Utah Map

Request Free Visitor Guides

Cultural Hot Spots Close to Utah National Parks

Description

It’s spectacular scenery, much of it protected as part of the Utah national park system, that brings travelers in droves to the southwestern half of the state. In all, there are 5 Utah national parks worth exploring for days on end, but don’t get so caught up in lovely landscapes that you miss out on some of the cultural attractions on offer close to the main gates.

Take Arches National Park, for one. Though its inhabited history stretches back thousands of years, the primary cultural sites are far more recent. Two prime examples? The Wolfe Ranch, a dusty nineteenth-century cabin located where the Delicate Arch trail starts, and the nearby Ute petroglyph panel, known as Wolfe Ranch Rock Art. If you find these intriguing, consider the Courthouse Wash Rock Art panel near the park entrance or a hunt for any of the other numerous rock art examples in the area. Get details, and a map, at the Moab Information Center.

Canyonlands National Park, to the south, also bears record of the peoples who once made a home in the region. One of the best known examples of ancient artistic efforts can be found in Horseshoe Canyon’s “Great Gallery”, both scenic hiking spot and historic time capsule. Then move on to the tiny town of Fruita, surrounded by the canyons of Capitol Reef National Park. In summer you can both tour its quaint historic buildings and sample fresh fruit from the orchards that gave this town its name.

Bryce is better known for its hoodoos than its cultural sights, but venture on towards Cedar City and find a good clutch of cultural attractions to consider, including the Frontier Homestead State Park Museum, the Parowan Gap Petroglyphs and the annual Utah Shakespearean Festival. You’ll also want to be sure to give the Zion Human History Museum, associated with Zion National Park (to the southwest) a tour. In addition to numerous artifacts dating to the area’s early history, the museum also puts on exhibits of park inspired art over the ages.

Map + Directions

Utah Arches National Park GarfieldCountyTourism-skyscraper2

Copyright © 1997 - 2024 The Go Travel Sites. All Rights Reserved and.

Email Page Link

Complete the form below to email this page to a friend or family member's email. You can send yourself an email as well. Your email and your recipient's email will NOT be shared with anyone. See our full Privacy Policy for details.
:
:
:
 
 
 
:
Copy Yourself on the Email Yes No
:
:

1

Select one or more Free Visitor Guides below

2

Complete the form to receive your guides by mail

Below are the Free Visitor Guides for Arches National Park. More Visitor Guides are available in Utah. Click here to view them all!

Moab Moab Moab
Southeast UtahMoab has long been a favorite destination for locals and world travelers alike. Southeast Utah is a must for any Utah traveler's itinerary.
Request this Free Visitor GuideRequested! You're all set! Request a few more Visitor Guides, or complete the form below to receive your guides by mail.
Utah - Life Elevated Utah - Life Elevated Utah - Life Elevated
StatewideWith five national parks and more than 40 state parks, Utah offers a wealth of outdoor activities for families & adventurers alike. Order your free Travel Guide today.
Request this Free Visitor GuideRequested! You're all set! Request a few more Visitor Guides, or complete the form below to receive your guides by mail.
Palisade, Colorado Palisade, Colorado Palisade, Colorado
WesternLife Tastes Good Here all Year Long!
Request this Free Visitor GuideRequested! You're all set! Request a few more Visitor Guides, or complete the form below to receive your guides by mail.
Ski Utah Ski Utah Ski Utah
Utah
Request this Free Visitor GuideRequested! You're all set! Request a few more Visitor Guides, or complete the form below to receive your guides by mail.