These are 100 things to do in Utah that you can drive to from Provo, enjoy, and still sleep in your own bed. Every one is three hours or less from downtown Provo by car, one way, and they are numbered in order of the drive: from a free art museum 13 minutes away in Springville to the aspen clone at Fish Lake, just under three hours south.
This page is the index. For the story of the classic day trips, read our day trips from Provo; for the parks and the pass arithmetic, Utah state parks within two hours of Provo; for the seasons, things to do in Utah in winter and in summer. Each entry below links to the Provo.com guide with the detail.
The rule: three hours, one way
Every entry passed one test: a one-way driving estimate of three hours or less from Center Street and University Avenue in downtown Provo, using OpenStreetMap routing (OSRM), to the place named in the entry, whether that is a visitor center, a trailhead, a parking area or a town's main street. Where another Provo.com guide had already measured the same place from the same corner, we used its figure so the two pages agree.
These are estimates without traffic. A Saturday in Provo Canyon, I-15 at 5 p.m., snow on a pass or a slow gravel road will all add time, so read each number as the least the drive will take. Three hours each way is six hours in the car; for the far end of this list, leave early and read our note on the drive home after dark.
Two kinds of places are left off on purpose: anything inside Provo itself, which has its own list, and anything outside Utah.
What just missed, and why no national park made it
The three-hour line cuts through some famous names. By the same kind of estimate from downtown Provo:
- Capitol Reef is about 3 hours 35 minutes to the visitor center and Arches about 3 hours 43 minutes, so none of Utah's five national parks is on this list. Our national parks ranked by drive and season covers them as overnights.
- Goblin Valley is about 3 hours 42 minutes, and Bear Lake a little over three hours, about 3 hours 14 minutes to Garden City. Our Bear Lake guide has the weekend version.
- Vernal's Utah Field House is about 3 hours 1 minute away and the Dinosaur National Monument quarry about 3 hours 28 minutes; the Vernal guide explains the trip.
- Spiral Jetty is 16 gravel miles past Golden Spike (number 95), about 3 hours 27 minutes in all. The Golden Spike and Spiral Jetty guide covers both.
- Jurassic National Monument (the Cleveland-Lloyd quarry) came in just over three hours, much of the last stretch on gravel; see Jurassic National Monument from Provo.
- Beaver Mountain in Logan Canyon is about 3 hours 10 minutes, and Brian Head about 3 hours 33 minutes.
- The Dugway Geode Beds, Simpson Springs on the Pony Express road and Deseret Peak are left off because the routing service cannot time their final gravel and forest roads reliably, and we would rather leave them out than guess. The geode beds guide budgets about an hour and a half on pavement plus at least as long on gravel, each way.
- Out of state, so off this list whatever the drive: Lava Hot Springs, Preston and Fossil Butte.
Before you go: three things that change the plan
Sundays. A surprising number of these close on Sunday: Thanksgiving Point, the Hutchings Museum, Camp Floyd, the Fillmore statehouse, the Topaz Museum, the Hill Aerospace Museum, the Wendover airfield museum and Logan's Aggie Ice Cream creamery, by their posted hours in October 2026. FrontRunner does not run on Sunday either. The lakes, canyons and trails keep their usual hours.
Winter. The high roads close with snow: the Alpine Loop, the Nebo Loop, the upper Mirror Lake Highway and the road to Albion Basin above Alta, and the places that depend on them close with them. Check our canyon and road conditions page before any mountain day between November and June.
Passes. Twenty-three of the hundred are Utah state parks or monuments, and several more are Forest Service fee sites, where an America the Beautiful pass works instead. The state parks page does the annual-pass math.
The 100, nearest first
Under an hour (1 to 43)
Forty-three of the hundred are an hour or less away, which means a weeknight or a free afternoon. Salt Lake City's downtown entries sit inside the TRAX free fare zone, so they work by FrontRunner too, any day but Sunday.
1. Springville Museum of Art
About 13 minutes, 7 miles to the museum at 126 East 400 South, Springville. Utah's first art museum grew out of a high school: in 1903 two artists gave Springville High School two works, the students kept collecting, and the town eventually put up a building to hold what they had gathered. Its Utah collection rewards slow looking, so plan on more than the forty minutes most people budget. Cost: Admission has traditionally been free; the museum's own site settles it. Season: Indoor, all year. More: Springville Museum of Art guide.
2. Bridal Veil Falls State Monument
About 15 minutes, 9 miles to the falls in lower Provo Canyon. Utah State Parks now lists the waterfall in Provo Canyon as a state monument, with Utah County running it day to day. A trail from the main parking lot reaches the falls, and the neighboring Bridal Veil Falls Park has picnic tables, grills and lawns. Cost: The state's page lists no fee. Season: Open all year; snow can limit the trail in winter. More: Bridal Veil Falls guide. Utah State Parks
3. Vivian Park and the Provo River
About 19 minutes, 12 miles to Vivian Park at the South Fork turnoff. One of Provo Canyon's two main developed day-use areas, right off US-189 with picnic space beside the river. The stretch of the Provo below it is what people mean when they talk about tubing the Provo; flows change through the season and early-summer runoff turns a friendly float into something else. Cost: Day-use and reservation fees are set by the managing agency; ask when you book. Season: Summer for the river; winter access depends on snow. More: Vivian Park and Nunn's Park guide.
4. Hutchings Museum, Lehi
About 22 minutes, 17 miles to the museum on Center Street in old downtown Lehi. A small hands-on natural and cultural history museum built on the collections of John and Eunice Hutchings: rocks, dinosaur material, mounted birds, pioneer rifles and Native American artifacts, with docents who make the visit. Cost: $8 for ages 13 and older, $6 for children 3 to 12 and veterans, as listed by the museum. Season: Tuesday through Saturday, open until 8 p.m. on Wednesdays and Thursdays; closed Sunday and Monday. More: Hutchings Museum guide.
5. Hobble Creek Canyon
About 23 minutes, 12 miles to the Hobble Creek golf course. Springville's canyon begins where Canyon Road leaves town from I-15 exit 260 and 400 South. It is not a designated recreation fee area, so there is no gate and no pass; the city golf course sits in the canyon, and two concessionaire-run Forest Service campgrounds line the Right Fork, both in bear country. Cost: Free to drive; golf and camping are paid. Season: Winter limits you to the lower canyon; the golf course can open as early as mid-March. More: Hobble Creek Canyon guide.
