Driving to Utah!

"Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)" (rduncan5678)
08/30/2018 at 14:01 • Filed to: None

Next week after Labor day, I’ll be heading out on the road to Utah for work travel. Since I’d love to experience some real hiking while I’m out there, I’m going to drive my own car and spend some extra time there to enjoy it. I’ll be staying in Tooele, UT (which I just learned is pronounced “Too-well-ah” and NOT “Tool”) so I’ll be just outside of Salt Lake City. My goal is to do some local hiking/camping in Big/Little Cottonwood Canyons. But I also want to explore some more of Utah on the way there/back. I’ll be bringing my Subaru STi so I’m probably stuck to paved roads to explore. Yeah I know there is wayyyy more to access in Utah via Overland, but I doubt I could safely access most of those. My plan is to replace my spark plugs, air filter, and maybe belts before heading out. I’ll be bringing tools in case anything else goes wrong along the way.

Anyone have suggestions for places/parks to explore? I’ll be hiking and camping for the most part and want to take in as much of Utah I can.

DISCUSSION (20)

For Sweden > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
08/30/2018 at 14:06

For the complete Tourist in Utah experience, regularly and loudly ask about the lack of coffee and alcohol wherever you go.

Decay buys too many beaters > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
08/30/2018 at 14:17

I f you make it to the south west corner, Zion

benjrblant > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
08/30/2018 at 14:26

Paging HHFP!

CaptDale - is secretly British > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
08/30/2018 at 14:27

Good place to drive in the wee hours of the night

HammerheadFistpunch > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
08/30/2018 at 14:34

Which way you coming from?

Derpwagon > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
08/30/2018 at 14:41

Oh. Yes, I have suggestions.

Peach days festival in Brigham City. It’s a bit of a hike north but worth it.

http://www.boxelderchamber.com/peach-days/

Drive Timpanogos pass. It’s fucking gorgeous. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Utah_State_Route_92

Pics:

!!! UNKNOWN CONTENT TYPE !!!

Do some mountain drives.

- Take I15 north from anywhere in the SLC corridor , to 89 north, then I84 east to N State St , then take 66 south to where it meets up with 65, and take 65 S. You can go and then hit Emigration Canyon, or follow it all the way to I80 and take that back into the city.

-Take 190 east from Cottonwood heights all the way to Midway, then shoot south to 189. You can take 189 straight to 92 which is the Timpanogos pass I mentioned.

Go to the B eerhive in downtown SLC and look at the menu. they have some fun beer names.

Visit Temple Square. I’m not mormon but it’s still a cool building. They have some genealogy stuff in one of the buildings that’s neat if you’re into it.

Climb up to Ensign Park on the north side of SLC. Talk about a view.

Eat at In-and-Out. I can’t because I’m from MN but I do every time I’m in Utah.

Hit these guys up: https://www.facebook.com/groups/122801384485534/ . They’re a good group of folks. I miss them.

I miss Utah. I love that state.

HammerheadFistpunch > For Sweden
08/30/2018 at 14:48

This is accurate.

For Sweden > HammerheadFistpunch
08/30/2018 at 14:50

“So uh can you drink coke?”

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
08/30/2018 at 15:43

We were just there in June - Hwy 12 & 24 are awesome. It’s like you’re on a different planet every few miles.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > For Sweden
08/30/2018 at 15:47

Haha I've skiied in Utah before. The beer selections are hilarious! I don't drink but my friends were annoyed for sure.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Derpwagon
08/30/2018 at 15:49

Some awesome suggestions, thank you! No need for in n out though since I have plenty of that in Los Angeles lol. I hadn't even thought about driving roads, but I'm sure that would be well worth some time.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > CaptDale - is secretly British
08/30/2018 at 15:50

Haha I guess it is a bit deserted out there. Far better for extra legal speeds there than in Commifornia

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > HammerheadFistpunch
08/30/2018 at 15:52

From LA. So I’ll be taking the 15 to get up there, passing through Vegas and such. If there’s a better route, I’m not opposed. Although it being a long drive I don’t know how much I can detour. I’ll be more flexible on the way home for sure. Planned on overnight camping somewhere in southern Utah along the way home, if not two or three nights more likely. I have at least one weekend to spend in Northern Utah as well.

MM54 > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
08/30/2018 at 17:25

I drove through Monument Valley (your picture) when I passed through on my roadtrip back from CA earlier this year, it was very cool and worth checking out for sure.

HammerheadFistpunch > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
08/30/2018 at 18:11

Well I can offer my suggestions, depending on the out of car: car ratio experience you are looking for.

Drives near salt lake

Alpine loop in American Fork is certainly a winner, though do it midweek if you can, it gets busy.

Big cottonwood up over guardsman is solid, especially since the oaks are changing early, you can go to park city or midway but I would choose midway. Midway > Park city. You could also keep heading east and do the mirror lake highway, but thats a long drive.

Butterfield canyon from Tooele, to Salt Lake Valley is pretty great too, though its a bit rough.

There are some cool ghost towns and stuff near Tooele, but truthfully its not all that amazing out there. You are close to the former Miller Motorsports park, but I don’t know what the season looks like this time of year.

Des ere t peak would be prime to hike this time of year, its a great hike and a solid peak to bag and its right around the corner.

Where in “northern Utah” will you be?

As for southern utah...man where to start. Like i Said, whats your “drive and see” vs “get out and do” ratio look like?

HammerheadFistpunch > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com
08/30/2018 at 18:13

Its kinda hard not to recommend 12 and 24 to anyone visiting Utah. The are the bes.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > HammerheadFistpunch
08/30/2018 at 18:32

By “Northern Utah” I just meant in the SLC area since I am working out in Dugway. I guess that is more “central” looking at a map but pretty much everyone I say “Utah” to says Zion or other stuff down that way, which I will not be able to get to easily.

My “get out and do” to “drive” ratio should highly lean toward “get out and do”. I think by planning to go and do something, I will be able to fit in a drive along the way easily or with a short detour. Some of my goals include camping with an awesome view of some stars, doing some epic hiking around or above 10k feet, and seeing some colorful leaves if they change early enough.

I dont plan on staying in Tooele/SLC at all over the weekend that I have (might be a three day weekend depending on the schedule) but I am probably gonna try to do stuff on Big Cottonwood or nearby.

At the end of my trip, I definitely will be checking out Zion and hopefully other stuff down there like Monument Valley . Leaving early Saturday morning from SLC area and then heading South to do stuff and then heading home on Monday.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > HammerheadFistpunch
08/30/2018 at 18:42

Mirror Lake doesnt seem that far. If I have three days for the weekend, that might be worth a trek out there. Doing something like: Friday morning drive out to Mirror Lake, camp there and do a bit of hiking. Saturday drive back to Big Cottonwood and hike/camp there, Do another hike on Sunday and then return to my hotel.

HammerheadFistpunch > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
08/30/2018 at 18:44

gotcha. There are some great hikes in the cottonwoods depending on how hard you want to go. Blanche is nice. Superior is a killer hike this time of year. white pine lake, sunrise peak. All good. The brighton lakes are great too (mary/martha)

As for southern. Zion is good but its mobbed. I would recommend checking out the little grand canyon in the San Rafell swell

oh and if you dig on Land Cruisers don’t forget to see the museum in salt lake, plus there is a free air museum about 45 minutes north.

HammerheadFistpunch > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
08/30/2018 at 18:47

that could work. there is some great stuff in american fork too if you don’t want to go all the way out to the unitas.