racquetball, and tennis.
Ice-skating is popular in winter at Central Park (85 S. 300 E.). The Beaver Creek Lodge (Hwy. 39, 435/946-4485 or 800/946-4485, http://beavercreeklodge.com), 28 miles east of Logan on Highway 39, offers snowmobile rentals plus cross-country ski trails in winter. Just next door is the Beaver Mountain Ski Area (Garden City, 435/946-3610 or 435/753-0921, www.skithebeav.com, 9am-4pm daily early Dec.-late Mar., $45 adults, $35 over age 64 and under age 12), a family-owned downhill area served by four lifts.
Logan’s motels are generally well maintained and moderately priced. For a basic inexpensive guest room at a busy road junction south of downtown, try the Super 8 Motel (865 S. U.S. 89/91, 435/753-8883, $50-60). Right downtown, the M Best Western Baugh Motel (153 S. Main St., 435/752-5220, www.bestwesternbaugh.com, $78) offers large guest rooms, an outdoor swimming pool, and an exercise room.
Head uphill from downtown for a guest room at the M University Inn (4300 Old Main Hill, 435/797-0017 or 800/231-5634, www.usu.edu/univinn, $84-124), a modern mirrored-glass building on the USU campus. Although it’s a ways from downtown, it’s convenient to university-area restaurants and the Aggie Ice Cream Shop—in fact, guest rooms come with vouchers for free ice cream and a chance to work off some of the butterfat at the university’s rec center.
The recently remodeled Crystal Inn (853 S. Main St., 435/752-0707 or 800/280-0707, www.crystalinnlogan.com, $85-115) has an indoor pool, a fitness room, a hot tub, and nicely furnished guest rooms with efficiency kitchens. In addition to the more common complimentary breakfast, the Crystal Inn offers a free light dinner. The inn’s shuttle van can take you from the busy south end of Main Street to the opera or to events at the university.
The M Best Western Weston Inn (250 N. Main St., 435/752-5700 or 800/280-0707, www.westoninn.com, $100-120) has a great location in the center of downtown as well as an indoor pool, a hot tub, and complimentary breakfast; it accepts some pets.
The Springhill Suites Marriott (635 S. Riverwoods Pkwy., 435/750-5180, www.marriott.com, $109-139) is the most upscale hotel in town, with modern decor, a pool and a fitness center, and complimentary breakfast. Although its address is confusing, it’s basically on South Main Street, right next to the equally upscale Elements restaurant.
Like most Holiday Inn Express (2235 N. Main St., 435/752-3444 or 877/859-5095, www.hiexpress.com, $115-129) properties, the one at the north end of Logan is fairly new and quite comfortable, providing the chain’s reliably nice beds and linens and an indoor pool.
One of the more unusual places to stay in Logan is Anniversary Inn (169 E. Center St., 435/752-3443, www.anniversaryinn.com, $119-299), a complex of heritage homes with more than 30 themed guest rooms, including the “Bikers Roadhouse.” The decor is fun, but it can be a bit over-the-top. All guest rooms have big-screen TVs and private baths with jetted tubs; breakfast is delivered to your room. Children are not permitted, and reservations are required.
Hang with Logan’s hipsters at Caffe Ibis.
Just a block off Main Street in a pretty neighborhood, Seasons at the Riter Mansion (168 N. 100 E., 435/752-7727 or 800/478-7459, www.theritermansion.com, $99-169) is a B&B that’s a popular spot for weddings (don’t plan to stay here on a June weekend). Unlike many B&Bs, families with kids are welcome; of the six guest rooms, one is a family suite, and another is geared toward business travelers.
U.S. Forest Service campgrounds, six miles east of town on U.S. 89 in Logan Canyon, are the best bets for tent campers. At Hyrum State Park, the Lake View Campground (Hwy. 165, 435/245-6866, reservations 800/322-3770, http://stateparks.utah.gov, $16) is about seven miles south of town. Traveland RV Park (2020 S. U.S. 89/91, 435/787-2020, www.travelandrvpark.net, year-round, $38) has a few tent sites ($20) but is best for large RVs.
If you’re looking for a really good cup of coffee, a pastry, or perhaps a salad for lunch, head to pleasantly alternative Caffe Ibis (52 Federal Ave., 435/753-4777, www.caffeibis.com, 6am-7pm Mon.-Sat., 8am-6pm Sun., $2-10). Another great spot for pastries and sandwiches is M Crumb Brothers Artisan Bread (291 S. 300 W., 435/792-6063, http://crumbbrothers.com, 7am-2pm Mon.-Fri., 8am-2pm Sun., $2-9), in a pretty setting near many of Logan’s historic homes.
