When the gates opened, the mad dash for the best real estate on the lawn began. Blankets spread, beverages poured, and picnics arranged, the fans were ready. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit and Deer Tick didn’t disappoint the Red Butte Garden revelers. On Saturday, July 8, they shared tried and true favorites alongside fresh, new sounds with the packed audience. Both bands have recently released critically-acclaimed albums that will undoubtedly reshape their set lists.
Deer Tick opened the evening with a 10-song set, equal parts new and old. The Providence, Rhode Island roots rockers just released their first album of new material in six years. Emotional Contracts proved worth the wait. They opened their set with “If I Try To Leave,” a ripping new number with a ‘70s retro rock sound. Deer Tick fans who wanted to hear older stuff were pleased with “Ashamed” from 2007 and “Hope Is Big” from their past catalog. But, I think the new material owned the night. “Forgiving Ties,” “Running From Love,” and “Once In a Lifetime” map their artful musical progression. They ended their set with ”The Real Thing,” a tailor-made show-closer with its building drum beat, guitar distortion, culminating with emotionally strained vocals. Those wanting more will be happy to know that Deer Tick will be headlining at The Commonwealth Room in November.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit were on a mission: to highlight Weathervanes, their newly released record. Nearly half of their 19-song set was dedicated to that material. They started with “Save The World,” a new tune about an old problem–uncontrolled gun violence. The up-tempo “King of Oklahoma” explored the human cost of opioid addiction. Isbell is in top form as a lyricist and storyteller, weaving together a fresh batch of material about humans struggling against changing social headwinds.
The crowd at this sold-out show expected to hear lyrical ballads alongside some good old-school rock ‘n’ roll. Isbell and the 400 Unit delivered. “Last of My Kind” and “Cast Iron Skillet” were some of my favorites country tunes. “Miles” gave Isbell and lead guitarist Sadler Vaden the room to stretch-out and rock. Isbell turned over the keys temporarily to Vaden who brought thunder to the mountain with “Honeysuckle Blue,” a song by Vaden’s former band Drivin’ n’ Cryin’.
The show also commemorated the ten-year anniversary of Isbell’s breakout album, Southeastern. They played “Stockholm” and ended the show with the record’s major hit “Cover Me Up.” The crowd of three thousand stood in rapt attention while Isbell belted out “So, girl leave your boots by the bed we ain’t leaving this room ‘till someone needs medical help or the magnolias bloom.” Isbell’s voice carried across the amphitheatre while the crowds sang along.
For their stirring encore the band reassembled for the Grammy-winning roots-rock hit, “24 Frames” and the acoustic tune, “If We Were Vampires.” For the grand finale they ended with the fresh new rocker “This Ain’t It.” Well, actually, it was it. Time to pack up our picnic gear and head home. It was another great summer night on the mountain.
On May 2, 2023, Utah Bride & Groom magazine hosted the best of Utah’s wedding professionals at our first White Party since the worldwide shutdown. With a garden party theme and a freshly refurbished local venue, Fuse Weddings and Events coordinated a lavish return to live events. Three bands, a fascinating menu, and decor dressed to the nines in spring pastels welcomed the state’s industry in true luxury wedding style.
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Makeup Artists: Reese Stockman, Beauty by Reese; Johan Goolcharan, Beauty by Johan; Darlene Wing, Beauty by Darlene
Garth Peay, Garth Custom, Hailey Arnold, Hail Photo Co.; Joslyn Poole, Metro Music Club; Arturo Hernandez, Garth Custom
Douglas Bethers, wedding officiant; Rachael Matsen, Silver Summit Events; Morgan Neilson, In Frames Photography
May 12–May 14, 2023, Utah State Fairpark, Photos by Natalie Simpson/Beehive Photography
S&S Presents hosted the 2023 Kilby Block Party in May, and it was their biggest ticket yet. Headliners included The Strokes, Pavement and the Yeah Yeah Yeah’s, with plenty of supporting talent from acts like Japanese Breakfast, The Backseat Lovers, Hippo Campus, and many more. The strong rank of performers drew thousands of fans to Library Square, where festivalgoers got a taste of their very own Salt Lake Coachella (complete with overpriced food trucks and not enough shade structures).
Michelle Zauner, singer from Japanese Breakfast
Festival goers dance at Gus Dapperton (Saturday)
Utah band The Plastic Cherries
Festival goers at Run the Jewels (Saturday)
Singer Caroline Polachek
Festival goers at Crumb (Sunday)
Festival goers at Surf Curse (Sunday)
Lead singer and guitarist Joshua Harmon from the Utah band, The Backseat Lovers
The Aster Grand Opening
May 2, 2023, Photos by Blake Peterson
The ribbon cutting ceremony for the Aster, a new mixed-use development in downtown Salt Lake City, centered around the promise of redemption amidts our housing-crisis. “There is such a sense of relief,” said Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall at the ribbon-cutting. “There has never been a project quite like this.”
