Top 10 Camping Hidden Gems in Utah

Camping Gems - Utah Natural Bridges National Monument Natural Bridges preserves some of the finest examples of natural stone architecture in the southwest. On a tree-covered mesa next to deep sandstone canyons, three natural bridges formed when meandering streams slowly cut through the canyon walls. Head here for excellent hiking, photography, scenic drives, and ranger walks. Utah Shakespearean Festival Visit Cedar City for incredible comedy, tragedy, and all the drama in between.  The Tony award-winning theater of the Utah Shakespearean Festival will have you mesmerized.  You can see a number of plays by Shakespeare and other authors, attend a director's talk, and much more. Green River The Green River flows through some of the most dramatic scenery in the country, and it also offers terrific rafting and salmon fishing.  Take a boat trip down the river and see the walls of Flaming Gorge Dam, the breathtaking Red Canyon, and miles of scenic desert terrain.  Fish for brown and kokanee salmon or river-run brown, cutthroat, and rainbow trout. Lagoon, Farmington Welcome to the largest amusement park from Kansas City to the West Coast! What can you do here? You can wander through the Pioneer Village, make a splash at Lagoon A Beach, scream with delight as you ride Utah's only giant wooden roller coaster, and marvel at the talent of the skaters during the Ice Show Extravaganza. (801-451-8000) Kaysville Settled in 1850, Kaysville is one of the oldest towns in Utah. One of these hearty pioneers built the first permanent home in the area, a dugout near the shores of the Great Salt Lake. Just one year later, 300 settlers were calling this valley home, the town's namesake, William Kay, among them. Explore this charming town and get to know its superb shops, galleries, and restaurants. Dinosaur National Monument As you explore the craggy hills, discover fragments of a long ago world where the largest land creatures of all time once roamed and died. You can also view rock art and captivating scenery, explore homestead sites, and go whitewater rafting. Set at the confluence of the Green and Yampa Rivers, the geology here is absolutely incredible. Utah Valley Set below the dramatic snow-capped peaks of the Wasatch Front, the Utah Valley is a terrific place to play.  You can explore the college town of Provo, hike in American Fork Canyon, or go boating and fishing on Utah Lake.  With the Jordan River and plenty of family attractions right nearby, this is a great place to get into the great outdoors. Sundance Film Festival, Park City Known world-wide as one of the best film festivals anywhere, Sundance also offers a beautiful natural setting.  Held in Park City, the festival is right in the heart of superb skiing and hiking country.  Where else can you head out on a mountain biking trip and return to incredible films and fabulous restaurants? Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge (MBR) lies in northern Utah, where the Bear River flows into the northeast arm of the Great Salt Lake.  Throughout the refuge's long, rich past, it has not only been an oasis for shorebirds and waterfowl, but many people find solitude viewing the winter sun setting over the Promontory Mountains, or by watching a pair of American avocets dancing in spring. Beehive House Built in 1854, this was the official residence of Brigham Young. To see Brigham Young's final resting place head over to 1st Avenue between State Street and A Street. Here you will find his grave and several of his family members' graves, including Eliza R Snow, who was a pioneer song writer. (67 East South Temple, 801-240-2671)