UTAH
TRAVEL INFORMATION
Geographic Diversity:
Most of Utah lies on a plateau above 4,000 feet in elevation. The
Wasatch and High Plateau Ranges of the Rocky Mountains span the
heart of the state for 300 miles from north to south. To the east
is the Uinta Range, Utah's most rugged and highest mountain wilderness
and the only large mountain range in North America which runs east
and west. To the southeast is the Colorado Plateau with its famed
red rock country. In the center of the state, the Rocky Mountains
border Utah's major communities and rural areas then slide away
to the remote mountain ranges and expanse of the Great Basin Desert.
Covering a large portion of northwestern Utah are the Great Salt
Lake and the Bonneville Salt Flats.
Wherever
you travel in Utah you are never far from a National or State Park.
The culture and character of each is influenced by the surrounding
landscape. Recreation opportunities abound visitors can camp, boat,
swim, fish, picnic, ride horseback, visit interpretive areas, enjoy
nature trails, play golf, hike, bike, ride off-highway vehicles
or just relax.
Climate:
Utah enjoys a distinct four-season climate. In summer the days are
warm, with generally cool nights. Winter brings cold temperatures
and snow in the north - but shirt sleeve weather in southern Utah's
Dixie. Utah's climate varies greatly from north to south and from
desert to mountain. Even in the desert where summer days are hot,
temperatures drop to sweater weather at night. Extra clothes are
always advised when traveling in Utah's mountains, summer or winter.
People
and Culture:
Utah's original Pueblo Culture inhabitants are represented today
by several Indian tribes with strong cultural legacies which continue
to flourish in the state. Visitors and residents alike are reminded
of Utah's link to these important civilizations of the past by the
state's web of sacred natural places, dwelling sites, and intriguing
rock art messages.
Utah
also retains a bit of a frontier spirit which is evocative of the
mountain men who found in Utah's landscape the fodder for their
legendary stories and deeds.
The
Mormon pioneers, who began settling in the Salt Lake Valley in 1847,
left behind an example of religious devotion and hard work which
remains a vital part of modem-day Utah. Today about 70 percent of
the state's population is Mormon, which is a simplified reference
to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes also
referred to as the LDS Church.
During
the last century, people of many ethnic, cultural and religious
backgrounds have made great contributions to Utah's quality of life.
Together, the values of Utah's citizens make the state an industrious,
clean and safe place in which to live and work.
In
Utah, cosmopolitan cities blend with uniquely western, small towns
to create a distinctive lifestyle. Utah boasts the most educated
work force in the nation, a fact which attracts many high-tech industries
to the area.
The
state's five major universities and dozens of state and community
colleges provide a talented work force for major bio-medical industries,
computer software companies and light manufacturing.
The
Arts:
Utah's tradition of support for the arts began in 1899 when the
3rd Legislature authorized the nation's first publicly-funded arts
council Its legacy includes the Utah Symphony, Ballet West, the
Utah Opera Company, and Repertory Dance Theatre among others. Community
theaters abound in the state.
Many
art galleries showcase the talents of local artisans. Cedar City
has a nationally-acclaimed Shakespearean Festival, and Salt Lake
City has two "equity" theater companies. In Logan, the
annual Festival of the American West celebrates the past, and the
Utah Festival Opera Company performs each summer in an elegantly
restored theater. Each January, Utah hosts the Sundance Film Festival
as it premieres the works of independent film makers. Utah is also
home to the Gina Bachauer International Piano Competition and the
world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Our
"arts scene" truly encompasses something for everyone.
From "Reggae to Rembrandt", it's here.
UTAH'S
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND
Ancient Pueblo People, also known as the Anasazi Indians, or Ancient
Ones, raised corn in southern Utah from about 1 A.D. to 1300. Ute
and Navajo Indians roamed the region for centuries before the arrival
of outsiders, and the state takes its name from the Ute Tribe. In
the mid-1700s Catholic Spanish explorers and Mexican traders began
to arrive. In the 1820s fur trappers including Jedediah Smith, William
Ashley and Jim Bridger discovered the area and its abundant trapping
opportunities; they made northern Utah a popular site for mountain
man rendezvous. Permanent pioneer settlement began on July 24, 1847,
when Mormon leader Brigham Young looked across the Salt Lake Valley
and said, 'This is the right place." During 1847, 1,637 Mormons
migrated to the Salt Lake Valley. By the time the first transcontinental
railroad was completed at Promontory, Utah in May of 1869, more
than 60,000 Mormons had come to Utah by covered wagon or handcart.
Utah became America's 45th state on January 4, 1896. Since settlement
days, Utah's history has been shaped by people from diverse cultural,
ethnic and religious backgrounds. Today, Utah is a unique balance
of modern sophistication and natural wonder.
RECREATION:
Utah may be best known in the tourism industry for its myriad recreational
opportunities. Alpine and cross-country ski conditions are among
the best in the world. Seven major ski resorts are within 45 minutes
of the Salt Lake International Airport.
And
you don't have to wait until 2002 to sample the venues which will
host the Olympic Winter Games.
Utah's
reputation as the bicycling capital of the world is earned on both
alpine and red rock trails. Golfing, horseback riding, hiking, scenic
driving, boating and river running are just a few more of the outdoor
activities to be found in Utah. Leisure activities include picnicking
in any of the hundreds of city and state parks, enjoying an amusement
park, hiking in mountains or deserts, sightseeing at historic sites,
and much more.
For
more information contact:
Utah
Board of Tourism
Council Hall
Capitol Hill
Salt Lake City, UT 84114
Phone:
(801) 538-1030
fax: (801) 538-1399
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