Active Pursuits

The nearby Wasatch-Cache National Forest offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation. For camping and other equipment and supplies, stop by Sports Authority, in the Newgate Mall, 36th Street and Wall Avenue (tel. 801/392-5500).

Biking -- The Ogden River Parkway (www.weberpathways.org) is a 3.4-mile paved, wheelchair-accessible path along the Ogden River, extending from the mouth of Ogden Canyon west to Washington Boulevard. It's excellent for walking, jogging, and bicycling; it also leads to Big D Sports Park (with playground and sporting fields), Lorin Farr Park, and George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park.

East of Ogden are two strenuous road rides. The Trappers Loop Road winds 9 miles along Utah 167 from Mountain Green (exit 92 off I-84) north to Huntsville. This route alternates between wide-open meadows backed by high mountain peaks and tall evergreens and aspens that seem to envelop you.

The second ride, along Snowbasin Road, climbs more than 2,000 feet from Pineview Reservoir. Your efforts will be rewarded with stunning views of the ski runs and towering peaks. Now open in summer, Snowbasin, 3925 E. Snowbasin Rd. (tel. 888/437-5488; www.snowbasin.com) is a mountain-biking destination, with 25 miles of trails that gain nearly 3,000 feet in elevation. Rentals are available on-site. The resort is open from the last Sunday in June through the first Sunday in October, Friday to Sunday, 9am to 6pm.

You can get additional trail information at the Forest Service visitor center in Union Station -- ask for the Ogden Trails Network brochure. For bicycle repairs and accessories, stop at Bingham Cyclery, 1895 Washington Blvd. (tel. 801/399-4981; www.binghamcyclery.com). In Eden, Diamond Peak Mountain Sports, at the junction of Utah highways 158 and 162 (tel. 801/745-0101; www.peakstuff.com), offers rentals, repairs, and sales of bikes, boards, and skis.

Climbing -- A wide variety of indoor climbing challenges, with some 4,000 square feet of climbing surface, can be found at Ben Lomond Climbing Center, 2370 N. U.S. 89 (tel. 801/737-7274; www.geocities.com/blclimbingcenter). The center is open Monday through Friday from 2 until 10pm, Saturday from noon until 10pm, and Sunday from noon until 6pm. Day passes cost $8 for adults and $6 for youths 15 and younger. Family rates are also available. At the Salomon Center, the iRock climbing wall is available for $10 adults, $7.50 for kids 11 and under. Climbing legend Jeff Lowe is an Ogden native and now runs a climbing school in town while also spearheading the establishment of a pair of climbing parks: Waterfall Canyon and an ice-climbing tower downtown. For more information, visit www.jefflowe.info.

Fishing -- Brown, rainbow, cutthroat, brook, and lake trout thrive in the waters of the Wasatch-Cache National Forest around Ogden. You might also find perch, bass, catfish, whitefish, and crappie. Popular spots to wet your line are Pineview Reservoir, Causey Reservoir, and the Ogden and Weber rivers. For supplies, licenses, and tips on where they're biting, stop at Anglers' Den, 5296 S. Freeway Park Dr. (tel. 801/773-1166).

Golf -- Golfers will find an abundance of opportunities in the Ogden area, which boasts challenging courses with spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. Public courses include Wolf Creek Golf Resort, 3900 N. Wolf Creek Dr., Eden (tel. 801/745-3365; www.wolfcreekresort.com/golf.html), a challenging 18-hole championship par-73 course that overlooks Pineview Reservoir in Ogden Valley, which has greens fees of $50 to $120. There's also the Mount Ogden Golf Course, 1787 Constitution Way (tel. 801/629-0699), an 18-hole, par-71 championship course located on the east side of the city against the mountains, which charges $24 to $36 for 18 holes; and El Monte Golf Course, 1300 Valley Dr. (tel. 801/629-0694), a scenic 9-hole, par-35 course of rolling hills and old-style greens in Ogden Canyon, with fees of $12 for 9 holes, and an extra $6 for a cart.

For one of the finest practice areas around, try Mulligan's Golf and Games, 1690 W. 400 North, exit 346 off I-15 (tel. 801/392-4653), with two 18-hole miniature golf courses and a driving range that's lit at night. An indoor glow-in-the-dark mini-golf course is located at the Salomon Center.

Hiking -- The Ogden River Parkway is great for walking. Several hiking trails are accessible from the east side of downtown Ogden. Indian Trail takes off from the parking area at 22nd Street and Buchanan Avenue and the narrow path winds about 4.3 miles through thick stands of oak, spruce, and fir trees. The trail offers some of the finest views of Ogden Canyon from above -- particularly of the waterfall at the mouth of the canyon -- before dropping down to the parking area on Utah 39. This moderately difficult trail takes about 4 hours one-way.

A little over a half-mile along Indian Trail, Hidden Valley Trail cuts off sharply to the south. The route is difficult, climbing steadily through the old Lake Bonneville terraces, and is surrounded by dense stands of oak, maple, and aspen. After a mile, you reach a turnaround; from here, enjoy a clear view of the rugged face of Mt. Ogden to the southeast. The hike takes about 2 hours one-way.

An easy 1 1/2-hour hike is the Mt. Ogden Park Trail, linking the parking lots at 29th and 36th streets. It's mostly flat and surfaced with bark chips. The trail follows the east edge of a golf course much of the way, encountering splashing streams and even occasional wildlife. The views are inspiring at sunrise and sunset.

For additional trail information, ask for the Ogden Trails Network brochure at the visitor information center in Union Station or visit the excellent website, www.weberpathways.org.

Horseback Riding -- For custom guided trail rides, contact Red Rock Ranch and Outfitters, 13555 E. Utah 39 and Causey Way, Huntsville (tel. 866/826-7625 or 801/745-6393; www.redrockranch-and-outfitters.com). A 30-minute children's ride costs $20; rates for adults and older children are $30 for an hour, $40 for an hour and a half, and $50 for 2 hours. Ask at the forest information center in Union Station for information on other area outfitters as well as for forest and trail maps.

Ice Skating & Curling -- The Ice Sheet, 4390 Harrison Blvd., in the southeast part of the city (tel. 801/399-8750; www1.co.weber.ut.us/icesheet), offers year-round ice skating, a learn-to-skate program, hockey and figure-skating clinics, clinics on curling (this was the curling venue for the 2002 Olympics), and skate rentals. Call for current rates and schedules.

Watersports -- Willard Bay State Park and Pineview Reservoir are your destinations for boating, water-skiing, and swimming. Also check out the kayak parks on the Ogden River Parkway, Lagoon, and Lorin Farr Park.

Winter Sports -- Deep snow turns the mountains surrounding Ogden into a winter playground, with four delightful family-oriented ski resorts and seemingly unlimited forest trails for cross-country skiers, snowshoers, and snowmobilers. Red Rock Ranch and Outfitters offers snowmobile rentals for about $140 per day.

An exciting way to ski some of the best snow in the West is to get away from the groomed trails, lift lines, and parking lots and take to the skies with Diamond Peaks Heli-ski Adventures (tel. 801/745-4631; www.diamondpeaks.com), based in Ogden. Helicopters fly you to the tops of several privately owned mountains with no developed trails, just pure snow. One drop plus a full-day lift ticket at Powder Mountain Resort costs $150; a six-run heli-ski tour, with lunch, costs $650.