List of Utah State Parks facts for kids

Utah State Parks is the name for the group of special places managed by the Utah Division of State Parks. This division is part of the Utah Department of Natural Resources. Their job is to look after Utah's amazing state park system.

Utah's state park system started small in 1957 with just four parks. These included the Utah Territorial Statehouse in Fillmore and This Is the Place Monument in Salt Lake City. Today, there are 46 Utah State Parks! They cover over 95,000 acres (about 384 square kilometers) of land and more than a million acres of water. You can find Utah's state parks all over the state, from Bear Lake State Park near the Idaho border to Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum in the Four Corners area.

The Division of State Parks also helps manage programs for off highway vehicles (like ATVs), boating, and trails. They work to make sure people can easily access waterways and trails. They also teach about safety and how to protect these natural places.

Their main goal is "To make life better by protecting and sharing natural, cultural, and fun places for everyone to enjoy, learn from, and be inspired by, now and in the future."

Explore Utah's Amazing State Parks

Utah's state parks offer a huge variety of experiences. You can see ancient history, unique landscapes, and exciting outdoor activities. Here are some highlights:

Ancient History and Culture

Utah's parks preserve important stories from the past.

Anasazi State Park Museum

At Anasazi State Park Museum, you can explore a large village built by the Ancestral Puebloans. These ancient people lived here between AD 1160 and 1235. It's a great place to learn about their daily lives and how they built their homes.

Camp Floyd / Stagecoach Inn State Park and Museum

Camp Floyd / Stagecoach Inn State Park and Museum tells the story of a huge U.S. Army camp. This camp was set up in 1858 because of worries about the Utah War. You can see old buildings and learn about life for soldiers and travelers back then.

Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum

Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum protects another Ancestral Puebloan village. This one was lived in from AD 825 to 1125. The museum has many artifacts and helps you understand this ancient culture.

Fremont Indian State Park and Museum

Fremont Indian State Park and Museum is home to amazing rock art and items from the largest Fremont culture village ever found. It’s a fascinating look into another ancient group of people who lived in Utah.

Frontier Homestead State Park Museum

At Frontier Homestead State Park Museum, you can see historic buildings and equipment from the 1850s to the 1920s. They have a huge collection of horse-drawn vehicles. It used to be called Iron Mission State Park.

Territorial Statehouse State Park Museum

The Territorial Statehouse State Park Museum is Utah's oldest government building. It was built between 1852 and 1855 and was the first capitol of Utah Territory. It's a key part of Utah's early history.

This Is the Place Heritage Park

This Is the Place Heritage Park helps you experience Utah's settlement era. It has a living history village where you can see how pioneers lived. The park also features the famous This Is the Place Monument.

Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum

The Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum is a state-owned museum. It's filled with exhibits about natural history, including dinosaurs and fossils found in Utah.

Unique Landscapes and Natural Wonders

Utah's parks are famous for their incredible and often strange landscapes.

Antelope Island State Park

Antelope Island State Park protects the largest island in the Great Salt Lake. It's a fantastic place to see wildlife like bison, Pronghorn, and bighorn sheep roaming free.

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park is truly unique. It's the only dune field on the Colorado Plateau. The sand has a special pink color because of iron and minerals from the Navajo sandstone. It's a great spot for playing in the sand!

Dead Horse Point State Park

Dead Horse Point State Park offers breathtaking views of the Colorado River and Canyonlands National Park. It's a high point of land that was once used to corral horses.

Escalante Petrified Forest State Park

Escalante Petrified Forest State Park is known for its amazing petrified wood and other fossils. You can hike among ancient trees that have turned to stone over millions of years. There's also a reservoir for recreation.

Goblin Valley State Park

Goblin Valley State Park looks like another planet! It's filled with strange rock formations called hoodoos. They look like little goblins or mushrooms, making it a fun place to explore.

Goosenecks State Park

Goosenecks State Park gives you a stunning view of the San Juan River. The river winds back and forth in dramatic loops, like a giant snake.

Kodachrome Basin State Park

Kodachrome Basin State Park is famous for its 67 tall rock spires and other amazing rock formations. The basin is so beautiful and colorful, it was named after Kodachrome camera film!

Red Fleet State Park

Red Fleet State Park has a reservoir for water fun, but its most exciting feature is a fossil trackway of dinosaur footprints! You can see where dinosaurs walked millions of years ago.