6. Battle Creek Falls
About 25 minutes, 13 miles to the Battle Creek trailhead in Pleasant Grove. The short hike Utah Valley sends people on with ninety minutes and small children: published round trips run 1.2 to 1.6 miles with about 450 feet of climbing to a fifty-foot falls you can walk right up to. In winter it freezes into a hollow cone of ice that locals call the ice volcano. Cost: Free. Season: All year; the most water in spring melt, a trickle by late summer. More: Battle Creek Falls guide. Forest Service
7. Deer Creek State Park
About 25 minutes, 18 miles to the park entrance on US-189. The reservoir below Mount Timpanogos at the top of Provo Canyon, with boating, windsurfing, swimming and fishing on the water and floating, kayaking and fishing on the lower Provo River. Life jackets are required for everyone on a vessel, paddleboards included. Cost: $20 per vehicle from March 19 to October 20, $15 the rest of the year. Season: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., all year, with self-pay at every entrance. More: Deer Creek and Jordanelle guide. Utah State Parks
8. Thanksgiving Point
About 26 minutes, 21 miles to the campus in Lehi. The nonprofit campus runs seven ticketed venues, among them the Museum of Ancient Life with its mounted dinosaurs, the 50-acre Ashton Gardens and a working farm, plus the Luminaria lights in winter. The whole campus, restaurants included, is closed on Sundays. Cost: Ticketed by venue; museum entry is timed, so buy ahead. Season: All year, Monday through Saturday; closed Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. More: Thanksgiving Point guide; dinosaur museums compared. Thanksgiving Point
9. Sundance Mountain Resort
About 26 minutes, 16 miles to the resort base in the North Fork of Provo Canyon. The small resort about 14 miles up Provo Canyon, with an 8,250-foot summit and the biggest expansion in its modern history under way: a new base hotel opened in January 2026, and the Electric Horseman Express high-speed quad arrives for the 2026-27 season. Summer brings lift rides and mountain biking. Cost: Lift prices change by date; buy ahead and check for student rates. Season: Ski season typically runs from late November or early December to late March or early April. More: Sundance guide.
10. The Alpine Loop
About 27 minutes, 16 miles to the byway's Sundance end. SR-92 between Provo Canyon and American Fork Canyon climbs from about 5,000 feet to a crest near 8,000, which is why the color turns at the top a week before the bottom. Vehicles over 30 feet are not allowed, and camping outside developed campgrounds is banned along the corridor. Cost: Free to drive through; stopping at fee sites needs a recreation pass. Season: Closed by snow in winter; fall color usually peaks from late September to mid-October. More: Alpine Loop guide; scenic byways ranked. Forest Service
11. Stewart Falls
About 28 minutes, 17 miles to the Aspen Grove trailhead. A two-tiered falls fed by snowmelt on the back of Timpanogos above Sundance. Published round trips run from 3.2 to 4 miles; plan on 3.5 to 4 miles and 1.5 to 3 hours, and go on a weekday if you can. Cost: A recreation pass is required to park at Aspen Grove. Season: Summer and fall; the Alpine Loop's winter closure ends the Aspen Grove approach. More: Stewart Falls guide. Forest Service
12. Timpanogos Cave National Monument
About 31 minutes, 19 miles to the visitor center in American Fork Canyon. A paved trail of 1.5 miles climbs 1,092 feet to a ranger-led tour of the caves; most people take about 90 minutes to get up, so budget three to four hours in all. Tickets must be collected at the visitor center and cannot be bought at the cave entrance. Cost: Cave tours are ticketed. Visitors going only to the monument do not pay the American Fork Canyon fee. Season: A summer season, set by snow; tickets sell out well ahead in summer. More: Timpanogos Cave guide. National Park Service
13. Flight Park State Recreation Area
About 34 minutes, 23 miles to the park at the Point of the Mountain. The hillside that Utah State Parks and the Utah Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association manage together, which the state calls one of the world's best training sites for both sports. There is a modelport for radio-controlled aircraft just west of the parking lot. Cost: Watching is free; the 15 camp sites on the bluff are $15 a night. Season: Whether anyone is flying depends on the weather that day. More: paragliding at the Point of the Mountain. Utah State Parks
14. Loveland Living Planet Aquarium
About 35 minutes, 28 miles to 12033 South Lone Peak Parkway, Draper. Utah's aquarium, just off I-15 exit 291, draws more than a million visitors a year and works for toddlers and teenagers alike. Parking is free; arrive at opening on a school holiday or take the far rows. Cost: Priced by date; daytime adult tickets ran roughly $18 to $28 when our guide was written, and a posted price never drops. Season: Indoor, all year. More: aquarium guide.
15. Lone Peak
About 36 minutes, 21 miles to the Schoolhouse Springs trailhead in Alpine. The pale, blocky 11,253-foot summit at the north end of the valley skyline, reached by Jacob's Ladder from Draper or the Hamongog route from Alpine. Either way it is roughly 11 to 13 miles round trip with a scramble at the top, and locals call it the hardest day of the county's big peaks. Cost: The Forest Service lists no permit or fee for a day hike. Season: Summer and fall; snow often lingers until midsummer. More: Lone Peak guide. Forest Service
16. Thistle and Spanish Fork Canyon
About 36 minutes, 24 miles to the Thistle junction on US-6. In April 1983 a hillside slid into Spanish Fork Canyon, dammed the river and raised a lake about 160 feet deep that drowned the railroad town of Thistle. A roadside view area at the junction looks down on what is left, with the old and new rail lines and highways layered across the canyon. Cost: Free. Season: All year. More: Spanish Fork Canyon guide. Utah Geological Survey
17. Corner Canyon, Draper
About 37 minutes, 28 miles to the Coyote Hollow trailhead. Draper counts more than 150 miles of trails across about 5,000 acres of open space. Some trails run one way: Clark's is an uphill-only climb for bikes, and Rush is a bikes-only downhill from the Peak View trailhead that must never be ridden up. Cost: Free. Season: The main bike trails are listed as May through October or November; stay off when muddy. More: Corner Canyon guide. Draper City
18. Heber Valley Railroad
About 39 minutes, 28 miles to the depot at 450 South 600 West, Heber City. A heritage railroad run by a state authority since 1993. In fall 2026 the Deer Creek Express made a 90-minute round trip most days, alongside themed trains through October and the North Pole Express, the one to book in early autumn. Restrooms are on board; car seats and strollers are not allowed. Cost: Ticketed; active-duty military and veterans ride the scenic trains free. Season: All year, with the schedule changing by season. More: Heber Valley Railroad guide. Heber Valley Railroad
19. Soldier Hollow
About 39 minutes, 27 miles to the day lodge in Midway. The 2002 Olympic cross-country and biathlon venue inside Wasatch Mountain State Park. In winter it runs 1,200-foot tubing lanes with a magic carpet back up; in summer it rents mountain bikes and e-bikes. Cost: Varies by activity and date. Season: The 2026-27 tubing season is set to close March 13, 2027; children under 3 cannot tube. More: Soldier Hollow guide. Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation
20. Real Salt Lake at America First Field
About 39 minutes, 32 miles to the stadium at 9256 South State Street, Sandy. Major League Soccer in Sandy, the easiest pro venue to reach from Utah County. MLS moves to a summer-to-spring calendar beginning in 2027, so the 2026 season is the last on the old schedule. Cost: Tickets by match; the surface lot is priced per event. Season: The 2026 season ran roughly March to October. More: pro sports from Provo.
