Change comes slowly to Utah -- the state's mostly conservative, religious population prefers to keep things the same. But change is inevitable, even here, and a major catalyst for change was the 2002 Winter Olympics. The state of Utah lobbied and won the honor of hosting the games, and then went to work improving and creating the venues needed for the games and for all the spectators.
Thanks to the games, you'll see major improvements to the ski areas that hosted the Olympics -- from Park City to Ogden. And there are other, more subtle improvements. For instance, tons of money was spent to improve roads along the Wasatch Front, including Interstate 15, and to improve parking and signage in the cities that hosted the games.
Salt Lake City
A building boom of hotels preceded the Olympics, and now that the crowds have gone home there is something of a surplus, so room rates are very reasonable. In fact, they're often considerably below the rack rates quoted in this book. Downtown Salt Lake City has a new open-air shopping mall, The Gateway, 90 S. 400 West (tel. 801/456-0000), which covers two city blocks and contains numerous stores, movie theaters, restaurants, and museums. The Gateway is also the location of Salt Lake City's newest attraction, Clark Planetarium, 110 S. 400 West (tel. 801/456-7827; www.hansenplanetarium.net), a state-of-the-art facility that replaces the old Hansen Planetarium.
The Northern Wasatch Front: Utah's Old West
There's been a lot going on in Ogden, one of our favorite Utah cities. Fort Buenaventura, 2450 South "A" Ave. (tel.801/399-8099; click here), formerly a state park, is now under the management of Weber County. The new local control has made this park even better than it used to be: Among other things, the park has opened its previously limited campground to the public, and is putting in a replica Shoshone Indian camp, to be ready by summer 2004. The George S. Eccles Dinosaur Park, 1544 E. Park Blvd. (tel. 801/393-3466; www.dinosaurpark.org), has a new attraction, the Elizabeth Dee Shaw Stewart Museum, with hands-on exhibits of the latest dinosaur excavations. Also on Ogden's museum scene, the Treehouse Children's Museum, 455 23rd St. (tel. 801/394-9663; www.treehousemuseum.org), has a new but temporary home -- it's former location was in a mall that was bulldozed, and its new permanent home won't be ready for several years.
You saw it in Ogden during the 2002 Winter Olympics, and now you can try it yourself. The Ice Sheet, 4390 Harrison Blvd. (tel. 801/399-8750; www.co.weber.ut.us/icesheet), now offers to teach you the fast-growing sport of curling. The Olympics also had a major effect on Snowbasin Resort, P.O. Box 460, Huntsville (tel. 801/620-1000; www.snowbasin.com), which hosted the downhill and Super G competition: Not only does the resort boast new Olympic downhill courses, but it even has a new entry road.
The Southern Wasatch Front: World Class Skiing & More
Constructed for the 2002 Winter Olympics, Park City's $100-million Utah Olympic Park, 3000 Bear Hollow Dr. (tel. 435/658-4200; www.utaholympicpark.com/home.html), has six state-of-the-art ski jumps, a 1,335-meter bobsled/luge track, a freestyle aerials training and competition hill, a ski museum, and an exhibit on the 2002 games. The facility is open year-round for tours, offers bobsled runs, and schedules camps and workshops that teach freestyle aerial and ski jumping techniques, even for amateurs.
A new upscale dinner restaurant opened in Park City in 2003: Purple Sage, 434 Main St. (tel. 435/655-9505), serves what it calls American Western cuisine.
Dinosaurs & Natural Wonders In Utah's Northeast Corner
Due to a major expansion project at the Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum, 495 E. Main St., Vernal (tel. 435/789-3799; www.desertusa.com/utfield/utfield.html), more exhibit space and a theater should be in place by summer 2004. Near Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, the Red Canyon Lodge, 790 Red Canyon Rd., Dutch John (tel. 435/889-3759; www.redcanyonlodge.com), has gone somewhat upscale, adding handsome new cabins.
Utah's Dixie & The Colorful Southwest Corner
Bad news for skiers heading to southwest Utah -- Elk Meadows Ski & Summer Resort has closed, with no sign of reopening on the horizon. At least we still have Brian Head, 1690 N Hill Field Rd, Layton (tel. 801/ 773-2311; www.brianhead.com)
Zion National Park
Construction of a new visitor center a few years back left Zion National Park with an empty building, but it's empty no more; it now houses Zion's new Zion Human History Museum (call park headquarters tel. 435/772-3256).
Lake Powell & Glen Canyon National Recreation Area
Where's all the water? Lake Powell is currently at its lowest levels in history, which is limiting boating in some sections of the lake. For current information, check with Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (tel. 928/608-6404; www.nps.gov/glca).