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Erin Mendenhall, SLC Mayor
(Left to Right): John Crandall, Private Activity Bond Board; David Damschen, Utah Housing Corp; Karly Brinla, Brinshore Development; Whitney Weller, Brinshore Development; Christina Oliver, Utah Department of Workforce Services; Ana Valdemoros, SLC Council Member; Stephanie Ramirez, resident; James Ramirez, resident; Alejandro Puy, SLC Council Member; Erin Mendenhall, SLC Mayor; David Brint, Brinshore Development; Ryan Paszczykowski, Systima Capital; Michael Gallegos, Salt Lake County; Danny Walz, Salt Lake City Redevelopment Agency; Wayne Niederhauser, State Homeless Coordinator; Terry Gentry, The Richman Group
Stephanie Ramirez and her son, The Aster residents
Anthony’s Antiques “Collecting James Taylor Harwood” Exhibition
April 20 – June 16, 2023, Photos by Hannah Bromley
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4. Anthony Christensen, Founder of Anthony’s Fine Art and Antiques 5. Savannah Stephan and Micah Christensen: Authors and Curators of the “Collecting James Taylor Harwood” Exhibition. 6. Art lovers browse the exhibit
Call for photos
We welcome your photos of recent social events around Utah. Please send high-resolution photos (.jpg format) to jeremy@saltlakemagazine.com with the subject line “Social” and a package of images and event/caption information in a file transfer service we can access. Submissions must be accompanied by names and a description of the event (who, what, when, where, why).
It was big news earlier this year when Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm announced that lauded Chef Tamara Stanger would be joining the culinary team as executive chef. Her award-winning journey as a chef, with a background in desert cuisine, Utah culinary tradition, hunting, growing and foraging, make her a natural collaborator in the “fanciful Four Corners food” served at the Boulder, Utah restaurant. While the news sparked questions about change coming to a beloved icon, the main difference is more room for sustainability, balance and creativity. Hell’s Backbone is a gastronomic powerhouse. Woman-owned and woman-led, the unique restaurant stands out in a world where the achievements of female restaurateurs are often overlooked. From Jen and Blake, the Founders and Chefs de Cuisine; Tamara, the Executive Chef; Jen Martinez, the new Sous-Chef; Morgan, General Manager, and Kate McCarty, the Farm Manager—the entire leadership team continues to preserve the culinary legacy at Hell’s Backbone Grill.
Study indigenous foodways and the culinary history in the Southwestern United States, and you will find mention of the “Three Sisters” (always capitalized because they nourish life in the desert). Squash, Corn and Beans were planted together because they help each other grow in arid landscapes. The cornstalks serve poles for the beans to climb; the beans fix nitrogen in the soil and stabilize the corn, and the squash leaves shade the ground and help the soil retain water. Speaking to Chef Blake, Chef Jen and Chef Tamara, I couldn’t help but feel as though these women are coming together as a similar trio of sisters. “Tamara, she gets us,” says Jen. “She’s making beautiful things in the kitchen.” “We feel like we’re old soul sisters, all of us,” adds Blake. “Blake and Jen are the chefs here,” says Tamara. “I’m here to support. We’re going to work together to tell the story of food and place in deeper detail.”
“All I need to be happy is honest work and honest food“
If there was ever a chef homegrown to join a restaurant in a town of under 250 permanent residents, that chef is Tamara. “I grew up in the small town of Eureka, Utah. The closest grocery store was an hour away. So, we grew our food, we foraged our food and we hunted our food. The moment I got to Boulder, I felt at home. I definitely belong here.”
Chef Tamara’s mother owned a small restaurant when she was growing up, “Nothing fancy, just country food.” But that legacy of nourishing people runs deep in Tamara’s soul. “I’ll never forget why we’re cooking in the first place.” she says. “I want it to have integrity and to tell a story. Hell’s Backbone Grill is the perfect environment for that and for me to progress as a person and to be happy. That is going to reflect in the food, too. When all of us are happy and living our best life, the food will be the best it’s ever been. That’s all I need to be happy, is honest work and honest food.”
