“Utah will yet become the treasure house of the nation.”
Abraham Lincoln, America’s 16th president, famously said those words in 1862, three decades before Utah would officially become a state. While President Lincoln was referring primarily to the rich deposits of gold and silver found there, he was prophetic in recognizing that Utah would also become a treasure for generations of travelers to come.
Visitors descend upon “The Beehive State” for a variety of reasons, with two at the forefront. One is the natural beauty that can be found in literally every corner of the state. Utah features five national parks (“The Mighty Five,” as they are often called: Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion), 46 state parks, nine national monuments, 15 ski resorts, 26 certified Dark Sky Places, and 28 scenic byways. With so many natural wonders contained within its borders, Utah is a destination that travelers cannot experience in one single trip.
This sentiment is confirmed by Emma Kwanin, global markets manager for the Utah Office of Tourism.
“Even living here all my life,” Kwanin says, “I still feel like I’ve only scratched the surface of what Utah has to offer!” Not only is the landscape varied, but as Kwanin explains, the experience changes with the changing of the seasons. “From the snow-capped peaks of the Wasatch Range to the dramatic red rock canyons of the south, Utah provides an unparalleled variety of adventures that can’t be fully appreciated in a single trip.”
Utah’s diversity is striking to visitors, even during relatively short trips within the state.
“From Salt Lake City International Airport,” Kwanin shares, “you can be to Zion National Park in less than five hours. Going from alpine mountains to red rock canyons in that amount of time is pretty epic. Just imagine all the unique landscapes you see along the way!”
In fact, one of the itineraries that Kwanin encourages groups to experience is called “Hidden Gems,” which explores lesser-known sites along that very route.
When asked what other lesser-known itinerary ideas groups may want to consider, Kwanin provides two that could not be any more different from one another. One is an itinerary focused on dinosaurs.
“Utah’s history is rich and ancient,” Kwanin says. “Have you ever seen 1,500 dinosaur fossils on display? Have you ever touched a fossil along a trail still partially embedded in the rock it’s fossilized in? If not, it’s time for you to explore Utah’s dinosaur history!”
The other itinerary takes advantage of the aforementioned “Dark Sky Places” that Utah has to offer. In fact, Kwanin notes a multi-state itinerary, where travelers can experience stargazing not only in Utah, but in neighboring states Colorado and Arizona as well.
Though its natural beauty is a reason millions of visitors descend upon Utah each year, the other is its well-known religious heritage. As Kwanin explains, “When Latter-day Saint pioneers (commonly known as Mormons) arrived in the mid-19th century seeking refuge from religious persecution, they established Salt Lake City on the ancestral homelands of the Ute, Goshute, and Shoshone peoples, who were the first residents of the land.” The history of these pioneers can be explored throughout the state at sites such as the America West Heritage Center in Wellsville as well as Cove Fort and Bluff Fort.
Of course, Salt Lake City is the destination most closely connected with faith travel in the state, and for good reason. It is the home of the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the site of Temple Square. Kwanin says that Temple Square “is an experience in and of itself. When the temple is open regularly again, there are multiple buildings you can explore, including the beautiful grounds with amazing landscaping.” Kwanin also mentions the world-famous Tabernacle Choir, whose practices each week are open to the public.
As Kwanin’s quote suggests, the temple has not been open to the public since 2019. However, an extensive renovation is well underway and the temple is expected to reopen in 2026, with a public “open house” scheduled in 2027. In fact, tour operators and group leaders who are interested in learning more about the temple reopening are invited to a webinar on Wednesday, Nov. 5, at 2 p.m. Mountain Time. Those interested can click here to register (the meeting ID is 847 5274 8286).
The reopening of the Salt Lake Temple isn’t the only event that faith groups will want to have on their radar. The Springville Museum of Art hosts the Spiritual and Religious Art of Utah exhibit each fall and winter, while Spanish Fork hosts a Diwali Festival of Lights celebration each November. These events show that Utah isn’t only for visitors of the Mormon faith, a fact confirmed by the popularity of other faith sites throughout the state. These include the Montefiore Cemetery, one of three Jewish cemeteries in Salt Lake City; and the site of a personal memorial to those who lost their lives in the Holocaust.
Travelers who are not members of the LDS Church may also want to visit the beautiful Cathedral of the Madeleine, which is the “mother church” for Roman Catholics in the state of Utah, as well as the Salt Lake Buddhist Temple and the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Hindu Temple, also located in Salt Lake City.
With its diversity of faith travel offerings and sites of natural beauty, it’s obvious that Utah has indeed become the treasure that President Lincoln predicted it would be. It’s also a place that, as mentioned, cannot be truly experienced in one visit. “After you come once,” Utah native Kwanin explains, “you’ll be dying to see every nook and cranny of the state, knowing how much exploration and beauty there is to see and experience.”
For more information about group travel to Utah, contact Kwanin at ekwanin@utah.gov.
Top photo: churchofjesuschrist.org