If you’re headed up Logan Canyon, take a little detour onto the old highway to find hip Herm’s Inn (1420 E. Canyon Rd., 435/792-4321, www.hermsinn.com, 7am-2pm daily, $5-12), housed in a historic brick building; it has a great full breakfast. Lunch features classic sandwiches (tuna melt, club) and salads (cobb).
It pays to venture to the university area to find Tandoori Oven (720 E. 1000 N., 435/750-6836, www.tandooriovenlogan.com, 11am-10pm Mon.-Sat., $9-16), part of a minimart. The Indian food is delicious, and the restaurant gets crowded at dinnertime.
Head to the old train depot at the west end of Center Street, where ¡Cafe Sabor! (600 W. Center St., 435/752-8088, www.cafesabor.com, 11am-10pm Mon.-Thurs., 11am-11pm Fri.-Sat., $9-14) offers tasty Mexican and Southwest-inspired fare, including a few pasta dishes. The tortillas and salsas are all made fresh on the premises. There’s outdoor dining on the shaded passenger platforms.
For something uniquely Loganesque, try the Bluebird Restaurant (19 N. Main St., 435/752-3155, 11am-9:30pm Mon.-Sat., $5-12), a beautifully maintained soda fountain, chocolatier, and restaurant that appears unchanged since the 1930s. Except for the candy, the food is secondary to the atmosphere.
Another only-in-Utah place is the Beehive Grill (255 S. Main St., 435/753-2600, www.thebeehivegrill.com, 11:30am-10pm Sun.-Thurs., 11:30am-11pm Fri.-Sat., $7-17), a root beer brewpub. It’s owned by the same people that brew beer at Moab Brewery, and it also serves the alcoholic stuff as well as better than average pub food, including vegan and gluten-free options.
Also a Logan tradition, Gia’s Restaurant (119 S. Main St., 435/752-8384, www.giasrestaurant.com, 5pm-10pm Mon.-Sat., 9:30am-9pm Sun., $9-14) has an atmospheric dining room and is a good bet for a traditional Italian meal.
Northern Utah’s best artisan baked goods are produced and sold at Crumb Brothers, on the outskirts of downtown Logan.
High-quality northern Italian cooking is served up in a charming atmosphere, with live jazz on weekend nights, at M Le Nonne Ristorante Italiano (129 N. 100 E., 435/752-9577, www.lenonne.com, 11:30am-2pm Fri.-Sat., 5:30pm-9:30pm Mon.-Sat., $10-23). The chef-owner hails from Tuscany, and the cuisine reflects cooking learned from his nonne (grandmothers).
Jack’s Wood Fired Oven (256 N. Main St., 435/754-7523, www.jacksoven.com, 11:30am-2:30pm and 5pm-9pm Mon.-Sat., $4-15) turns out tasty thin-crust pizza, easily the best in town.
One of the most stylish restaurants around these parts is Elements (640 S. 35 E., 435/750-5170, www.theelementsrestaurant.com, 11am-9pm Mon.-Thurs., 11am-10pm Fri.-Sat., $12-28), which serves well-prepared updated American cuisine from its location next to the Marriott Springhill Suites. Even the cheapest menu item, a burger with onion marmalade, buttermilk blue cheese, and applewood bacon, is quite good. If the weather is nice, ask to be seated outside.
The Cache Valley Visitors Bureau (199 N. Main St., 435/755-1890, www.tourcachevalley.com, 8am-5pm Mon.-Fri.) is housed in a beautiful old courthouse downtown and has information for Cache and Rich Counties, including Logan and Bear Lake. To learn more about local history and architecture, ask for Logan’s Historic Main Street, a brochure outlining a self-guided 45-minute walking tour. For recreation information and maps of the surrounding mountain country, visit the Logan Ranger District Office (1500 E. U.S. 89, 435/755-3620, 8am-4:30pm Mon.-Fri. fall-spring, 8am-5pm Mon.-Fri. summer), at the entrance to Logan Canyon.
Logan Regional Hospital (1400 N. 500 E., 435/716-1000) provides 24-hour emergency care. There is a Post Office (151 N. 100 W., 435/752-7246).
Salt Lake Express (800/356-9796, www.saltlakeexpress.com) buses stop at several Logan hotels and make 12 trips a day to Salt Lake City; the fare is about $30. Free city buses (435/752-2877, www.cvtdbus.org) run throughout town. Pick up schedules and a map at the visitors bureau (199 N. Main St.).