Preserving food stories and histories
Part of the honest food story at Hell’s Backbone Grill & Farm is the staunch commitment to serving only locally grown, harvested, foraged or produced food. You won’t find scallops on the menu. Ever. It is part of why the farm is so integral to the operation—it provides a steady stream of seasonal and sustainable produce to the restaurant. “Our plan has always been to honor the food of this place, food that made sense at the edge of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument,” says Blake. “Whether it was naturalized food, indigenous food or even the food grown on the farm and invasive edible weeds, we use it. That has always been the whole point.”
Chef Tamara is a dedicated food historian and brings her passion for the land and tradition to the kitchen. “I’m not one of those chefs who just finds an ingredient and puts it on the menu because it sounds cool,” she says. “I care about the history of an ingredient, recipe or food and want to honor people who brought that food here and cultivated it. For example, Utah food is known generally as ‘pioneer food,’ casseroles and food that can feed a lot of people. But to me, there’s more meaning. It’s about all the people who built Utah, which includes the people who inhabited it first, whose land this is, the Indigenous people.”
Immigrants to the Four Corners region also play a huge part in the edible story of the area. From Mormon pioneers to Asian immigrants who came to work on the railroads, there are many people’s histories to explore and combine. And Jen, Blake and Tamara are here for it.
A recipe for creativity
Little known fact: sooner or later, almost every successful restaurant brings in an executive chef hired by the original chefs so they can do more.
There is not a single restaurant at the caliber of Hell’s Backbone that doesn’t have an executive chef carrying on the vision. Jen and Blake aren’t going anywhere; they’re in the restaurant and kitchen everyday. They’re just expanding the depth and breadth of what’s possible, adding another pillar to support one of America’s finest restaurants.
“We’re going to bring back some of the things we haven’t been able to do in years because we haven’t had the depth on our bench in the kitchen. Now, collectively, we can all shine,” says Blake. “A cool thing about Tam is that she grew up the way me and Jen did. None of us went to chef school. We all grew up underprivileged, and the cost of those schools was prohibitively high. All of us wanted to cook, and we all got jobs in the industry at a very young age. I was 11, Jen was 14 and Tam was probably 9.”
Make room for the pie
One of the things Chef Tamara brings to the HBG kitchen is her skill in making pies—a skill learned from her mother. “I love pie. It’s probably one of my favorite things to make. I’ve made millions of pies, and I’m never going to stop,” she says. “Pie is one of the first foods in the world. Almost every dish out there started as pie. In Utah, when the pioneers came, many of the foods they ate were in a pastry crust. The miners would have a hand pie in their pocket, and that’s what they would eat for lunch.”
Jen started her career in a bakery and loves churning out baked goods. However, “Over the years, I’ve tried to add pies to the menu,” says Jen. “I’m good at making a pie, no problem. But don’t have the bandwidth make 50 crusts There are so many technical steps to making pie, and then it has to taste good and feel like us.”
Enter the new executive chef.
“There are 100,000 ways to make pie. I’ve used everything in a pie,” says Chef Tamara. “I’ve made a cassoulet pie. I’ve made pies out of rabbits, wild boar or elk. I’ve made Sloppy Joe pies, which sold out in two seconds. Pies bring back childhood longing for food and make you happy. And I’m excited to add pies to the menu.”
An ongoing legacy of food and hospitality
This trio of sisters have culinary influences that date back to mothers and grandmothers who passed their love of food on to their daughters. Each one carried those memories straight into the kitchen at Hell’s Backbone Grill.
For Chef Tamara, “It’s the flavors of the desert, flavors that have that smoky thing that I remember from my mom’s restaurant. And that smell of smoke and fire is always there. There are a lot of plants that grow in the desert that have a distinctive, smoky flavor, like the juniper and the mesquite trees. So for me, it carries a weird nostalgia.”
Jen talks about her grandmother’s house, “the smell of pozole, red chili cooking and a turkey roasting. We had a 15-person family. So making pozole was a two-day project. There are so many levels to what looks like a humble stew.”
A thunderstorm threatened to wash out the sold-out Indigo Girls show at Red Butte Garden on Monday, July 3, 2023. But, the brief shower didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the Indigo Girls’ impassioned, and largely female fanbase who packed the Garden. Swifties of a certain age.
Clear skies greeted the opening performer, Garrison Starr, who began her solo, acoustic, nine-song set with “Dam That’s Breaking,” then appropriately “Just a Little Rain.” She played her timely latest single, “Fireworks,” a slow burning tune she recorded with the Milk Carton Kids. The starting line “It’s almost the 4th of July, scary how quickly time goes by” fit perfectly in her set.
