Explore a destination located in Utah, United States
Utah, otherwise known as the "Beehive State," contains a generally arid climate and is home to over 3 million residents. The state capital is Salt Lake City and serves as the headquarters for the state's most prominent religion: The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Early pioneers of the church—often referred to as Mormon pioneers—settled the Salt Lake Valley in 1847.[4] Most of the people who visit Utah are there for the various national parks that the state offers or the abundant amount of skiing that is available in the winter. Arches National Park is home to Delicate Arch, which has become a state symbol over the years.[1] The Bonneville Salt Flats and the Sundance Film Festival are two other notable features in the state, drawing in visitors that enjoy activities such as speed racing and viewing independent films.
Utah is one of fifty states in the U.S.A., resting on the western side of the country. Its nickname is the "Beehive State," and it achieved its statehood in 1896, making it one of the last states to be formally recognized by the national government. The capital of Utah is Salt Lake City, named after the nearby Great Salt Lake. Utah is particularly famous for being the eventual location of settlement for the Mormon pioneers in the 1800s. More formally recognized as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, members of the faith made their way into the Salt Lake Valley in 1847 in order to seek religious freedom from the persecution they had been facing.[2] Currently, Salt Lake City continues to serve as the headquarters for the church, with Temple Square being the primary attraction for visitors who desire to learn more about the Latter-Day Saint culture. Forbes magazine once rated Temple Square as being the 16th most-visited tourist destination in the United States.[1]
There has been some dispute regarding the conception of the name "Utah," with some experts stating that it is derived from the Ute Native American tribe that was once more prominent in the area. Others claim that Utah comes from the Ute word "yutas," which has the supposed translation of "the people of the mountains."[2] The first name that was proposed for the state was "Deseret" by the latter-day saints that had arrived in the valley. The name "Deseret" comes from the church's primary book of scripture—The Book of Mormon—and is meant to be an ancient word for "honeybee." The name was ultimately rejected by the United States government, but Utah's flag still contains a beehive as a symbol of this prior desire.[1]
In current times, Utah is famous for its diverse geographical landscapes, and in particular, the red rock deserts of its southern regions, in addition to the powder snow it receives each winter. Skiing is one of the most popular activities to do in Utah, with the mountains near Salt Lake City collecting nearly 500 inches of snowfall annually. Additionally, the Sundance Film Festival is one of the world's more prolific independent film festivals. The event takes place each January in Park City, Utah.[8] According to the weather, the best times of year to visit Utah are between March and May, as well as from September to November. Utah's arid climate makes its winter and summer temperatures more extreme in comparison with others, though many of the state's more popular activities occur during these times as well.[5] National parks such as Arches, Bryce Canyon, and Grand Staircase-Escalante contain red rock arches and other unique landscapes that have driven much of Utah's tourism over the years.[1]
By measuring factors such as health care, economy, and crime, U.S. News ranked Utah #3 overall in the United States. Utah is reported as having the best economy of the 50 states, according to data that was analyzed in 2021. It comes in fifth place on both infrastructure and fiscal stability, while crime is the 8th lowest in the country.[8] The population of Utah is somewhere around 3.3 million people, with the five most metropolitan areas being Salt Lake City, Provo-Orem, St. George, Ogden-Clearfield, and Logan. Somewhere around 97% of Utah residents are white, with other ethnic groups maintaining relatively similar proportions to one other within the remaining 3%.[1]
Utah rests in the western United States, containing much of the Wasatch Range and parts of the Rocky Mountains. Utah is surrounded by Idaho and Wyoming to the north, Colorado to the east, Arizona to the south, and Nevada to the west. Utah is one of the "Four Corners" states, sharing the title with Colorado, New Mexico, and Arizona.[1] The climate of the area can best be described as arid, and many sections of Utah's landscape are deserts. Local temperatures range drastically depending on what part of the state one finds themselves in, but in the summer, average temperatures linger at around 85 degrees Fahrenheit, with the highest average of 100 degrees taking place in July. Winter temperatures typically have a high between 30 and 55 degrees, especially in January. This leads to dense snowfall in certain parts of Utah, with inches or even feet of snow falling annually in most regions.[5] Skiing and snowboarding are popular activities in sections of Utah because of this, with Park City, Snowbird, Deer Valley, and Sundance acting as some of the most-visited locations.[6] Some versions of license plates in Utah displayed a skier on a snowy slope with the slogan "the Greatest Snow on Earth." Additionally, Salt Lake City in Utah was the location for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, considerably boosting the state's economy.[1]
Though Utah is landlocked, it contains various lakes that provide sources of water for recreation or other uses. The most notable of Utah's lakes is the Great Salt Lake, which is famous for its high saline levels. The salt produced by the lake has led to both economic and recreational profits, acting as a source of minerals and as a unique environment for water sports and beach activities.[3] The Bonneville Salt Flats are another unique series of locations within Utah. Most parts of the salt flats are nearly completely level, allowing for high-speed racing. Formal speed events are managed by the Bonneville Speedway, which has preserved a track that is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The salt flats have allowed for the breaking of many land speed records due to their length and lack of obstructions.[7]
Generally speaking, Utah is home to sizable mountains and unique geological features. Some of the more famous attractions in the state are centered around viewing these aspects of nature, namely Arches National Park, Zions National Park, Bryce Canyon National Park, and Goblin Valley.[1] The rivers and lakes that are located within the state help to add to its diverse geographical nature, making it possible to find various different biomes all within Utah. Mountain climbing, hiking, fishing, hunting, skiing, and camping are all relatively accessible activities across varied parts of the state.
Some of the earliest known peoples that inhabited what is now Utah were the Pueblo People and the Ute Native American tribe. The Pueblo People—otherwise recognized as the Anasazi—built relatively large communities for their time. Remnants of their civilization can be found spread throughout the state, which is historically significant due to the fact that the structures were likely built sometime between 1 and 1300 AD.[4]
The first non-native residents of Utah were the Mormon pioneers, more formally known as members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. The first official colonization of the Salt Lake Valley occurred on July 24, 1847, when the pioneers' leader Brigham Young declared it to be their new home. His specific words were, "this is the right place," ending a prolonged period of relocation following the aftermath of religious persecution. That same day in July, settlers began to plant crops and prepare the land for more pioneers. One of the earliest locations that were designated by the saints was a plot of 10-acre squares that are now collectively known as Temple Square.[4]
Soon after the saints' arrival, they began to push for various changes within the region. One of their goals was to petition for formal statehood under the name "Deseret," which they believed to mean "honeybee" from an ancient word found in their religious text called The Book of Mormon. Disputes between the Mormon settlers and the United States made the journey to statehood a long and arduous process. Specifically, the latter-day saints of the time practiced polygamy in the mid-1800s, to which the U.S. government was in stark opposition. It wasn't until the practice was banned in 1890 that the region was approved for statehood—though under the name Utah instead of Deseret.[1]
Over the 20th century, various regions of Utah were designated as national parks to preserve the natural environments that were abundant in the state. As skiing became a more popular past-time for residents of the United States, Utah established various skiing areas such as Alta Ski Area and Deer Lake. The area became so famous for its snow and skiing that Salt Lake City was able to win the bid for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, which subsequently led to the development of more venues for various winter sports and an overall increase in the state's economy. Many parts of Utah are experiencing intense growth in the first half of the 21st century, though this has caused transportation management and urbanization to become contested topics of conversation in politics.[1]
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