Snow Canyon State Park

Snow Canyon State Park showcases a beautiful canyon carved into colorful Navajo sandstone. You can also see landforms created by the Santa Clara Volcano. It's a great place for hiking and exploring volcanic rock.

Utahraptor State Park

Utahraptor State Park is a new park established in 2021. It's special because it features the Dalton Wells Dinosaur Quarry, where many dinosaur fossils, including the fierce Utahraptor, have been found.

Water Fun and Outdoor Adventures

Many state parks in Utah offer fantastic opportunities for boating, fishing, and other outdoor activities.

Bear Lake State Park

Bear Lake State Park is located on the beautiful Bear Lake. It's known for its bright blue water and sandy beaches, perfect for swimming and boating.

Deer Creek State Park

Deer Creek State Park is next to the very popular Deer Creek Reservoir. It's a great spot for water sports and enjoying the mountain scenery.

East Canyon State Park

East Canyon State Park features a reservoir in a canyon. This canyon was first traveled by the famous Donner Party and later by Mormon pioneers.

Fred Hayes State Park at Starvation

Fred Hayes State Park at Starvation has a large reservoir. Early settlers in the area faced tough times and struggled with starvation, which is how the reservoir got its name. Today, it's a popular place for fishing and boating.

Great Salt Lake State Park

Great Salt Lake State Park has a public boat launch and a large marina on the Great Salt Lake. It's where you can get out on the unique salty waters.

Green River State Park

Green River State Park offers a nice campground, a golf course, and a place to start float trips on the Green River.

Gunlock State Park

Gunlock State Park is next to a reservoir and is a good place for water activities in a warm, desert setting.

Huntington State Park

Huntington State Park features a warm-water reservoir, making it a pleasant spot for swimming and boating.

Hyrum State Park

Hyrum State Park surrounds a reservoir and is a popular spot for families to enjoy the water.

Jordanelle State Park

Jordanelle State Park has two recreation areas on the large Jordanelle Reservoir. It's a favorite for boating, fishing, and camping.

Millsite State Park

Millsite State Park has a reservoir and lands for off highway vehicles and mountain biking.

Otter Creek State Park

Otter Creek State Park features a large reservoir. It was one of the earliest dam projects in Utah, started way back in 1897.

Palisade State Park

Palisade State Park has a reservoir and an 18-hole golf course. It was once a private resort founded in the 1860s.

Piute State Park

Piute State Park protects a quiet fishing reservoir on the Sevier River. It's a peaceful spot for anglers.

Quail Creek State Park

Quail Creek State Park is next to a reservoir surrounded by beautiful red rock desert. It's a great place for swimming and boating.

Rockport State Park

Rockport State Park features a large reservoir, offering many water recreation activities.

Sand Hollow State Park

Sand Hollow State Park has a reservoir and a huge area for off highway vehicles. It's a very popular park for both water sports and off-roading.

Scofield State Park

Scofield State Park features a large reservoir, popular for fishing and camping.

Steinaker State Park

Steinaker State Park features a reservoir, offering a cool escape in the Uintah Basin.

Utah Lake State Park

Utah Lake State Park is next to Utah Lake, which is the largest freshwater body in the state. It's a great place for boating and fishing.

Wasatch Mountain State Park

Wasatch Mountain State Park has many recreational areas, including facilities built for the 2002 Winter Olympics. It's a huge park with lots to do.

Willard Bay State Park

Willard Bay State Park offers water recreation on a large freshwater reservoir. It's a popular spot for boating and fishing.

Yuba State Park

Yuba State Park features a reservoir on the Sevier River, known for its warm water and sandy beaches.

Other Fun Parks

Flight Park State Recreation Area

Flight Park State Recreation Area is known as one of the best places in the world for learning hang gliding and parasailing. It also has a special area for radio control aircraft.

Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail State Park

Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail State Park is a 28-mile (about 45 km) long trail. It follows an old Union Pacific Railroad route that was used from 1880 to 1989. It's perfect for biking and walking.

Jordan River Off-Highway Vehicle State Recreation Area

Jordan River Off-Highway Vehicle State Recreation Area offers four different tracks for off highway vehicles along the Jordan River. It's a fun place for riders.

Images for kids

• Echo State Park.jpg

  Echo State Park

• Lost Creek State Park.jpg

  Lost Creek State Park