Starr recently released a series of soulful singles from a forthcoming record, Garrison Starr and The Gospel Truth. On Monday night she played a spirited version of Claude Ely’s traditional gospel, “Ain’t No Grave.” The crowd erupted when Indigo Girl Emily Salier joined Starr on stage for “Hallelujah, Come Together,” a yet-to-be- released song they co-wrote. Starr ended her show with her stirring 2019 release “Better Day Comin’.” Starr is an accomplished songwriter with a powerful voice. I’d like to see her again with an accompanying band in an intimate venue like The State Room. She has a growing catalog of great songs that’s worth a listen.
The Indigo Girls, a Grammy-winning duo, grew to a septet for this performance. The 7-piece ensemble started their mammoth 23-song set with “Howl At The Moon,” a new song that fits perfectly within their long catalog of folk-rock favorites. Next came “Power of Two,” a crowd pleaser that turned into an impromptu singalong. Throughout the night you could hear a legion of adoring fans, in their “Emily and Amy” t-shirts, shout affirmations. The audience rose to their feet for energetic singalongs and then listened intently to quieter ballads. Their loving attention to the performers filled the Garden with a warm and welcoming vibe.
I enjoyed their run of songs that featured their eclectic sound. With “Shed Your Skin” they showed their rock ‘n’ roll chops then moved seamlessly to “Country Radio” before blending the two genres with a new song, “Shit Kickin’.”
An energetic version of “Shame on You” got the crowd on their feet and singing. In a truly magical moment, the band departed the stage and left Amy Ray alone with her guitar for a captivating rendition of Dire Straits, “Romeo and Juliet.” Soon after, they cut loose with “Tether.” “Kid Fears” received collective approval and they then ramped up toward “Galileo,” the set finale. They encored with “Share The Moon” and Garrison Starr returned to the stage for a collective singing of “Closer To Fine.”
In addition to the duo’s two guitars and beautifully blended vocals, the accompanying band provided greater depth with a fiddle, bass, keyboards, drums, and an additional guitar. The natural acoustics at The Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre also aided in a joyous evening of great music. There’s no better way to spend a Monday night than a picnic in the Garden with the Indigo Girls and their spirited fans.
Manuel Ortega grew up in the coastal state of Nayarit along the western edge of Mexico. The area is also known as the “Riviera Nayarit” for the beaches surrounding San Blas. With tidal mangrove forests, offshore islands and a series of coastal lagoons, you can imagine the abundance of fish and shellfish. “My whole family is dedicated to food and cooking seafood,” says Manuel. “My mom had a taco cart in Mexico. And since my sisters and I were little, we used to help her. She used to make the sauces for the tacos, and we would watch. She would have us help her sell the tacos in the cart; she used to wake us up at six in the morning. I have a taste for cooking because of tradition and because it’s in my blood. I credit my mother, who was a great cook and taught us.”
Manuel Ortega
A Family Legacy
Manuel went to college and got his degree in Mexico. Still, with the entire family dedicated to the industry, literally, all his uncles and cousins—he found himself gravitating to his original love of food. Encouraged by his uncle and mentor, David, he came to the United States to work for the family restaurant in Las Vegas, Mariscos Las Islitas (Little Islands Seafood). Manuel cut his restaurant chops as the family business grew into over 30 nationwide locations before he opened his restaurant here in Salt Lake City, named Mariscos Las Islitas de Las Vegas, in tribute to his uncle.
Manuel started thinking about creating something new a couple of years ago. “I came up with the idea for a ceviche restaurant because it is fresher and more modern. I wanted to create a fusion of the traditional and the new,” he says. He spent time finding the perfect urban location and opened La Cevicheria earlier this year in Downtown Salt Lake City, in the space formerly occupied by the small chain Cancun Cafe. He made major renovations and now the building is impossible to miss, with giant blue octopus tentacles splayed on its exterior. The inside is a festive mix of Mexican playa vacation meets an insta-worthy Malibu Barbie home with fish scales. You’ll want to pull out your phone and take a vacay pic (without leaving town).
Photo Adam Finkle
Off-The-Scale Ceviche
When asked why Ceviche specifically, Manuel explains, “In Mexico, we have a lot of coast. And so we have a lot of fresh fish. And in fact, also within Mexico, we have different styles of ceviche and seafood around the country. I think ceviche is a food that belongs to everyone and can adapt to any style.” And there are a lot of stylish adaptations to the ceviche at La Cevicheria—11 unique varieties to be exact (with seasonal flavors weaving in and out). You’ll find ceviche made with shrimp, tuna, whitefish, salmon and octopus. There is even a vegetarian ceviche made with marinated cauliflower. One of the unique flavor combinations is the Tropical Shrimp Ceviche, which combines traditional ingredients with mango, pineapple and strawberries. “We are mixing seafood, shrimp with fruit, which is something that you’re starting to see as a trend in Mexico,” says Manual. “The sweetness of the fruit and the sweetness of the shrimp go together. And people really like it.” Another one is the House Ceviche made with salmon, tuna and a secret vinaigrette. Each portion is generous—enough to share, and is served with hot-from-the-fryer tostaditas. You’ll also find traditional aguachile, another version of marinated seafood, along with a self-proclaimed “hangover cure” with shrimp, lime juice, and Maggi seasoning mixed with a chiltepin sauce.