21. The Crater at Homestead, Midway
About 42 minutes, 29 miles to 700 Homestead Drive, Midway. A hot spring inside a limestone dome, with 96-degree water about 65 feet deep at its deepest. Everyone in the water wears a life vest, and sessions run in one-hour blocks with about 40 minutes in the water. Cost: $30 per one-hour session, as listed in October 2026. Season: Open daily, but closed for renovations in April and May 2027; book weekend slots ahead. More: hot springs compared. Homestead
22. Wasatch Mountain State Park
About 42 minutes, 29 miles to the park above Midway. Four 18-hole golf courses, hiking, biking, camping, horseback riding and ATV trails, and in winter cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling. Cost: $10 per car; golf is separate. Season: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily; closed Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. More: Heber Valley and Midway guide. Utah State Parks
23. Wheeler Historic Farm, Murray
About 44 minutes, 37 miles to 6351 South 900 East, Murray. Salt Lake County's 75-acre working farm, listed on the National Register in 1976: the 1896 Wheeler farmhouse, an activity barn, animals, gardens and trails through Wheeler Woods, with tractor-drawn wagon rides on the hour and half hour. Cost: The grounds are free; rides and farmhouse tours are sold separately. Season: Daily, dawn to dusk; weekday farmhouse tours June through October. More: things to do in Murray and Midvale. Salt Lake County
24. Tibble Fork Reservoir
About 45 minutes, 24 miles to the reservoir up American Fork Canyon. The turquoise reservoir most people picture when they think of American Fork Canyon, ringed by pine and aspen, with a parking lot that fills by ten on a July Saturday. A 2016 sediment release during dam work sent arsenic- and lead-bearing mud downstream; our guide covers the state's 2023 assessment of swimming there. Cost: $10 per vehicle for three days, $20 for seven, $60 for the season; interagency passes honored. Season: Summer is peak; go early. More: Tibble Fork guide. Forest Service
25. Nephi and the Ute Stampede
About 46 minutes, 41 miles to downtown Nephi. Nephi's rodeo week fills the second week of July: Xtreme Bulls on the Wednesday and the Ute Stampede PRCA Rodeo Thursday through Saturday. The town side is free, with a Heritage and Western Parade on Friday and the Mammoth Parade on Saturday. Cost: The parades are free; rodeo tickets come from the organizers, who warn against resellers. Season: Second week of July (July 8 to 11 in 2026). More: Ute Stampede guide; Nephi and Juab County. Ute Stampede
26. Fifth Water Hot Springs
About 48 minutes, 29 miles to the Three Forks trailhead in Diamond Fork. Hot pools where a cold waterfall meets the springs, about 2.6 miles each way on foot along Sixth Water and Fifth Water creeks. The Forest Service warns that harmful bacteria may be present: shower afterward, keep the water out of your mouth, and check the state's algal bloom advisory. Cost: No charge to soak; the trailhead is a fee site at $10 per vehicle for three days. Season: Depends on the Diamond Fork Road gates and the weather; the parking lot is small and towing is enforced. More: hot springs near Provo. Forest Service
27. Box Elder Peak
About 48 minutes, 25 miles to Granite Flat Campground. The 11,101-foot pyramid between American Fork Canyon and Alpine that sees a fraction of Timpanogos's crowds. From Granite Flat it is roughly 10.5 to 11.5 miles with 4,300 to 5,000 feet of climbing, and the last ridge to the top is not on an official trail. Cost: American Fork Canyon fee to park at Granite Flat; no permit. Season: July through September. More: Box Elder Peak guide. Forest Service
28. Camp Floyd State Park Museum
About 48 minutes, 36 miles to the museum in Fairfield. The U.S. Army arrived west of Utah Lake in 1858, built Camp Floyd and left three years later for the Civil War. The park keeps the museum, the Stagecoach Inn and a cemetery. Cost: $3 per person or $10 per family. Season: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Sundays. More: Cedar Fort and Fairfield. Utah State Parks
29. Mount Timpanogos
About 49 minutes, 25 miles to the Timpooneke trailhead. The valley's signature summit, about 11,750 feet, from Timpooneke or Aspen Grove on the Alpine Loop. Most hikers take 8 to 12 hours round trip, and snowfields above the cirque are typically substantial before mid-July. Cost: A recreation pass is required to park at both trailheads; Timpooneke also needs a timed-entry ticket on weekend and holiday mornings, July through October. Season: Mid-July into fall; the Alpine Loop closes in winter. More: Mount Timpanogos guide. Forest Service
30. Jordanelle State Park
About 50 minutes, 37 miles to the Hailstone area. Three recreation areas on the reservoir above Heber (Hailstone, Rock Cliff and Ross Creek), with picnicking, camping, boating, fishing and hiking. Along with Deer Creek it supplies culinary water to Wasatch, Utah and Salt Lake counties. Cost: $20 per day in peak season at the main areas; $10 at Hailstone from November through April. Season: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. More: Deer Creek and Jordanelle guide. Utah State Parks
31. Mount Olympus
About 51 minutes, 42 miles to the trailhead at 5425 South Wasatch Boulevard. The steep, rocky summit above the Salt Lake Valley: 7.2 miles round trip with about 4,180 feet of climbing, then a hands-on scramble to the top. Grandeur Peak in Millcreek Canyon is the steadier alternative. Cost: No fee is noted for this trailhead; Millcreek Canyon, for Grandeur, charges one. Season: Summer and fall; dogs are allowed on the Olympus trail. More: Mount Olympus and Grandeur Peak guide.
32. Utah Olympic Oval, Kearns
About 51 minutes, 41 miles to 5662 South Cougar Lane, Kearns. The 2002 speed-skating venue, with Utah's only 400-meter oval, two international-size ice sheets and an indoor running track. Public skating is on the big oval from August through March. Cost: $7 admission, $7 skate rental, $5 helmet; free for children 2 and under. Season: Public sessions on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. More: ice skating guide. Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation
33. A Jazz or Mammoth game at the Delta Center
About 53 minutes, 45 miles to the arena in downtown Salt Lake City. NBA and NHL nights downtown, a short TRAX ride from FrontRunner at Salt Lake Central inside the free fare zone. If you take the train, check the last southbound FrontRunner before the game, and remember there is no Sunday service. Cost: Tickets vary by game. Season: The Jazz and Mammoth seasons run through the winter; concerts come all year. More: Delta Center game-night guide.