Southwest of Logan, and just east of I-15, Crystal Hot Springs (8215 N. Hwy. 38, Honeyville, 435/279-8104, www.crystalhotsprings.net, 10am-10pm Mon.-Sat., 10am-8pm Sun. Memorial Day-Labor Day, noon-9pm Mon.-Thurs., noon-10pm Fri., 10am-10pm Sat., 11am-7pm Sun. Labor Day-Memorial Day, $6 adults, $4.50 seniors and ages 3-12) is fed by natural hot and cold springs. The little resort has a large swimming pool, a hot soaking pool, a waterslide, and campsites (tents $15, hookups $25). During the summer, the large pool is closed on Thursday for cleaning; during the winter, it is only open Friday night and Saturday-Sunday.
The Little Bear River feeds a popular 450-acre reservoir in Hyrum State Park (405 W. 300 S., Hyrum, 435/245-6866, http://stateparks.utah.gov, day-use $6), beside the town of Hyrum, about seven miles south of Logan. Boaters come to water-ski, sail, or paddle across the waters. Sandy beaches dot the shore, although no lifeguards watch over the area. Fishing in the lake isn’t great, but anglers sometimes have good luck in the river just below the spillway during spring runoff.
The park has two developed areas on the north shore: The Lake View Campground (reservations 800/322-3770, $16) and launch area has picnic grounds, a beach, a boat ramp, docks, and the ranger office. Campground reservations are advised on summer weekends. Most park visitors head for the day-use area farther east along the shore for picnicking, lying on the beach, and swimming. It’s reached by a 0.5-mile drive (follow the signs) or a 0.5-mile trail from the campground. The park makes a good base for exploring the Cache Valley area; rangers can suggest places to go and, in the winter, provide snowmobiling information. From Logan, drive south seven miles on Hyrum Road (Hwy. 165), which branches off U.S. 89/91 on the south edge of town, or go southwest six miles on U.S. 89/91, then turn east and go three miles on Highway 101 and follow signs.
The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (435/753-6206, http://wildlife.utah.gov/hardwareranch) operates this ranch in the middle of the northern Wasatch Range to provide winter feed for herds of elk. In winter, concessionaires offer sleigh rides ($5 adults, $3 ages 4-8) for a closer look at the elk, and wagon rides if there’s not enough snow. A visitors center (noon-5pm Mon. and Fri., 10am-5pm Sat.-Sun. mid-Dec.-Feb.), with displays, is also open in winter. During the spring calving season, you might see newborn baby elk. You’re not likely to see elk here in the summer months, but the drive in is still pretty. Call before heading out; the ranch has some seasonal closures.
The 16-mile paved road from Hyrum east to Hardware Ranch follows the scenic Blacksmith Fork Canyon past fishing spots (trout and whitefish), Shenoah Picnic Area, and Pioneer Campground (has water, 435/755-3620, late May-late Sept., $13). Two small campgrounds, Friendship Campground and Spring Campground (no water, 877/444-6777, late May-mid-Sept., $7) are to the north along the Left Hand Fork of Blacksmith Canyon. An extensive snowmobile trail system extends from Hardware Ranch as far as Logan Canyon to the north and the Monte Cristo area to the south, with many side trails.
From its mouth on the east edge of Logan, Logan Canyon, with its steep limestone cliffs, winds more than 20 miles into the Bear River Range, a northern extension of the Wasatch Mountains. Paved U.S. 89 follows the canyon and is a designated scenic byway. If you’re looking for a day trip out of Logan, just head up the canyon; you’ll pass lots of picnic areas, campgrounds, fishing spots, and hiking trails where you can easily spend a few blissful hours.
Steep slopes on the west rise to rolling plateau country across the top of the range, and moderate slopes descend to Bear Lake on the east. The route climbs to an elevation of 7,800 feet at Bear Lake Summit, which offers a good view of the lofty Uintas of northeastern Utah. In autumn, maples of the lower canyon turn a brilliant crimson while aspens in the higher country are transformed to gold. Roadside geological signs explain features in Logan Canyon. Picnicking is free at picnic areas, but you have to pay to picnic at some campgrounds.
A mile-by-mile guide to the canyon is available from the Cache Valley travel office (199 N. Main St., 435/755-1890, www.tourcachevalley.com, 8am-5pm Mon.-Fri.) in Logan.