A Culinary Tour of Nayarit
Beyond the fusion-y ceviche, Manuel has created a menu to show off more dishes from his home state. “We make a dish called Chicharrón de Pescado (a crispy fish), a traditional dish from Nayarit, Mexico, from a lagoon called Santa María del Oro,” he says. “This dish has a tradition dating back more than 50 years. People from all over the world go there just to try this dish. We brought it to Utah States so that people could taste it. We use the Red Snapper, or as we call it in Spanish, Guachinango. We remove the fillets and coat them in something like breading. We also bread the skeleton of the fish. We put a dressing on it and fry it so that it becomes chicharrón. Then, the fish is very crispy, and the presentation is incredible.” You eat the fish and the extra crispy bits around the bones.
You’ll also find a marisco (seafood) pate. “This is also a traditional dish from an island called Mescaltital Island, in Nayarit, where this dish was born,” says Manuel. “It is a tiny island, with only around 1000 inhabitants. All the people there are dedicated to fishing. But because the island is not in the sea, it is in a river, the fish they catch there are cooked right there, and you eat it right there. We wanted to bring it here for others to try.” Look for either Pate de Cameron (shrimp) or Pate de Atun (tuna) as a shared appetizer.
Another blend of traditional and Manuel’s updated take is the Pulpo Zarandeado. A 500-year-old method for grilling fish, zarandeado-style is usually a method of splitting the fish down the center, removing the spine, and marinating in chilies and lemon before grilling over hot coals. La Cevicheria uses traditional techniques and marinades and Pulpo (octopus) instead of fish for what is a guest favorite.
“When it comes to the dishes, the tostadas, the chips, the beans, the rice, everything is cooked right here,” adds Manuel as a point of pride. “Everything is homemade; nothing is already prepared. We make our margarita mix, the mojito and the piña colada; we even make our coconut cream for cocktails. Nothing is artificial.” They even make house-made churros and flavored cotton candy. Don’t miss out on the margaritas.
Manuel’s background in feeding others and hospitality shone through as we wrapped up our conversation. “I want to create a way for people to come, taste our dishes, and taste what we are doing, something different and also something traditional from our country and our state,” he says. “My greatest satisfaction is to see customers are happy in the moment they taste our food. Seeing that people are happy when they leave is my most satisfying experience as a restaurant owner.”
IF YOU GO:
La Cevicheria, 123 E. 200 South, SLC, 801-906-0016, Instagram: @lacevicheriautah
Ever wondered the difference between Ceviche and Aguachile? We have answers!
Summer is in full swing and what better way to celebrate than a picnic in the Garden with Jason Isbell. The singer/songwriter (and former Drive-By Trucker) and his band, the 400 Unit, bring their country/folk/rock blend of Americana to the Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre on Saturday, July 8, 2023.
Isbell, a four-time Grammy winner, pens lyrical slice-of-life vignettes about the trials of everyday life. His often hardscrabble characters come alive in his music as they face complex struggles like addiction, depression, inner demons, and loss of innocence. Like Springsteen, who writes about his working-class roots in suburban New Jersey, Isbell draws from his rural North Alabama to tell his stories with a country flair. He mixes sappy, southern sentimentality with raw, unadorned, pragmatism. The result is hard-edged, yet congenial.
Playing within the broad-category of Americana or roots music, Isbell doesn’t cross any particular rubicon, instead he straddles the fence with folksy ballads as he moves effortlessly between rock and country. On his Grammy-winning hit single “24 Frames” Isbell delivers a sound reminiscent of the Georgia indie-rock of the ‘90s with lyrics that tackle the fleeting nature of life and how it can change in an instant. He sings “You thought God was an architect, now you know, He’s something like a pipe bomb ready to blow.” On “Cover Me Up,” now a country standard, Isbell penned a beautifully romantic ballad without losing sight of the complicated nature of relationships.