34. Eureka and the Tintic Mining District
About 54 minutes, 41 miles to Main Street, Eureka. Twenty miles west of Santaquin on US-6, a main street of stone and brick buildings strung along a gulch, once one of Utah's largest cities and not the ghost town listicles call it. The Tintic Mining Museum keeps small, often seasonal hours. Cost: Free to visit. Season: All year; confirm museum hours before you go, and wear closed shoes around old mine ground. More: Eureka and Tintic guide. Eureka City
35. Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail
About 54 minutes, 42 miles to the trail's Park City end. A non-motorized trail of nearly 30 miles on the old Union Pacific line from near Park City through Silver Creek Canyon, Wanship and Coalville to Echo Reservoir, dropping from 6,900 to 5,280 feet. The state calls it Utah's first non-motorized rail trail, dedicated in 1992. Cost: The state's page lists no fee. Season: Day use all year; cross-country skiing in winter. More: state parks within two hours. Utah State Parks
36. Temple Square and the Tabernacle Choir rehearsal
About 55 minutes, 46 miles to Temple Square. The grounds are open to walk while the Salt Lake Temple finishes its renovation, and the Tabernacle Choir's Thursday evening rehearsal is free to attend. The temple's public open house runs April 5 to October 1, 2027. Cost: Free. Season: Rehearsals Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. unless the choir has other commitments; lights in December. More: Salt Lake City day trip; Temple Square in December. Church Newsroom
37. Utah State Capitol and the Museum of Utah
About 56 minutes, 47 miles to 350 North State Street. Guided Capitol tours start on the hour and last 40 to 45 minutes. The new Museum of Utah, in the North Capitol Building on the same grounds, opened on June 27, 2026. Cost: Both are free. Season: Tours 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekdays except state holidays; no guided tours November 25 to 27 or December 7 to January 1. More: Salt Lake City day trip. Utah State Capitol
38. Tracy Aviary
About 57 minutes, 45 miles to 589 East 1300 South, in Liberty Park. A bird collection founded in 1938 from a private gift to the city, with several hundred birds of roughly 135 species, from pelicans and eagles to hornbills. Daily free-flight shows are included, and Liberty Park around it is free. Cost: Admission; check the aviary's site for current prices. Season: Check the aviary's hours before you go. More: Hogle Zoo and Tracy Aviary guide. Tracy Aviary
39. This Is The Place Heritage Park
About 59 minutes, 49 miles to the park at the mouth of Emigration Canyon. A 450-acre park with more than 60 original or replica buildings, costumed interpreters, trains, pony rides, gold panning, a Native American Village and the Pioneer Children's Memorial. Cost: Its own admission, set by the foundation that runs it; the state parks annual pass does not cover it. Season: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, with limited programming on Sundays. More: Days of '47 from Utah Valley. Utah State Parks
40. Cascade Springs
About 59 minutes, 19 miles to the springs off the Alpine Loop. The Forest Service puts the flow at over seven million gallons a day, spilling across pale travertine ledges on boardwalks and bridges where you can watch trout. Because it is fed by groundwater, it looks best in August, when everything else is dry. Cost: Driving through is free; stopping costs $10 per vehicle for three days. Season: Late spring to fall, when the Alpine Loop is open. More: Cascade Springs guide. Forest Service
41. Ensign Peak
About 1 hour, 48 miles to Ensign Peak Nature Park, 1002 Ensign Vista Drive. A mile round trip and about 390 feet up an exposed hillside to a monument and the best view in Salt Lake City for the effort. Shoes with tread help on the loose upper section. Cost: Free; street parking. Season: All year; there is little shade, so go early in summer. More: Ensign Peak and foothill walks. Ensign Peak Foundation
42. Park City's Main Street
About 1 hour, 46 miles to Heber Avenue at the foot of Main Street. The old silver-mining town's main street, with the Park City Museum and its cold old jail, the free Park Silly Sunday Market on selected summer Sundays, and the Kimball Arts Festival in August, when free park-and-ride buses are the way in. Cost: Free to walk; parking is the cost on busy weekends. Season: All year; the markets and festival are summer. More: Park City in summer; Park City from Provo. Park City Museum
43. Utah's Hogle Zoo
About 1 hour, 49 miles to 2600 Sunnyside Avenue, Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City's zoo, on the east bench at the mouth of Emigration Canyon, priced by season, with a discount for buying online. Cost: Adults $22.95 and children 3 to 12 $18.95 from October through April ($26.95 and $21.95 from May), $2 less online; 2 and under free. Season: Listed hours of 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; check before a winter visit. More: Hogle Zoo and Tracy Aviary guide. Hogle Zoo
One to two hours (44 to 83)
The one-to-two-hour band is where the state parks, the Uintas, Ogden, Sanpete County and the Great Salt Lake live. Most of these make a full, unhurried day.
44. Natural History Museum of Utah
About 1 hour 1 minute, 50 miles to 301 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City. The University of Utah's museum on the east bench, a good indoor plan for a smoggy or stormy day, with Red Butte Garden next door. Cost: Adults $24.95, children 3 to 12 $20.95, 2 and under free. Season: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, until 9 p.m. on Wednesdays. More: Salt Lake City day trip. Natural History Museum of Utah
45. Snowbird in summer
About 1 hour 4 minutes, 43 miles to Snowbird in Little Cottonwood Canyon. The most developed summer destination in either Cottonwood canyon: an aerial tram to Hidden Peak, hiking, mountain biking, an alpine slide and a zip line. There is no summer ski bus, so plan on driving and on the altitude. Cost: Activities are ticketed. Season: Summer program; skiing in winter. More: Cottonwood canyons in summer.
