ESSENTIAL UTAH

The USA’s most inhospitable spot has somehow never failed to attract people; from the Mormons in the nineteenth century to tourists in the twenty first, Utah is a breathtaking landscape that’s drawn Native Americans, pioneers, explorers, homesteaders, and adrenaline junkies. These all form part of Danny Robins’ journey as he tackles Salt Lake City, the desert, rafting on the Colorado, and a stint on a dude ranch.

If you’d like to find out more about the places Danny visited in the programme, then check out the following links:

LDS CHURCH HISTORY MUSEUM - www.lds.org/churchhistory/museum
This museum located in Salt Lake City tells the story of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints through educational exhibits and programmes.

TEMPLE SQUARE- www.lds.org
This 10-acre plot of land in the heart of downtown Salt Lake City is one of Utah's most visited attractions and is the home of the Salt Lake Temple and the imposing domed Tabernacle edifice where the famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir perfroms in.

THIS IS THE PLACE HERITAGE PARK - www.thisistheplace.org
The monument marks the spot where Mormon pioneers first entered the Salt Lake Valley. The park also houses Brigham Young’s farmhouse and a Heritage Village,  which brings Mormon historic past to life.

UTAH OLYMPIC PARK- www.olyparks.com
The site of the 2002 Winter Olympics provides bobsled, skeleton, luge, freestyle and Nordic ski jumping, and year-round world-class facilities for athletes and members of the public.

SNOWBIRD SKI AND SUMMER RESORT – www.snowbird.com
Located in the heart of the Wasatch-Cache National Forest in Little Cottonwood Canyon, Snowbird offers some of the best skiing in Utah.

SQUATTERS - www.squatters.com
For those who fancy a pint of the famous ‘Polygamy Porter’, a visit to Salt Lake’s first brew pub is a must.

ANTELOPE ISLAND STATE PARK - www.utah.com/stateparks/antelope_island.htm
The perfect place to view the Great Salt Lake, Antelope Island can satisfy sunbathers with its white sand beaches and animal lovers with its 600 American bison.

TAG ALONG EXPEDTIONS - www.tagalong.com
For the ultimate white water rafting experience down the Colorado river.

JOHN WESLEY POWELL RIVER HISTORY MUSEUM - http://johnwesleypowell.com
Situated on the banks of the famous Green River, this museum showcases the trials and tribulations of Powell while exploring the area.

DEAD HORSE POINT STATE PARK- www.utah.com/stateparks/dead_horse.htm
A promontory of stone surrounded by steep cliffs near Moab, Dead Horse Point features a dramatic overlook of the Colorado River.  The area was used as the location for the Grand Canyon scenes in the 1991 film Thelma & Louise.

ARCHES NATIONAL PARK – www.nps.gov/arch
Here the forces of nature have exposed millions of years of geological history. The Arches preserves over 2,000 natural sandstone arches, like the world-famous Delicate Arch

EDGE OF THE CEDARS STATE PARK - www.utah.com/stateparks/edge_of_cedars.htm
It is the site of an Anasazi ruin and modern museum which displays the history of San Juan County, from the ancient Anasazi, through the Navajo and Ute Indians, to the Euro-American Settlers.

MONUMENT VALLEY NAVAJO TRIBAL PARK - www.navajonationparks.org/htm/monumentvalley.htm
With its majestic sandstone masterpieces, this is one the most breathtaking and most photographed points on earth. The valley makes you feel as if you were on a movie set.

HARRY GOULDING’S  MUSEUM AND TRADING POST www.gouldings.com/english/museum
Harry Goulding’s private collection of movie memorabilia.

REDTAIL AVIATION - www.redtailaviation.com
For an amazing scenic flight over canyon lands,  Monument Valley, Butch Cassidy's hangout and Capitol Reef National Park.

NEWSPAPER ROCK-http://www.blm.gov/ut/st/en/prog/more/cultural/archaeology/rock_art.html
Newspaper Rock is a petroglyph panel etched in sandstone that records perhaps 2,000 years of human activity in the area. The symbols on display here represent the Fremont, Anasazi, Navajo and Anglo cultures.