Isbell and the 400 Unit are touring in support of their just-released album Weathervane. Like the title suggests, the music on this well-crafted new record moves like a cool breeze between ballads and country rock. The weather vane feels like a barometer for life’s shifting winds. The thematic arc in the song “Cast Iron Skillet” suggests that past beliefs (like not washing a cast iron skillet), may be outdated thinking. The song weaves a story of a family torn apart by inherent bigotry. When a white girl finds love in a boy with smiling eyes and dark skin, she is disowned and banished. Isbell sings “she found love, and it was simple as a weather vane, but her own family tried to kill it. Don’t wash the cast iron skillet.”
The 400 Unit’s tight performance provides Isbell the musical canvas for his expressive lyricism. “Middle of the Morning” is a great, soulful track with a Van Morrison vibe. The uptempo country-funk tune, “This Ain’t It,” leaves room for Isbell and Sadler Vaden to trade guitar licks in an old-school southern jam. “Miles” closes out the remarkable record by taking us on a 7-minute musical journey. It begins with a Neil Young/Tom Petty/Mike Campbell-styled strut that leads us toward a trippy detour down Abbey Road.
Fun fact: Isbell’s band the 400 Unit was named after a psychiatric ward in his hometown.
Opening the show is Deer Tick. No, not the blood-sucking, Lyme Disease carrying parasite that infests the New England woods every spring and summer. It’s Deer Tick, the very cool alt-folk-indie-rock band from Providence, Rhode Island (my old stompin’ ground.) The band is touring in support of their latest album Emotional Contracts. The first track, “If I Try To Leave,” is a toe-tapping rocker with a retro-styled riff (circa ‘72) and a modern verve. “Forgiving Ties” is also reminiscent of a jukebox favorite from the ‘80s that you’ve just recently rediscovered. It’s a fine record start-to-finish and I’m looking forward to hearing a nice mix of old and new.
Fans wanting more than an opening set can catch Deer Tick again on Friday, November 3, 2023 at The Commonwealth Room where they’ll be headlining.
Utah’s landscape is often imagined as a desert, bone dry and starkly beautiful. However, the towering cliffs and towers, the deep, winding canyons and the hoodoos and arches that are admired around the world, are all the result of a common denominator—water. It was rivers, long-gone lakes, rains and floods that sculpted these wonders over millions of years and continue to shape and transform them. The water still flows and every spring and summer the river rats emerge from hibernation to challenge themselves on daring whitewater runs and, between those thrills, float quietly with a hard-won perspective that allows them to admire Utah’s wonders from deep down inside the canyons where the rivers run and the river rats go to play. Check out our top picks for water adventures in Utah!
The Mighty San Juan River
A mix of whitewater and flatwater, offers beginners next-level training
The 57-mile trip from Mexican Hat to Clay Hill provides you with unique desert scenery, opportunities to peep wildlife and explore archeological sites. Known to boaters for it’s mix of scenic flatwater and thrilling whitewater, the San Juan’s most famed rapid is Government Rapids (pictured left) named after a boating accident that occurred in 1921 during a United States Geological Survey expedition.
The Zion Narrows
One of Zion National Park’s treasures, up the Virgin River below towering cliffs
Photo Courtesy of Adobe Stock
This “hike” is one of the bucket list destinations in Zion National Park. It is however, less of a hike than a slog over round rocks in the Virgin River into an increasingly narrowing Zion Canyon. The less intrepid will walk a short way up but the adventurous are rewarded with narrower and narrower sections that defy our human senses of scale. Although summer is the most popular time to wander into the narrows, it is also possible to explore year-round with the help of insulated dry-suits and waders from a nearby outfitter. Either way you choose, the Narrows are an essential Utah experience.
The Mighty Colorado River
Take a run on the ‘Daily’ outside of Moab for a taste of the river’s whitewater
Photo Courtesy of the Utah Office of Tourism/Austen Diamond
For river rats who love the thrills of whitewater the Colorado is a storied river that runs through world-famous sections like Cataract Canyon and, of course, the Grand Canyon, neither of which are for the faint of heart or novice boaters. The Daily, however, is an 14-mile float that starts at Hittle Bottom, just outside of Moab, and travels through the beautiful scenery including a long stretch beneath Castleton Tower. There are, however, also four stretches of whitewater that will get your heart pumping. The third, White’s Rapid, is the trickiest, so stay sharp.
The Mighty Green River
Run the Labyrinth section and enjoy one of Utah’s most scenic and placid floats
Photo by Jeremy Pugh
Before the Green meets the Colorado in Cataract section lies the Labyrinth, a calm section of river with ample sandbar camping from canoe or raft. The section is one of the most scenic and is so named because of its winding path through towering red rock canyons.