46. The Nebo Loop and Payson Lakes
About 1 hour 4 minutes, 29 miles to Payson Lakes, about 12 miles up Payson Canyon. The byway climbs from Payson past three small lakes at about 8,000 feet to more than 9,000 feet, then drops 38 miles later to Nephi past Devil's Kitchen, a red-rock amphitheater reached by a 200-yard paved path. Mount Nebo, the Wasatch's highest at 11,928 feet, is climbed from its trailheads. Cost: Free to drive; campgrounds and some sites carry their own fees. Season: Closed to cars by snow, sometimes from late October until June or July; Payson Lakes campground runs about mid-May to mid-October. More: Nebo Loop guide; Payson Lakes guide; Mount Nebo hike. Forest Service
47. Alta and Albion Basin
About 1 hour 5 minutes, 44 miles to Alta at the top of Little Cottonwood Canyon. Alta is the gateway to Albion Basin, the high basin known for wildflowers, and the short hike to Cecret Lake, which is short enough that people forget the altitude. Swimming and wading are banned in the canyon's lakes and streams, which are drinking water. Cost: Alta charges $12 on the Albion Basin road. Season: The road often does not open until early July; peak bloom is usually the second half of summer. More: Cottonwood family hikes. Alta
48. Utah Olympic Park
About 1 hour 6 minutes, 49 miles to the park on Olympic Parkway near Kimball Junction. The nearly 400-acre 2002 venue holds one of only four sliding tracks in North America and six Nordic ski jumps. The free half is the Joe Quinney Winter Sports Center, home of the Alf Engen Ski Museum and the 2002 Olympic museum. Cost: Free to enter and visit the museums; each summer activity was $35 in the 2026 guide. Season: All year; the activity list shrinks in the shoulder seasons. More: Utah Olympic Park guide. Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation
49. Fairview Museum of History and Art
About 1 hour 7 minutes, 51 miles to 55 North 100 East, Fairview. Five buildings of Sanpete history, a gallery of Avard Fairbanks sculpture and a full-size replica of the mammoth found in 1988 just up the mountain from town, a skeleton called at the time the most complete mammoth ever found. Cost: The museum's site does not list admission. Season: Its Google listing in October 2026 showed Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. More: things to do in Sanpete County. Fairview Museum
50. Rockport State Park
About 1 hour 8 minutes, 52 miles to the park entrance. A year-round reservoir park with trout and bass fishing, tubing and waterskiing in summer, campgrounds open all year, ice fishing in winter and a 3D archery range. It is a designated International Dark Sky Park. Cost: $20 per vehicle. Season: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., all year. More: stargazing near Provo. Utah State Parks
51. Great Salt Lake State Park and Saltair
About 1 hour 10 minutes, 61 miles to the marina on the south shore. The state marina on the Great Salt Lake, home of the Great Salt Lake Yacht Club, with views of Antelope Island and Black Rock and the Saltair building next door. Cost: $10 per vehicle. Season: Sunrise to 5 p.m. More: Great Salt Lake and Bonneville Salt Flats. Utah State Parks
52. Lagoon
About 1 hour 10 minutes, 60 miles to 375 North Lagoon Drive, Farmington. Utah's amusement park, visible from I-15 in Davis County, with Lagoon-A-Beach in summer and Frightmares in the fall. Children under 24 months get in free, but a toddler who turns 25 months during the season needs a ticket. Cost: Day passes and season passports; the season passport is cheapest bought before opening. Season: Seasonal; Frightmares runs in the fall. Check the park calendar before you go. More: Lagoon guide. Lagoon
53. Strawberry Reservoir
About 1 hour 14 minutes, 54 miles to the visitor center off US-40. A big trout reservoir at about 7,600 feet over Daniels Summit, with rules stricter than the statewide defaults: every cutthroat between 15 and 22 inches must be released immediately. Confirm the current Utah Fishing Guidebook before you fish. Cost: Fishing license; launch fees change by year. Season: All year, with ice fishing in winter. More: Strawberry Reservoir guide. Utah DWR fishing guidebook
54. Brighton and Silver Lake
About 1 hour 15 minutes, 41 miles to Brighton at the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon. The Silver Lake Nature Trail is a 0.9-mile loop with about 29 feet of elevation change, much of it on a wide boardwalk that works for strollers. Lakes Mary, Martha and Catherine climb higher above it. Cost: Silver Lake is a Forest Service recreation fee area. Season: Summer and fall; no swimming or wading, since the lakes are drinking water. More: Cottonwood family hikes.
55. Yuba State Park
About 1 hour 15 minutes, 67 miles to the park south of Nephi. The warm-water reservoir with sandy-beach camping, boating, swimming and fishing for walleye, wipers and northern pike. In October 2026 the park reported the reservoir at 18 percent, with two boat ramps closed by low water. Cost: $15 per vehicle Monday through Thursday, $20 Friday through Sunday and holidays. Season: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m.; summer for swimming. More: Yuba State Park guide. Utah State Parks
56. Benson Grist Mill
About 1 hour 17 minutes, 68 miles to 325 Pole Canyon Road, Stansbury Park. A mill completed in 1854 that ground grain for Tooele Valley for more than 75 years; volunteers restored it from 1983, and the Park Service calls it one of the oldest standing buildings in western Utah. The county's calendar includes a summer farmers market, a fall festival and a Christmas lighting. Cost: Several of its events are free. Season: Events from June through November 30. More: Tooele and the West Desert. Tooele County
57. Scofield State Park
About 1 hour 17 minutes, 60 miles to the reservoir in the Manti-La Sal Mountains. A high reservoir the state calls a Blue Ribbon Fishery for cutthroat, rainbow and tiger trout, with two campgrounds, and ice fishing, snowmobiling and cross-country skiing in winter. Cost: $10 per vehicle. Season: 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. in summer, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in winter. More: Scofield and Skyline Drive. Utah State Parks
58. Spring City
About 1 hour 23 minutes, 62 miles to Spring City. The whole town is the attraction: listed on the National Register in 1980 and called by the state the first historic district in Utah to take in an entire town. Walk the grid for pioneer log cabins and stonework by Scandinavian masons. Cost: Free; the homes are private, so look from the street. Season: All year. More: things to do in Sanpete County. Utah Division of State History
59. Echo State Park
About 1 hour 24 minutes, 64 miles to the reservoir near Coalville. A reservoir built in the 1930s, with camping, boating, fishing and swimming, and the east end of the Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail. Cost: $20 per vehicle; America the Beautiful passes are not accepted. Season: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., all year. More: every reservoir near Provo. Utah State Parks
60. Donut Falls
About 1 hour 26 minutes, 52 miles to the trailhead in Big Cottonwood Canyon. The family classic: a short, popular hike to a waterfall that drops through a hole in the rock. The last section is a scramble on wet rock, and parking is the hardest part of the day. Cost: Forest Service recreation fee area. Season: Summer and fall. More: Cottonwood family hikes.
61. Helper
About 1 hour 27 minutes, 68 miles to Main Street, Helper. Named for the extra engines that once helped trains up to Soldier Summit, the old coal and railroad town at the mouth of Price Canyon has refilled its storefronts with galleries, murals and cafes. Its center is on the National Register as the Helper Historic District. Cost: Free to walk. Season: All year. More: Nine Mile Canyon, Helper and Price.
62. Maple Canyon
About 1 hour 27 minutes, 64 miles to the Forest Service campground in Maple Canyon. A narrow canyon of cobblestone conglomerate cliffs with more than 800 climbing routes, and a Middle Fork trail from the campground to a natural arch for non-climbers. The Forest Service campground has 14 sites and fills fast. Cost: Free to visit; campground reservations on Recreation.gov. Season: Climbing all year; hiking spring through fall. More: things to do in Sanpete County. Sanpete County
63. Little Sahara Recreation Area
About 1 hour 30 minutes, 66 miles to the visitor center on Sand Mountain Road. The closest big dune field to Utah Valley. Sand Mountain rises nearly 700 feet for experienced riders, and families head for the two big sand play areas near White Sands Campground and Jericho Picnic Area, which are closed to motor vehicles. Cost: $18 per vehicle per night, camping included. Season: All year. More: Little Sahara guide. Bureau of Land Management
64. Ephraim's Scandinavian Heritage Festival
About 1 hour 30 minutes, 74 miles to Ephraim. Memorial Day weekend's festival, billed by its organizers as the West's biggest Scandinavian celebration: a quilt show, pioneer museum tours, a maypole, a Viking village and a Saturday parade at 10 a.m. Cost: Mostly free; check the festival for ticketed events. Season: The Friday and Saturday of Memorial Day weekend. More: Sanpete festival circuit.
