Utah is a landlocked U.S. state, bordered by Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Idaho, Nevada, and Wyoming. It is a mountainous state, so unsurprisingly has some of the United States’ best national parks and outdoor spaces.

If you enjoy hiking, cycling, rock climbing, or any other form of outdoor sport, then Utah’s somewhere that you may want to visit. In addition to all of the aforementioned sports, Utah’s also a great place to go kayaking.

This post will tell you about some of Utah’s best national and state parks as well as outdoor spaces that you should consider visiting: 

Zion National Park

Zion National Park is Utah’s first national park and the one that’s been visited most. On weekends and on national holidays, the park can get very busy. Thankfully, private cars aren’t allowed in and shuttle buses are used. This makes getting in (and around) a lot easier. The park has over 100 miles of trails, formerly the home of indigenous tribespeople. According to the Global Alliance of National Parks, the park’s diverse ecosystem includes desert, coniferous forest, riparian, and woodland. Because of the large number of trails that run through the park, it’s a good idea to buy a map before you visit, and meticulously work out your journey. It is not uncommon for people to get lost in the park, because of how big it is. If you do visit, then make sure that you stick to the marked trails.

Canyonlands National Park

Canyonlands National Park is another of Utah’s national parks and is the second most popular. Canyonlands is the state’s largest park, so it is especially important to stick to marked trails there. If you don’t want to hike, then you can take a Jeep tour through the park. It’s also possible to go hiking, kayaking, rock climbing, rafting, and mountain biking there. A lot of people camp overnight in Canyonlands, thanks to the park’s free dispersed camping and developed campgrounds. There are hotels located nearby in Moab and Blanding, too.

Capitol Reef National Park

Capitol Reef isn’t Utah’s largest park by any stretch, but it is very long! The park is less than 20 miles wide but is over 100 miles long. There are roads that go through the park, but the vast majority of visitors agree that the best way to see this park is by foot. There are several hiking trails that you can take, in addition to a cycle path. You are able to get a camping permit from the park’s visitor center.

Arches National Park

Arches is located near Canyonlands National Park, north of Moab. The park’s name comes from the fact that there are over 2,000 natural sandstone arches. There are some other very interesting geological formations there, lie the Devil’s Garden and the Balanced Rock.

Dead Horse State Park

Moving away from national parks and on to Utah’s state parks, the first that has to be mentioned is Dead Horse State Park, which is located in the Moab area. This park is a much quieter park than the others that have been mentioned here, mostly because it is overshadowed by the two national parks located in close proximity to it. If you are going to visit, then plan out your route, and consider going camping. You can camp here with a permit, too. If you want a much quieter hike, then this is definitely the place for you to visit. However, because it’s quieter, you need to exercise more caution and be more strict in adhering to the trails.

Kodachrome Basin State Park

Kodachrome Basin State Park was named by explorers in the 1940s. The park is best known for its bizarre natural rock formations and dried-up geysers. As with the previously mentioned park, it is very quiet, which means that it’s a fantastic place to visit if you are looking for somewhere that is off the beaten track and isn’t overrun by tourists and other hikers. Again though, you must exercise caution and adhere to the hiking trails. You mustn’t deviate from them. The park is vast, so if you do you could get lost. It’s a good idea to check in at the park’s visitor center before heading out if you are going on a quiet day.

Edge of the Cedars State Park

Lastly, you may want to consider visiting Edge of the Cedars State Park. Edge of the Cedars State Park is a fantastic visit for anyone that’s interested in the history of America’s indigenous peoples. There are ruins and petroglyphs left behind here by the Ancestral Puebloan, Ute, Hopi, and Navajo people, which are available for all to see. In addition to ancient ruins, the area also has a lot of interesting natural rock formations.

Utah has some of America’s most breathtaking and interesting national parks. If you haven’t ever visited before, then this summer’s a great time too. If you really want to try something awesome, then consider going rock climbing. Rock climbing’s a lot of fun. You may also want to cycle some of the trails available in the parks listed here.