The Mighty Yampa River
The Yampa is the last wild and free-flowing river in the Colorado Basin
Photo by Tim Roberts
The wild ride begins in Colorado and takes you through Dinosaur National Monument and all its wonders before the Yampa’s confluence with the Green. The river tests boaters with Class II and III rapids and one big daddy—the Class IV Warm Springs Rapid with a prominent wave that has flipped many a raft. Scouting this section is strongly recommended.
Northern Utah combines easy access to the state’s best urban experiences with world-class outdoor recreation. There are vibrant main streets, big-city amenities and distinctive dining in places surrounded by mountains, canyons and forests where you can mountain bike, hike, fish, off-road, rock climb, stargaze or just wander. Northern Utah’s urban hubs make for excellent destinations on their own as well as ideal base camps for your outdoor adventure.
Downtown Salt LakeMount Timpanogos
Urban Meets Alpine
Unlike many other metropolitan areas, lush and beautiful mountains and canyons rise above the edges of Salt Lake City. For example, the Bonneville Shoreline trail system sits on the very foothills overlooking the city, and countless other trails can be accessed from cities along the Wasatch Front. Just 30 miles east of the capital city, Park City boasts more than 500 miles of biking and hiking trails. Further east, try fishing Flaming Gorge or rafting the Green River just outside of Vernal. Just north of Salt Lake, you’ll discover Ogden with its robust trail network for hikers, equestrian riders and mountain bikers and Logan is a great stopover for trips to Bear Lake State Park. To the south, the Utah Valley sits below the towering peak of Mount Timpanogos and offers easy access to recreation in Provo and American Fork canyons, connected by the Alpine Loop, one of the state’s most scenic roads. To the west, you’ll find Knolls OHV Special Recreation Management Area and Little Sahara Recreation Area where you can off-road some of Utah’s spectacular scenery not accessible to cars.
Living Room Hiking TrailUtah Museum of Fine ArtsDinosaur National Monument
Explore Arts, Culture and History
Northern Utah’s arts and cultural offerings stretch the Wasatch Front and beyond, from the Utah State University Sculpture Walk in the northern reaches to the Springville Museum of Art just south of Provo. Northern Utah is also home to two of the world’s most iconic land art sculptures—Robert Smithson’s “Spiral Jetty” and Nancy Holt’s “Sun Tunnels.” And each city plays host to a full calendar of cultural and art events, like the summer Twilight Concert Series in Salt Lake City and Ogden or Park City’s Kimball Arts Festival. You can also learn more about the history and culture of Utah through its many museums, including the Fremont Indian State Park and Museum in Sevier, the Natural History Museum of Utah in Salt Lake City and the Golden Spike National Historic Park in Box Elder. And to the east in Vernal, you can explore the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum and spot dinosaur footprints along the trails at Red Fleet State Park.
Handle in Park City
Enjoy the Local Fare
Logan, Ogden, Salt Lake City, Park City and Provo are all urban hubs of great dining. In 2023, the James Beard Foundation recognized eight restaurants in the Northern Utah region for culinary excellence, including Manoli’s, Mazza, Oquirrh and SLC Eatery in Salt Lake City and Handle in Park City. There’s also a thriving farm-to-table scene lining the Wasatch Front, from the seasonal fare at Communal in Provo to Table Twenty Five, located on Ogden’s historic 25th Street.
Uinta Mountains
Gaze at the Night Sky
According to Astronomy magazine, one-third of humanity and 80 percent of Americans, cannot see the Milky Way. City lights obscure the stars in many urban centers. But in Utah, land managers and community members have committed to protecting the dark skies from light pollution. Within just two hours of Salt Lake City, you’ll find seven official Dark Sky Places, all certified by the International Dark Sky Association. Fill your days with adventure and your nights stargazing at these International Dark Sky Places: Timpanogos Cave National Monument (35 miles from Salt Lake City), East Canyon State Park (35 miles), Jordanelle State Park (37 miles), Rockport State Park (37 miles), Antelope Island State Park (42 miles), North Fork Park (58 miles) and Helper City (111 miles).
Antelope Island State Park and the Great Salt Lake
To truly experience and appreciate the Great Salt Lake, there is no better vantage for observation than from the western shoreline trail on Antelope Island. The island hides the city lights of the Wasatch Front behind you and offers an otherworldly view of the ancient salty sea stretching out to the horizon.
Great Salt Lake
Tips and Tricks
Venturing outside? Always check with local ranger stations for day-of trail and weather conditions. Utah has seen unprecedented snowpack this season, and spring runoff may affect some trail access.
If you’re hitting the trails, make sure someone knows where you’re heading and when you’ll be back. And be sure to pack extra water, snacks and layers, in case your adventure takes longer than you expect.
