State Parks in Utah

Utah has 43 state parks complementing its five national parks. The state parks often provide access to landscapes nearly as spectacular as the national parks but with far fewer crowds.

Dead Horse Point State Park near Moab is one of the most dramatic overlooks in the American West. The point sits 2,000 feet above a gooseneck of the Colorado River. The view — of the river, the canyon, and the distant La Sal Mountains — is so cinematic that it has been used in countless films and advertisements. Thelma and Louise and Mission: Impossible II filmed here.

Goblin Valley State Park near Hanksville protects thousands of peculiar sandstone hoodoos (called "goblins") eroded into mushroom and goblin shapes. The valley allows visitors to wander freely among the formations — one of the most child-friendly and otherworldly park experiences in Utah.

Kodachrome Basin State Park near Bryce Canyon takes its name from the National Geographic photographers who named it after their color film — the rocks here display extraordinary color variation. The park has 67 stone spires called "sand pipes" — unusual geological formations found in very few places worldwide.

Snow Canyon State Park near St. George in southwestern Utah has red sandstone and black lava canyons, petrified sand dunes, and Joshua trees. It's a smaller, less-crowded alternative to Zion with excellent hiking.

Antelope Island State Park in the Great Salt Lake is the largest island in the Great Salt Lake — accessible by a causeway from Syracuse. It supports one of the largest bison herds in the US (about 700 animals), along with pronghorn, mule deer, and enormous concentrations of migratory birds. Floating in the hypersaline lake water is an unusual and memorable experience.

Wasatch Mountain State Park near Midway in Heber Valley is the state's largest state park at 22,000 acres, with hiking, biking, golf, and some of the most accessible alpine scenery near Salt Lake City.