65. Ogden's 25th Street and Union Station
About 1 hour 30 minutes, 80 miles to Union Station, Ogden. The three blocks nearest the depot were once Two-Bit Street, known for saloons and worse. The 1924 station at its foot holds the Utah State Railroad Museum, the Browning Firearms Museum and the Browning-Kimball Car Museum. Cost: Free to walk the street; check Union Station for museum admission. Season: All year. More: Ogden from Provo.
66. Ogden's Christmas Village
About 1 hour 31 minutes, 80 miles to the Municipal Gardens on 25th Street. Four blocks of displays and more than 50,000 lights in Ogden's Municipal Gardens, which USA Today's 2025 ranking put second among public holiday light displays in the country. Cost: Free. Season: November 28, 2026 to January 1, 2027; lights from 5 p.m. More: Christmas Village guide.
67. Waterfall Canyon, Ogden
About 1 hour 31 minutes, 77 miles to the east bench trailheads. Ogden's best-known short hike climbs to a tall waterfall: 2.5 miles out and back with 1,030 feet of gain on the Forest Service route, with leashed dogs allowed. Cost: Free. Season: Spring through fall. More: Ogden from Provo. AllTrails
68. Antelope Island State Park
About 1 hour 36 minutes, 81 miles to the island, by the causeway from Syracuse. Free-ranging bison, pronghorn and bighorn sheep, backcountry trails and beaches, the Fielding Garr Ranch and a new visitor center announced on October 5, 2026. It is an International Dark Sky Park; rideshare drivers do not pick up there. Cost: $15 per vehicle plus a $2 Davis County causeway fee the state annual pass does not cover. Season: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; spring brings biting gnats. More: Antelope Island guide. Utah State Parks
69. George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park, Ogden
About 1 hour 36 minutes, 79 miles to 1544 Park Boulevard, Ogden. An outdoor trail of full-size dinosaur sculptures at the mouth of Ogden Canyon, with a paleontology museum, a gem and mineral museum and a working fossil lab you can watch. Cost: Paid admission. Season: Hours change by season; in October 2026 it opened Tuesday through Saturday. More: Ogden from Provo. Dinosaur Park
70. Hill Aerospace Museum
About 1 hour 36 minutes, 78 miles to 7961 Cottonwood Street, Roy. The Air Force's museum traces aviation from a replica Wright Flyer through World War II and the Cold War. It sits outside the base, so no gate pass is needed. Cost: Free. Season: Tuesday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. More: Layton, Kaysville and Farmington. Hill Aerospace Museum
71. East Canyon State Park
About 1 hour 37 minutes, 71 miles to the reservoir in Morgan County. A mountain reservoir beside the Mormon Pioneer Trail, with boating, fishing, camping from RV hookups to tent sites, and International Dark Sky certification. Cost: $20 per vehicle. Season: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. More: state parks within two hours. Utah State Parks
72. The Prehistoric Museum, Price
About 1 hour 37 minutes, 76 miles to Main Street, Price. Utah State University Eastern's museum began as a civic project to display an Allosaurus and grew into a state and federal repository, with dinosaurs on one side and the cultures behind the region's rock art on the other. Cost: Admission; check the museum's site. Season: Indoor, all year. More: Nine Mile Canyon, Helper and Price.
73. Manti Utah Temple grounds
About 1 hour 42 minutes, 81 miles to 200 East 510 North, Manti. The temple on the hill above Manti, dedicated in 1888, closed in 2021 for a renovation meant to keep its pioneer craftsmanship, and rededicated on April 21, 2024. The grounds are open to walk. Cost: Free. Season: All year; best in evening light. More: things to do in Sanpete County.
74. Snowbasin
About 1 hour 43 minutes, 86 miles to the resort above Ogden Canyon. The 2002 Olympic downhill venue, a full ski resort in winter and lift-served hiking and biking in summer, when Blues and Brews concerts play Saturdays and Sundays in Earl's Plaza. Cost: Lift tickets in winter; concert entry needs a ticket or season pass, with free parking. Season: Concerts June through August; skiing in winter. More: Ogden from Provo.
75. Bald Mountain
About 1 hour 43 minutes, 74 miles to the Bald Mountain trailhead on the Mirror Lake Highway. The Uinta summit everyone does: 2.8 miles round trip and 1,171 feet of climbing to about 11,938 feet, with a view over the lake country. Start early; the ridge is a bad place when afternoon storms build. Cost: Mirror Lake pass: $10 for three days, $20 for seven. Season: When the highway is open, roughly early summer into fall. More: Uintas trails guide; Mirror Lake Highway. Forest Service
76. Willard Bay State Park
About 1 hour 45 minutes, 94 miles to the reservoir northwest of Ogden. A freshwater reservoir held in by a 20-mile dike, with two marinas, swimming, waterskiing and fishing, and nesting eagles in winter. Cost: $25 per vehicle in peak season; $10 from Labor Day to Easter. Season: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. More: state parks within two hours. Utah State Parks
77. Territorial Statehouse State Park Museum, Fillmore
About 1 hour 46 minutes, 101 miles to the statehouse in Fillmore. Utah's oldest existing government building, meant as the territorial capitol; only the south wing was finished, in time for the December 1855 session, the only full session held there. Restored pioneer cabins, an 1867 schoolhouse and a rose garden fill the grounds. Cost: $3 for ages 6 and up, or $10 per family. Season: Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. More: family day trips. Utah State Parks
78. Provo River Falls
About 1 hour 47 minutes, 67 miles to the signed pullout on SR-150. A string of cascades just off the Mirror Lake Highway, high in the Uintas where the river that ends in Utah Lake begins. A 0.2-mile walk with 36 feet of climbing makes it the easiest scenic stop on the road. Cost: Mirror Lake pass. Season: July through September is best; the upper highway closes in winter. More: things to do in Kamas. AllTrails
79. Topaz Museum, Delta
About 1 hour 48 minutes, 91 miles to 55 West Main, Delta. The museum of the Topaz camp, where the government confined Japanese Americans from September 1942 to October 1945; 11,212 people passed through it. The camp site, 16 miles northwest of town, is privately owned and protected by the museum, which asks you to visit the museum first. Cost: Admission is by donation. Season: Monday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., all year except major holidays. More: rockhounding near Utah Valley. Topaz Museum
80. Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge
About 1 hour 49 minutes, 100 miles to the visitor center at 2155 West Forest Street, Brigham City. Nearly 80,000 acres of marsh and mudflat where the Bear River meets the Great Salt Lake. The 12-mile auto tour starts 12 miles west of the visitor center, so allow about two and a half hours to the first bird you see from the car. Cost: The refuge's pages list no entrance fee. Season: All year; the birds change by the month. More: Bear River refuge guide. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
81. Palisade State Park
About 1 hour 52 minutes, 89 miles to the park near Sterling in Sanpete County. An 18-hole desert canyon golf course, camping, fishing, swimming and electric or non-motorized boating on Palisade Reservoir, with OHV access to Six Mile Canyon. Cost: $15 per vehicle Monday through Thursday, $20 Friday through Sunday. Season: 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. in summer. More: things to do in Sanpete County. Utah State Parks
82. Fred Hayes State Park at Starvation
About 1 hour 58 minutes, 95 miles to Starvation Reservoir near Duchesne. A big reservoir known for walleye, with boating, primitive and developed campgrounds, a 3D archery course and disc golf. Groceries and fuel are in Duchesne. Cost: $10 per vehicle; $15 on summer weekends and holidays. Season: 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. in summer, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. in winter. More: state parks within two hours. Utah State Parks
83. Powder Mountain
About 2 hours, 96 miles to the resort above Eden. The big one among the northern ski hills. It still sells public lift tickets but caps how many it sells each day, so book early; all-day tickets run until 8:30 p.m. Cost: $63 to $229 a day by date; a $29 night ticket covers 4 to 8:30 p.m. Season: Ski season. More: northern Utah ski hills. Powder Mountain
Two to three hours (84 to 100)
Past two hours, the drive is a real part of the day. Leave early, plan to turn for home in the afternoon, and check road and season notes before you go, because several of these are seasonal or on two-lane highways where deer and elk move at dusk.