Supporting local communities during your travels can have a profound impact. Stock up on groceries locally, stop in an artisan shop or eat at a restaurant in addition to campfire meals.
Stop by visitutah.com for more preparedness tips and travel recommendations.
Aesthetics, Thoughtful Surgery, and Wellness Come First at the Ward Institute
It’s one thing to look good—we all want to look good. However, the doctors at The Ward Institute believe that truly “looking good” can only come from a mindset of inner confidence and self-value.
Led by its founder and namesake,Dr. P. Daniel Ward, M.D., the surgeons at The Ward Institute offer specialized expertise in aesthetic and reconstructive procedures ranging from nose jobs to neck lifts, breast augmentation to butt lifts, and even includes skin cancer treatment, hair restoration, general dermatology, and medical-grade skin care. But while the top-notch providers at Ward Institute are among the best at what they do, they’re more concerned with how patients feel about their results.
“In our line of work, we see a lot of people with anxiety or insecurity about one thing or another,” said Dr. Ward. “I want that person to come out of our Institute feeling great about themselves and ready to take on the world.”
Many times, a patient will come in looking for a specific solution to their problem but will receive a different recommendation from a Ward Institute provider. This honest and experienced approach leads to better, longer-lasting, and more natural results. For patients, the result of that approach is the confidence that comes from knowing you look your best and feel great as well.
“We love what we do, and for those clients, we are willing to take on as patients, we love helping them achieve their goals. Our aim is to help our clients live their best lives by looking and feeling like their natural best versions of themselves.”
—Dr. P. Daniel Ward, M.D., Founder Ward Institute
You won’t have to sacrifice looking better for feeling worse at the Ward Institute. “We strongly believe that form must never compromise function,” said Dr. Ward. “You can have the most beautiful nose in the world after a rhinoplasty, but if you can’t breathe through the nose, you aren’t going to be happy.”
With the mission of creating an extraordinary experience for their patients, the Ward Institute has added even more high-quality providers who aren’t jack-of-all-trades surgeons–they are highly specialized to provide expertise in whatever area is needed. And of course, Dr. Ward, one of the most highly-rated plastic surgeons in the nation (he was named one of the top 100 plastic surgeons in the world by RealSelf.com), will still oversee the entire facility. All specialists at the Ward Institute hold the same ideals–to provide the finest personal service, exceptional experience, and outstanding results to improve the lives of their patients. And they are committed to doing it in a way that keeps their patients looking like their natural selves.
Per Dr. Ward, “Our highest ideal is to help those clients we take on as patients to have their external appearance match their internal self-image. This is the key to successful, natural results and allowing people to look and feel their natural best.”
West Wendover dispensary Deep Roots Harvest provides top-notch service for cannabis customers
Located less than two hours from downtown Salt Lake City, Deep Roots Harvest made its mark on the map as West Wendover’s first marijuana dispensary when it opened in 2019. Deep Roots Harvest boasts six locations throughout Nevada, but its West Wendover spot—the most convenient to Utahns in need of relief while they’re in town—looks more like a museum than your typical dispensary or pharmacy. It’s a remarkably comfortable experience for marijuana users of all experience levels. Not to mention, it’s just a stone’s toss away from the town’s legendary casino and resort strip and is pretty much settled in the shadow of the iconic Wendover Will neon cowboy.
“For us, cannabis is more than a plant! Every harvest tells a story. Our people, our work ethic, and our desire to bring out the very best is what sets us apart.”
—James Mao, Marketing Director Deep Roots Harvest
Because Nevada has legalized recreational marijuana,you don’t need to have a medical card to shop at Deep Roots Harvest. All you need is to be over 21, have a valid government-issued I.D. Pay in cash or we are now accepting Credit Cards and ACH. And it’s important to note that carrying marijuana across the border into Utah is illegal. Still, if you’re in Wendover for a weekend getaway to enjoy the sights and sounds of the gateway into Elko County, Deep Roots Harvest makes for a great stop. And seasonal specials, along with a wide menu of consumption methods and strain varieties ensure that every trip all year long can be different and exciting, or consistent and enjoyable—if that’s your thing.
If it’s your first time at a dispensary, rest easy at Deep Roots Harvest, the staff there is more than accommodating. The store’s budtenders are fully prepared to walk you through your needs and answer any questions you may have. In just a few years, the location has built a sterling reputation for customer service with a 4.4 rating and nearly 1,500 Google reviews. Again, while Deep Roots services both recreational and medicinal needs, customers from Utah should be aware of the shifting laws on the state border. Still, expect top-notch service and quality when you get to the other side of the state line.