A number of easy to moderate hikes makes Logan Canyon a lovely and convenient destination for a little exercise and an eyeful of nature. Four miles up the canyon, Riverside Nature Trail winds along the Logan River between Spring Hollow and Guinavah Campgrounds, a 1.5-mile (one-way) stroll with good bird-watching opportunities. From Guinavah, you can loop back to Spring Hollow via the Crimson Trail; this more strenuous trail takes you up the limestone cliffs and down in another two miles. It takes its name from the autumn colors visible along the way. Five miles up is the Wind Cave Trailhead. Wind Cave, with eroded caverns and arches, is one mile and a 1,100-foot climb from the trailhead.
The drive up Logan Canyon is lovely, with many opportunities to stop and hike.
Jardine Juniper Trail begins at Wood Camp Campground, 10 miles up the canyon. The trail climbs 1,900 vertical feet in 4.4 miles to Old Jardine, a venerable Rocky Mountain juniper tree. Still alive after 1,500 years, it measures about 27 feet in circumference and 45 feet high. A mile farther up the canyon is Logan Cave, a 2,000-foot-long cavern where a gate protects the endangered Townsend’s big-eared bats that nest and hibernate here.
Forest Road 174 takes off to the north about 20 miles from Logan and provides access to Tony Grove Lake, an exceptionally pretty high mountain lake (elev. 8,050 feet) with a nature trail, a campground, and trails into the Mount Naomi Wilderness. The eight-mile roundtrip hike to Naomi Peak is known for its wildflower displays.
At Bear Lake Summit, 30 miles from Logan, the Limber Pine Nature Trail originates at the parking area on the right and terminates at a massive limber pine 25 feet in circumference and 44 feet high. At one time this tree was thought to be the world’s oldest and largest limber pine, but a forestry professor at USU discovered that it is really five trees grown together and “only” about 560 years old. The easy self-guided walk takes about an hour; Bear Lake can be seen to the east.
cold water gushing from the rocks at a Logan Canyon spring
Beaver Mountain Ski Area (Garden City, snow and road conditions 435/753-4822, office, ski school, and lift tickets 435/753-0921, www.skithebeav.com, 9am-4pm daily early Dec.-late Mar., $45 adults, $35 over age 64 and under age 12) operates four chairlifts serving 47 runs, the longest of which is 2.25 miles and drops 1,600 vertical feet. A cafeteria, ski shop, rentals, and lessons are available at the day lodge. Half-day passes are available for about $5 less for morning skiing (9am-12:30pm). Go northeast 28 miles on U.S. 89, then north 1.5 miles on Highway 243.
A handsome timber and stone lodge, Beaver Creek Lodge (435/753-1707 or 800/946-4485, www.beavercreeklodge.com, $129-149) not only offers guest rooms but also has horseback trail rides, snowmobile rentals, and cross-country ski trails in winter. The layout and modest size of the lodge makes it a good place for group get-togethers. The lodge is about 28 miles northeast on U.S. 89, just past the turnoff for Beaver Mountain Ski Area.
There are 10 Forest Service campgrounds along U.S. 89 in Logan Canyon, so finding a place to pitch a tent is usually pretty easy. In the following listings, the higher prices denote double-size campsites. The closest ones to Logan are Bridger (no reservations, mid-May-early Sept., $13-26) and Spring Hollow (877/444-6777, www.recreation.gov, mid-May-mid-Oct., $15-30, $9 reservation fee) campgrounds, three and four miles from town, respectively. Wood Camp Campground (U.S. 89, 435/755-3620, no reservations, mid-May-mid-Oct., $13) is 10 miles up Logan Canyon. Tony Grove Campground (877/444-6777, www.recreation.gov, mid-June-Sept., $15-30, $9 reservation fee) is 19 miles east of Logan at 8,100 feet elevation. Expect cool temps and possibly snow in summer. The 7,000-foot-high Sunrise Campground (877/444-6777, www.recreation.gov, late May-Sept., $15-30, $9 reservation fee), about 30 miles from Logan, has good views of Bear Lake.
More than 28,000 years ago, faulting in massive blocks of the earth’s crust created a basin 50 miles long and 12 miles wide. Bear Lake filled the entire valley during the last ice age, but it has now receded to cover an area 20 miles long and 8 miles wide at an elevation of 5,900 feet. About half the lake is in Utah and half in Idaho. The lake’s famed turquoise color is thought to be caused by limestone particles suspended in the water.
In recent years, thousands of summer homes and condo developments have sprouted along the shore and hillsides to take advantage of the scenery and water sports. Bear Lake State Park offers a marina and campground on the west shore, a large camping area on the south shore at Rendezvous Beach, and undeveloped campgrounds on the east shore. For information on Bear Lake, contact the Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau (435/946-2197 or 800/448-2327, www.bearlake.org).