84. Crystal Hot Springs, Honeyville
About 2 hours 2 minutes, 112 miles to 8215 UT-38, Honeyville. A developed pool complex, open since 1901 as Madsen Hot Springs, with soaking pools at 95 to 101 degrees and hot tubs to 105. No outside food of any kind is allowed. Cost: $18, or $15 for college students, seniors and military; waterslides $2 extra. Season: All year except a few holidays, including Halloween. More: hot springs compared. Crystal Hot Springs
85. Lost Creek State Park
About 2 hours 3 minutes, 88 miles to the park in Morgan County. Designated by the Legislature in 2021 and still largely undeveloped: vault toilets, a primitive campground and a boat ramp. The nearest groceries and gas are in Morgan, about 33 minutes away. Cost: $10 per vehicle. Season: Summer is the season for a primitive park like this. More: state parks within two hours. Utah State Parks
86. Huntington State Park
About 2 hours 4 minutes, 94 miles to the park in Emery County. A warm-water reservoir under cinnamon-colored buttes that the state calls a local secret, known for largemouth bass, bluegill and crawdad catching, and for waterfowl. Cost: $10 per vehicle. Season: Summer for the water. More: state parks within two hours. Utah State Parks
87. Nine Mile Canyon
About 2 hours 10 minutes, 92 miles to the Nine Mile road north of Wellington. The BLM describes the canyon as 46 miles long and often called the world's longest art gallery, with Fremont and Ute petroglyphs and pictographs along much of it. Ranchers still live and work in the canyon, so respect the private land along the road. Cost: Free. Season: Spring through fall; fuel up in Price first. More: Nine Mile Canyon, Helper and Price. Bureau of Land Management
88. American West Heritage Center
About 2 hours 11 minutes, 117 miles to 4025 South Highway 89-91, Wellsville. A living-history farm built around Cache Valley's cultures from 1820 to 1920, with a calendar that runs from Baby Animal Days and a mountain man rendezvous to a fall corn maze and winter sleigh rides. Cost: By event; the 2026 corn maze was $9 to $10. Season: Spring through winter, by event. More: Logan and Cache Valley. American West Heritage Center
89. Hyrum State Park
About 2 hours 15 minutes, 121 miles to the reservoir in Hyrum. Cache Valley's local swim-and-paddle reservoir at the south end of the valley. Cost: $15 per vehicle on weekdays, $20 on weekends and holidays; $3 to walk or bike in. Season: Day use 6 a.m. to 10 p.m.; summer for swimming. More: Logan and Cache Valley. Utah State Parks
90. Meadow Hot Springs
About 2 hours 17 minutes, 114 miles to the springs near Meadow, Millard County. Three pools of different temperatures a short walk from parking, on private land the owners have kept open. The last stretch of dirt road is badly potholed and worse when wet. Cost: Free to enter; visitors describe a donation box. Season: Depends on the road and the landowner. More: hot springs near Provo.
91. Historic Cove Fort
About 2 hours 17 minutes, 133 miles to the fort between Fillmore and Beaver. A Church historic site that served travelers, the Pony Express and the telegraph as a way station from 1867 to the early 1880s, when the Hinckley families fed and lodged visitors. Tours tell their story. Cost: The Church's page lists hours but no admission charge. Season: Monday through Saturday 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday noon to 6 p.m. More: family day trips. The Church's Cove Fort page
92. Logan and Aggie Ice Cream
About 2 hours 20 minutes, 125 miles to Center and Main in Logan. Utah State University has made Aggie Ice Cream since 1921 with milk from its own herd, sold at the campus creamery at 750 North 1200 East. Gossner's cheese store, a century-old candy company and a summer opera festival round out the town. Cost: By the scoop. Season: The creamery's listing showed it closed on Sundays in October 2026. More: Logan and Cache Valley.
93. Mystic Hot Springs, Monroe
About 2 hours 27 minutes, 132 miles to 475 East 100 North, Monroe. Two concrete pools and five vintage cast-iron bathtubs on a travertine hillside, with water that emerges at about 168 degrees and cools on the way down. Mystic calls itself rustic. Cost: A reserved two-hour soaking pass, booked online; non-refundable. Season: All year; quiet hours from 9 p.m. More: hot springs compared. Mystic Hot Springs
94. Logan Canyon Scenic Byway
About 2 hours 29 minutes, 130 miles to Second Dam, a few miles up the canyon from Logan. About 41 miles of US-89 from Logan toward Garden City, following the Logan River up through limestone walls to the summit above Bear Lake. The maple and aspen turn in late September. Cost: Free to drive. Season: All year; late September for color. More: Logan and Cache Valley.
