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Why Adventure Travelers Should Head to Heber Valley, Utah

Heber Valley is known as Utah’s Adventure Escape and there definitely is a lot to keep the adventure traveler occupied in all four seasons of the year.  Heber Valley is located in northern Utah, just south of Park City and only 40 miles from Salt Lake City making it an ideal destination to add onto any Utah trip.

A little bit about Heber Valley, Utah

• Heber Valley is known as Utah’s Switzerland due to its rugged beauty of Mount Timpanogos, green meadows, streams, climate and large population of Swiss who settled in the Midway in the 1800s.
• Nordic events for the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games took place in Soldier Hollow in 2002.
• Provo River is a blue ribbon fishery known for its quality of fish, access and beautiful surroundings.
• Heber Valley is home to the world’s foremost sheepdog competition, brining in competitors from all over the world.
• Heber Valley is home to 90 holes of golf, over 200 miles of trails and 45,000 fish per river mile.

So, what all is there to do in Heber Valley, Utah for the adventurers?  

Heber Valley Railroad

The Heber Valley Railroad line is 16 miles long and runs from Heber City to Vivian Park with a roundtrip taking about three hours – seems like the perfect way to spend a day!  Several landmarks and wildlife can be seen from the train including Cascade Mountain, Provo River, moose, and even eagles.  The train runs year round with special events and themed nights.

Homestead Crater

The Homestead Crater is the only inland location within the 48 states that you can do warm water scuba diving, making it a pretty unique thing to do in Heber Valley.  Also open year round, the Crater is located on the Homestead property.  You do not have to stay at the resort to enjoy this one of a kind experience though!

Zipline the Provo Canyon

Make sure to zipline in the Wasatch Mountains during your visit to Heber Valley – a great way to enjoy mountain scenery, wildlife, the Provo River and more all from tree top heights!

Deer Creek State Park

This gorgeous state park provides plenty of adventure and outdoor activities including but not limited to camping, boating, hiking, swimming, water skiing, and fishing.  

Ice Castles

A winter only activity that definitely deserves some recognition are the ice castles.  Every year Ice Castles unveils a castle made only of…ice.  And, we’re talking Elsa-style ice castle here with ice towers, tunnels, archways, canyons and thrones.  The ice castle is typically open sometime in December through March.

Horseback Riding at Soldier Hollow

A horseback ride in Solder Hollow will provide breathtaking views of the Wasatch Mountains, Deer Creek Park and Mt Timpanogos all while atop magnificent animals.

Hike Mount Timpanogos

Mount Timpanogos is one of the most recognizable mountains in all of Utah and a very popular hiking destination.  There are two trails that are commonly used to reach the summit – the Aspen Grove which is 8.3 miles and Timpooneke Trail which is 7.5 miles.  Wildflowers, wildlife and fall colors are wonderful on both trails.

Other Adventure Activities in Heber Valley

Some other activities that are worth a mention include snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, ATV riding, golf courses, and more.

With so many activities in all four seasons of the year, Heber Valley is the perfect destination for adventure travelers looking to get outside and do as much exploring as possible!

Have you ever been to Heber Valley?  What would you most like to experience in this corner of Utah?

**All photos courtesy of Heber Valley except for Pinterest image which can be found here. This post was brought to you by Heber Valley but all opinions, as always, are my own.**