Things to do in Southwest
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Park City Roasters
This cyber coffeehouse is a cool place to hang out, sip a shade-grown brew and catch up on your news reading – online or on paper.
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Park City Mountain Resort
From boarder dudes to parents with tots, everyone skis Park City Mountain Resort, host of the Olympic snowboarding and giant slalom events. The awesome terrain couldn't be more family-friendly – or more accessible, rising right over downtown.
The lowdown: 3100ft vertical drop, base elevation 6900ft; 3300 acres, 17% beginner, 52% intermediate, 31% advanced; seven high-speed lifts, eight fixed-grip chairs, one magic carpet. Park City's skiable area covers nine peaks, ranging from groomers to wide-open bowls (750 acres of them!) to cotton-mouth-inducing super steeps and the nation's only superpipe. Experts: make a beeline to Mount Jupiter; the best open trees are in the …
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Paradox Pizza
You may want to order your scrumptious locally-sourced and organically-oriented pizzas to go; the dining area is kinda small and generic. Our favorite? The 'fun guy', with whole-milk mozzarella and ricotta, plus portabellas.
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Panorama Point & Gooseneck Overlook
Two miles west of the visitor center off Hwy 24, a short unpaved road heads to Panorama Point and Gooseneck Overlook. The dizzying 800ft-high viewpoints above serpentine Sulphur Creek are worth a stop. Afternoon light is best for photography.
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Pago
Seasonal eclectic mains include dishes like a Moroccan fried chicken with frisée or a truffle burger. Sit outside at the few sidewalk tables and you'll feel like part of the chummy neighborhood. Dinner reservations recommended.
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Other Historic Buildings
The Utah Heritage Foundation puts out a free self-guided downtown walking tour brochure available from the visitor center and online. It also has brochures for several other neighborhoods, and an MP3 downloadable audio tour of the Gateway and Warehouse district.
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Notom-Bullfrog Rd
This is a rough, rough road that heads south from Hwy 24 (5 miles east of the visitor center) paralleling Waterpocket Fold. Thirty-two miles south, you can turn west toward Hwy 12 and Burr Trail Rd in Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument. Along the way, Strike Valley Overlook has one of the best comprehensive views of the Waterpocket Fold itself. If you instead continue south, you're on the way to Lake Powell and Bullfrog Marina in Glen Canyon National Recreation Area, another 35 miles away.
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Nordic Center
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Negro Bill Canyon Trail
- Moab, USA
- Activities › Hiking
The moderately easy trail includes a 2.5-mile walk along a stream. (The totally politically incorrect canyon name refers to a prospector who grazed his cows here in the 1800s.) Scoot down a shaded side canyon to find petroglyphs, then continue to the 243ft-wide Morning Glory Natural Bridge, at a box canyon. Plan on three to four hours.
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Navajo Loop
Many moderate trails descend below the rim, but this is one of the most popular. The 1.4-mile trail descends 521ft from Sunset Point and passes through the famous narrow canyon Wall Street. Combine part of the Navajo with the Queen's Garden Trail for an easier ascent. Once you hike the 320ft to Sunrise Point, follow the Rim Trail back to your car (2.9-mile round-trip).
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Mystery Canyon
Mystery Canyon lets you be a rock star: the last rappel drops into the Virgin River before admiring crowds hiking the Narrows. It's accessed off Zion Ponderosa Ranch roads in East Zion; ask rangers for more information. Backcountry permit required; hiker shuttle necessary.
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Museum of Ancient Life
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Mountain Vista Touring
Guided trips include hot springs and moonlight hikes.
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Mossy Cave Trail
Outside main park boundaries (east of the entrance), off Hwy 12 at Mile 17, take the easy half-mile one-way walk to the year-round waterfall off Mossy Cave Trail, a summertime treat and frozen winter spectacle.
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Moab Photo Tours
Area photo workshops and tours by local photographers.
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Moab Farmers Market
- Moab, USA
- Restaurants › Market
Local farms vend their summer produce in Swanny City Park.
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Moab Desert Adventures
Top-notch climbing tours scale area towers and walls; the 140ft arch rappel is especially exciting. Canyoneering and multisport packages available.
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Moab Cliffs & Canyons
Canyoneering, climbing and scenic hiking trips. Ask about Fiery Furnace hikes.
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Mid-Mountain Trail
One of the best for mountain biking is this 15-mile one-way trail, which follows the topography at 8000ft, connecting Deer Valley to Olympic Park. You could also start at Park City Mountain, bike the steep Spiro Trail up to Mid-Mountain, then return on roads for a 22-mile loop.
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Mecham Outfitters
Based in Tropic, leads half- and full-day rides in nearby Dixie National Forest and on GSENM lands.
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Mazza
Well-known items such as kebabs, schwarma and hummus are, of course, on the menu. But so are more regional specialties, many from Lebanon. Love what they do with lamb and eggplant. Great upscale-casual atmosphere, too.
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Matrimony Springs
- Moab, USA
- Activities › Other
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Loop-the-Fold
This 100-mile loop links several top drives; roughly half is on dirt roads generally accessible to 2WD passenger vehicles. Pick up a driving guide ($2) at the Capitol Reef National Park visitor center. West of the park, there are the rocky valleys of Hwy 12. It only gets better after turning east along Burr Trail Rd to Strike Valley Overlook. Then take the rough Notom-Bullfrog Rd north to finish the loop at Hwy 24.
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Lookout Cabin
Gourmet lunch and aprés ski mid-mountain. Think kirsch cherry fondue and Kobe beef-turned-burger.
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