95. Golden Spike National Historical Park
About 2 hours 30 minutes, 130 miles to the visitor center at Promontory Summit. Where the rails met on May 10, 1869. Replica locomotives Jupiter and No. 119 run daily from May 1 to mid-October, with a 1 p.m. demonstration and a costumed Last Spike reenactment on summer Saturdays. Cost: $20 per private vehicle; America the Beautiful passes honored. Season: Visitor center daily in summer; Thursday through Monday from late October to late April. More: Spiral Jetty and Golden Spike. National Park Service
96. Bonneville Salt Flats
About 2 hours 30 minutes, 153 miles to the salt flats parking area. About 30,000 acres of hard white salt crust left by Lake Bonneville, where land-speed runs go back to 1914. Speed Week 2027 is scheduled for July 31 to August 6. Cost: The BLM lists no fee for day use; Speed Week spectators paid $25 a day at the gate in 2026. Season: Driving on the salt is closed when it is wet in spring and during permitted races; late summer and fall are drier. More: Bonneville Speed Week; Great Salt Lake and Bonneville Salt Flats. Bureau of Land Management
97. Fremont Indian State Park
About 2 hours 33 minutes, 142 miles to 3820 Clear Creek Canyon Road. Built where the largest known Fremont village was uncovered during the construction of I-70, with petroglyph and pictograph trails. The museum exhibits are closed for renovation; the park's page in October 2026 said they would reopen in fall 2026, and the visitor center, gallery and outdoor trails are open. Cost: $10 per vehicle. Season: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday through Saturday from October to March, daily from March to September. More: state parks within two hours. Utah State Parks
98. Historic Wendover Airfield
About 2 hours 50 minutes, 165 miles to 352 East Airport Way, Wendover. The World War II base whose museum tells its part in the Manhattan Project, with volunteers restoring buildings that include a B-29 hangar. It is about 15 minutes from the salt flats, so the two make one day. Cost: Not listed on the museum's site. Season: Monday through Friday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.; closed Sunday. More: Tooele and the West Desert. Historic Wendover Airfield
99. Green River and Crystal Geyser
About 2 hours 52 minutes, 139 miles to Green River. The melon town on the river, with Crystal Geyser, a cold-water geyser driven by carbon dioxide, about 10 miles south; its timing is unpredictable. The John Wesley Powell River History Museum covers the river runners. Cost: Free at the geyser; the museum is $8 for adults. Season: The museum is open Tuesday through Saturday; melon season peaks with Melon Days in September. More: Green River and Crystal Geyser guide. Utah Geological Survey
100. Fish Lake and Pando
About 2 hours 55 minutes, 149 miles to Fish Lake Lodge. Pando is a single quaking aspen clone of more than 40,000 trunks over 106 acres, which the Forest Service calls the largest organism ever found. It grows beside Fish Lake, a high mountain lake with campgrounds. Cost: The Forest Service's Pando page lists no fee; campgrounds charge. Season: Late September to early October, when the basin turns gold; summer for camping. More: Fish Lake and Pando guide. Forest Service
Related Guides
- Day Trips From Provo
- Utah State Parks Within Two Hours of Provo
- The Utah National Parks From Provo, Ranked
- Things to Do in Utah in Winter
- Things to Do in Utah in Summer
- Utah's Scenic Byways From Provo, Ranked
- Every Reservoir Near Provo
- Nonstop Weekend Trips From Provo
- Things to Do in Provo
Frequently Asked Questions
How did you decide what counts as a day trip from Provo?
Why is there no national park on the list?
What is the closest thing on the list, and the farthest?
Which of these are free?
Which ones can I reach without a car?
What on the list is closed on Sundays?
Is the Utah State Parks annual pass worth it for these trips?
Which entries close for the winter?
Sources
The facts in this guide were checked against these sources. Hours, fees and rules change, so confirm anything time-sensitive with the source before you go. How we make Provo.com.
- Bridal Veil Falls State Monument: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Battle Creek Falls: official page, Forest Service. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Deer Creek State Park: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- The Alpine Loop: official page, Forest Service. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Stewart Falls: official page, Forest Service. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Timpanogos Cave National Monument: official page, National Park Service. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Flight Park State Recreation Area: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Lone Peak: official page, Forest Service. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Thistle and Spanish Fork Canyon: official page, Utah Geological Survey. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Corner Canyon, Draper: official page, Draper City. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Wasatch Mountain State Park: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Wheeler Historic Farm, Murray: official page, Salt Lake County. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Tibble Fork Reservoir: official page, Forest Service. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Fifth Water Hot Springs: official page, Forest Service. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Box Elder Peak: official page, Forest Service. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Camp Floyd State Park Museum: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Mount Timpanogos: official page, Forest Service. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Jordanelle State Park: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Eureka and the Tintic Mining District: official page, Eureka City. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah State Capitol and the Museum of Utah: official page, Utah State Capitol. Checked October 20, 2026.
- This Is The Place Heritage Park: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Cascade Springs: official page, Forest Service. Checked October 20, 2026.
- The Nebo Loop and Payson Lakes: official page, Forest Service. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Rockport State Park: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Great Salt Lake State Park and Saltair: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Strawberry Reservoir: official page, Utah DWR fishing guidebook. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Yuba State Park: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Benson Grist Mill: official page, Tooele County. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Scofield State Park: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Spring City: official page, Utah Division of State History. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Echo State Park: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Maple Canyon: official page, Sanpete County. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Little Sahara Recreation Area: official page, Bureau of Land Management. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Antelope Island State Park: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- East Canyon State Park: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Bald Mountain: official page, Forest Service. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Willard Bay State Park: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Territorial Statehouse State Park Museum, Fillmore: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge: official page, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Palisade State Park: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Fred Hayes State Park at Starvation: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Lost Creek State Park: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Huntington State Park: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Nine Mile Canyon: official page, Bureau of Land Management. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Hyrum State Park: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Golden Spike National Historical Park: official page, National Park Service. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Bonneville Salt Flats: official page, Bureau of Land Management. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Fremont Indian State Park: official page, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Green River and Crystal Geyser: official page, Utah Geological Survey. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Fish Lake and Pando: official page, Forest Service. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Fremont Indian State Park fees, Utah State Parks. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Thanksgiving Point: official page, Thanksgiving Point. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Heber Valley Railroad: official page, Heber Valley Railroad. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Soldier Hollow: official page, Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation. Checked October 20, 2026.
- The Crater at Homestead, Midway: official page, Homestead. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Nephi and the Ute Stampede: official page, Ute Stampede. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah Olympic Oval, Kearns: official page, Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Temple Square and the Tabernacle Choir rehearsal: official page, Church Newsroom. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Tracy Aviary: official page, Tracy Aviary. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Ensign Peak: official page, Ensign Peak Foundation. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Park City's Main Street: official page, Park City Museum. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah's Hogle Zoo: official page, Hogle Zoo. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Natural History Museum of Utah: official page, Natural History Museum of Utah. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Alta and Albion Basin: official page, Alta. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Utah Olympic Park: official page, Utah Olympic Legacy Foundation. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Fairview Museum of History and Art: official page, Fairview Museum. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Lagoon: official page, Lagoon. Checked October 20, 2026.
- George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park, Ogden: official page, Dinosaur Park. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Hill Aerospace Museum: official page, Hill Aerospace Museum. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Topaz Museum, Delta: official page, Topaz Museum. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Powder Mountain: official page, Powder Mountain. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Crystal Hot Springs, Honeyville: official page, Crystal Hot Springs. Checked October 20, 2026.
- American West Heritage Center: official page, American West Heritage Center. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Historic Cove Fort: official page, The Church's Cove Fort page. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Mystic Hot Springs, Monroe: official page, Mystic Hot Springs. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Historic Wendover Airfield: official page, Historic Wendover Airfield. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Waterfall Canyon, Ogden: official page, AllTrails. Checked October 20, 2026.
- Provo River Falls: official page, AllTrails. Checked October 20, 2026.
- OSRM route service (OpenStreetMap data): drive estimates from Center St and University Ave, Provo, Project OSRM. Checked October 20, 2026.
