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Telling anybody to bypass Zion Nationwide Park can be a shame, however with that comes the effort of crowds, together with visitors (sure, visitors!) when hopping from one fiery crimson panorama to the subsequent.
I have been within the midst of it myself and was actually fairly dissatisfied with how restricted the park felt, having introduced my canine together with minimal pet-friendly trails and bumper-to-bumper visitors in sure areas of the park.


Whereas there could also be combined critiques with such circumstances, one factor is for sure – journey awaits in Utah.
A brand new report from native Utah information supply KSL revealed 4 state parks have undergone a mass transformation for vacationers and locals alike to take pleasure in new websites, together with ever-so-trendy tiny properties, all with out the headache of crowds that extra notable parks might incur.
Escalante Petrified Forest State Park
In case you’ve by no means heard of Escalante Petrified Forest State Park, simply comprehend it lives as much as the identify.
Brimming with historic bushes and petrified remnants lining the maze of wide-open trails, that is one in every of Utah’s most original parks.


Entry charges are $10 and nicely value it for the astounding surroundings and crowd-free nature, the place, in lots of areas, you possibly can embrace solitude on a hike, bike journey, or lakeside lounging.
Positioned primarily in the midst of nowhere, this State Park boasts a brand-new campground with charges beginning at $30 per evening, plus extra prices for water, electrical energy, and dump stations.
Whereas right here, do not skimp out on close by pure sights excellent for photo-ops, reminiscent of Decrease Calf Creek Falls and Phipps Arch.
Crimson Fleet State Park


Venturing even deeper into no man’s land lies Crimson Fleet State Park, the place its declare to fame is 200 million-year-old dinosaur tracks, the place it is stated the perfect occasions to view them are early morning and late afternoon.
Whereas that is actually no Jurassic Park, maintain on to your butts as a result of this park is not any snoozer!
With loads of out of doors actions to take pleasure in, reminiscent of mountaineering, dust biking, and quite a few water thrills like waterskiing and paddle boarding on the Crimson Fleet Reservoir, typically thought-about a ‘mini Lake Powell’
You will possible wish to make greater than a day journey out of Crimson Fleet. If that is the case, benefit from the park’s revamped campgrounds with model new tiny properties for lease, in addition to different helpful facilities to be named at a later date.


For additional info and a full tour of the park’s new tiny properties and total enhancements, I extremely suggest watching the insughtful YouTube video beneath from KSL Outdoor.
Crimson Fleet State Park prices $10 to enter.
Utahraptor State Park
And the winner for greatest State Park identify goes to….
Full disclosure: Utahraptor State Park does not have the perfect repute. Previously plagued with damaging critiques as a barren wasteland with nothing to do, Utahraptor has undergone a much-needed glow-up.


Now, there are 67 fashionable campgrounds to liven the place in hopes of attracting extra guests than the measly 26,000 that had been largely dissatisfied in 2024.
However hey, let’s give this place an opportunity. In any case, it is solely been a chosen State Park since 2021, with development nonetheless ongoing for an official grand opening slated for Spring 2025.
Positioned close to Moab, if this Utahraptor does not grow to be a dud, simply quarter-hour away are extra in style Arches Nationwide Park and Canyonlands Nationwide Park, plus ULUM, an expensive ‘glamping’ resort.
Bear Lake State Park


Bear Lake State Park is actually probably the most interesting to the attention at first look out of those 4 State Parks. Bear Lake itself is mesmerizing with turquoise waters and surrounded by rolling hills within the distance.
So fairly, the truth is, it has been dubbed “the Caribbean of the Rockies”. Clearly, you may wish to spend nearly all of your journey in and across the fabulous waters right here.
To take action, you may need to fork over no less than $15 to enter. Charges differ primarily based on season and residency, which you’ll view here.


Fishing, jet-skiing, and boating are extremely popular, as are mountaineering, picnicking, and tenting out, which is the brand new hype surrounding Bear Lake as new campgrounds and day-use areas had been not too long ago constructed within the Rainbow Cove and North Eden areas of the park.
Bear Lake is shared with Wyoming, and there are additionally lodges dotted all through the world, reminiscent of The Resort At Bear Lake and Dawn Resort & Occasion Middle.
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Opinions expressed listed here are the writer’s alone, not these of any financial institution, bank card issuer, resort, airline, or different entity. This content material has not been reviewed, permitted or in any other case endorsed by any of the entities included inside the publish.