This small town (year-round pop. 460), on the lake’s west shore at the junction of U.S. 89 and Highway 30, comes to life in summer. There are a number of shops, restaurants, and hotels as well as the Pickleville Playhouse (Hwy. 30, 2.8 miles south of Garden City, 435/946-2918, www.picklevilleplayhouse.com), which features family entertainment on summer evenings. A Western-style cookout precedes the show.
The town celebrates the harvest of its most famous crop with the Raspberry Days Festival, the first weekend in August, featuring a parade, the crowning of Miss Raspberry, a Little Buckaroo Rodeo, crafts, and entertainment.
The 71,000 acres of Bear Lake allow plenty of room to water-ski, sail, or fish. Bear Lake State Park (1030 N. Bear Lake Blvd., 435/946-3343, http://stateparks.utah.gov) offers three recreation areas. On the lake’s west side, the marina (435/946-2717, year-round, day-use $8, boat slip $20) is one mile north of Garden City on U.S. 89, with boat slips protected by a breakwater. There’s also a boat ramp, a swimming area, picnic tables, a campground with showers, and ranger offices. Most of the boating action involves powerboats; waterskiing and Jet Skis are both very popular. Boat rentals, including canoes, kayaks, and waterskiing boats, as well as guided tours are available at the marina; be sure to call ahead if you want a slip.
Bear Lake, at the east end of U.S. 89, is a popular summer vacation spot.
Wide and sandy, Rendezvous Beach (May-Sept., day-use $8), eight miles south of Garden City near Laketown, attracts visitors to the lake’s southern shore. The park has a day-use area and four campgrounds ($16-25) with showers. A concessionaire (866/946-2900, www.bearlakefun.com) provides boat rentals and a few cabins ($89 with no bed linens, $109 with linens).
East Beach is on the lake’s much less developed eastern shore. In addition to the state park boat ramps, six primitive campgrounds ($10) and day-use areas ($5) are about all that’s here.
Four species of fish not found any other place in the world evolved in Bear Lake. One of these, the Bonneville cisco, spawns in January and attracts loyal anglers to dip or jig these small tasty fish from the icy water. Ice fishing is very popular; fish sought year-round by anglers include the native Bear Lake cutthroat and Bonneville whitefish and the introduced rainbow and Mackinaw trout and yellow perch. Keep an eye out for the Bear Lake monster—a 90-foot-long dark dragon-like creature that spouts water.
The Lodge (50 S. Bear Lake Blvd., 435/946-3271, http://bearlakemotorlodge.com, $79-109), just south of the U.S. 89-Highway 30 junction, has very basic guest rooms, some with kitchenettes, plus a restaurant and beach access. Pets are accepted here.
Ideal Beach Resort (2144 S. Bear Lake Blvd., 435/946-3364 or 800/634-1018, www.idealbeachresort.com, motel rooms $105-159, half-week condos $415-1,200), 3.3 miles south of Garden City, offers motel rooms and lots of privately owned condos that rent for a half-week or longer year-round, plus camping and a restaurant. The Ideal also offers boat rentals, a beach, swimming pools, tennis, and miniature golf.
Several other companies, including Bear Lake Lodging (435/946-3300, www.bearlakelodging.com, $119-549) rent condos and cabins; many of these focus on housing large groups.
Bear Lake State Park (1030 N. Bear Lake Blvd., 800/322-3770, http://stateparks.utah.gov/reservations) has several campgrounds to choose from. Ask at the entrance station for recommended places to camp; some sites have lake views, while others are set up mainly for RVs or groups. There are four campgrounds at Rendezvous Beach: Birch ($25), Cottonwood ($16), Big Creek ($25), and Willow (group sites only). Facilities include a ranger station, showers, and a dump station. South Eden Campground ($10) has primitive sites with vault toilets and water.
In addition to the state park campgrounds, there’s the Bear Lake/Garden City KOA (485 N. Bear Lake Rd., 435/946-3454, www.koa.com, Apr.-Oct., tents $29, RVs $39-47), 0.8 miles north of Garden City on U.S. 89 near the state park marina. It offers a swimming pool, miniature golf, tennis, a store, showers, cabins, and laundry.
There are many places to stop for a burger or a raspberry shake, and several motels have restaurants associated with them. But the most appealing place is iCafe Sabor! (21 E. 75 N., 435/946-3297, www.cafesabor.com, 11am-10pm Mon.-Thurs., 11am-11pm Fri.-Sat., 11am-9pm Sun., $9-14), the Bear Lake outpost of the popular Logan restaurant.
