Salt Lake CitySituated in a basin between the rugged, snow-covered Wasatch mountain range to the east and the
Great Salt Lake to the west,
Salt Lake City's scenic backdrop frames a pleasantly spacious and hassle-free city that is surprisingly sensible and down-to-earth for a growing state capital.
The vast salty wasteland that ultimately became one of
America's prize cities was originally picked out by a band of Mormon pioneers who were searching for a quiet spot where they could follow their faith undisturbed by the world. Led by
Brigham Young, leader of the Church of Jesus Christ
of
Latter-Day Saints, the followers surveyed the desolate-looking valley of the Great Salt Lake basin and declared it to be the peaceful haven they had been seeking for the past five months. 'This Is The Place' Heritage Park commemorates the site where they ended their trek, named after the famous words uttered by Young in 1847. To this day the city is dominated by the Mormon influence, with more than 40 percent of the population belonging to the Latter-Day Saints. Visitors come to listen to the singing of the exceptional
Mormon Tabernacle Choir and to see the fascinating
Temple Square that is the spiritual headquarters of the Mormon faith and the heart of the city.
Despite being steeped in religious tradition, Salt Lake City is rapidly emerging as one of the foremost business locations in the country, attracting large numbers of high-technology firms and software corporations, and a favored venue for major corporate and professional conferences and conventions. The city is also growing in reputation as an outdoor recreation center, enhanced by its international recognition as the excellent host of the
2002 Winter Olympics. Throngs of outdoor enthusiasts are drawn to the nearby mountains where world-class skiing is offered at top resorts, as well as miles of stunning mountain trails for hiking, biking and rock climbing. Salt Lake City is also within a day's drive of numerous national and state parks, rivers, forests and canyons, offering endless opportunities for outdoor sports and recreation.
Getting Around: The
Utah Transit Authority provides extensive public transport coverage in Salt Lake City by means of a light rail system called TRAX, and an excellent bus service. One-day passes are available for use on both TRAX and the city buses, and there is an extensive fare-free area for both forms of transport downtown around Temple Square. During the winter a ski bus connects the city to nearby ski resorts. There is no public transport service on New Year's Day, Thanksgiving or Christmas. Metered taxis are freely available throughout the city and can be hailed on the street or ordered by telephone. Self-driving in Salt Lake City is fairly straightforward as the city is designed on a grid system with wide streets and a freeway system connecting the suburbs and surrounding areas.
Climate: Salt Lake City enjoys four distinct seasons, but temperatures are never too extreme to be uncomfortable. Summers are warm, dry and sunny with low humidity. Fall is pleasantly mild and cool. Winter daytime temperatures are seldom below freezing, and powdery snow sprinkles the surrounding mountains. Winter nights, though, can be very cold. Skiing can continue well into spring, although in the valley conditions are milder.
Southern National ParksSituated in southern
Utah are five national parks of spectacular beauty, each with unique geological formations, cliffs and canyons of every imaginable color, and mighty rivers.
The most well-known parks are
Bryce Canyon, with its weird orange 'hoodoo' pinnacle formations, and the magnificent lush canyons of
Zion National Park. Canyonlands is the largest national park in Utah, a largely inaccessible landscape eroded into countless canyons and plateaus by the
Colorado and
Green Rivers that divide the park into three districts. The most accessible area of the park is the Island in the Sky District offering breathtaking views, while the Needles Region features spires, arches and red and white striped rock pinnacles that hold numerous opportunities for hikers. The rugged Maze District is the most remote section and is practically inaccessible.
The more visitor-friendly red desert landscape of
Arches National Park features thousands of natural sandstone arches and other fantastic rock formations such as pinnacles, balanced rocks and spires that can be reached by short trails or roads, making the major sights easily accessible, including Fiery Furnace, Balanced Rock and the park's most famous feature, Delicate Arch. In the center of Utah is the state's newest park, Capitol Reef. Its main feature is the multi-layered orange, red and white cliff walls that formed a seemingly impassable rock barrier to early pioneers, stretching for hundreds of miles and known as the Waterpocket Fold. Lifted up by forces within the earth's crust, the peaks and pinnacles formed sandstone sections that reminded them of the white domes of capitol buildings.
There are very few roads bisecting the southwestern region and it is difficult to access most of the backcountry, even within the national parks, where roads are limited to high-clearance vehicles, hikers and mountain bikers. One of the best ways to experience the landscape is by river and there are numerous companies offering whitewater rafting and gentle river trips with plenty of opportunities to admire the scenery.
