Judy Jewell - Moon Utah: With Zion, Bryce Canyon, Arches, Capitol Reef & Canyonlands National Parks

view from Angels Landing in Zion National Park.

The story goes that in 1847, when the trail-weary Mormon leader Brigham Young surveyed the Salt Lake Valley from Emigration Canyon high in the Wasatch Range, he declared, This is the place. Since the founding of Salt Lake City and the settlement of Utah, many other people have taken a look at this dramatic landscape and agreed: Yes, this is the place.

Few places on earth combine such spectacular terrain and unusual history. The state hosts the majestic splendor of the Wasatch Range, the colorful canyon lands of the Colorado Plateau, and the remote deserts and arid mountain ranges of the Great Basin. This region beckoned as the Promised Land to members of the struggling Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the 1840sa place where those faithful to the Book of Mormon could survive and prosper in a land of their own. Today, this once insular state has put out the welcome matUtahs extravagant scenery and superlative recreational opportunities lure sightseers, mountain bikers, hikers, and skiers from around the world, many of whom stay on to make this beguiling state their home.

Utah presents some curious statistics: Although it ranks 30th among states in population, it is the 9th most urban state in the nation, a startling fact when you consider how utterly vacantthough dramatically beautifulmuch of the landscape is. The unyielding deserts, craggy mountains, and imposing slickrock formations that cover much of the state arent really fit for human habitation, and the majority of citizens live in a few large cities in the sprawling Wasatch Front metropolitan area.

Coyote Gulch in the Escalante region

Navajo cowboy in Monument Valley

Salt Lake City

About 60 percent of the people living in Utah are practicing Mormons. To outsiders, the social homogeneity of smaller towns far from Salt Lake City, Park City, and Moab can seem off-putting, but the strong religious and cultural bonds that tie families and communities together in Utah are themselves noteworthy and increasingly rare in the fast-paced modern world. The uniformity of the population stands in stark contrast to the diversity of the landscape and the abundance of opportunities for outdoor recreation.

If youre intrigued by dramatic canyons, remote and rugged mountain ranges, glistening salt flats, ancient rock art and cliff dwellings, fossilized dinosaur footprints, and old mining towns, Utah is the place for you.

hiking through the Narrows at Zion National Park

Temple of Sinawava in Zion National Park.

back country skiing in the Wasatch Mountains

Take in the Views at Arches and Canyonlands: The postcard-perfect vista at

, where you can hike, view wildlife, or even take a dip in the briny water.

: Bryce Canyons pink and gold hoodoos are magnificent viewed from a distance, but you can also explore the pillars up-close.

Hike Through : Theses the narrow rock channels carved deep into massive sandstone formations offer hiking you will never forget.

: Whether or not youre one of the faithful, this complex is a place to gain a greater understanding of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saintsor your own genealogy.

Get Prehistoric: Utah is littered with dinosaur fossils and tracks. The Dinosaur Quarry at has great exhibits, including the skeleton of a recently discovered dinosaur species.

Uncover Ancient Mysteries: Head off the beaten path to to see some of the best examples of long-ago cultures.