Utah’s five national parks often steal the spotlight, but the state’s lesser-known parks can offer something just as memorable, offering easier access, fewer crowds and a more personal connection to the landscape. 

Trail closures threaten livelihoods and slowly limit access to ordinary families, says Dave Hellman, owner of Xtreme 4×4 Tours in Moab. Wilderness advocates argue that stronger protections are necessary to preserve fragile landscapes. As lawsuits reshape trail access across southern Utah, Moab increasingly sits at the center of a growing conflict over who public lands are really for.

Nine Mile Canyon is famous worldwide for its Fremont and Ute rock art panels, some of which are pecked ‘petroglyphs,’ while others are painted ‘pictographs.’ The canyon, home to the Fremont people and a seasonal pass-through for the Utes, preserves prehistoric pit houses, rock shelters and granaries. It’s the most concentrated rock art spot in North America.

They may be called food influencers, but Utah’s food creators tend to flinch at the title. “Foodie” feels closer to what they are doing — walking into neighborhood restaurants, talking with owners, tasting what someone has spent years perfecting, and deciding what is worth sharing with thousands of people who may show up because of one post.