PART 1 | PART 2 | PART 3 | PART 4 | PART 5 | PART 6 | OVERVIEW

PART 2: SALT LAKE EXPANDED (UTAH)

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

Metaphor: The tree of Utah

The 1980 work of Swedish artist Karl Momen really stands out in the middle of the flat desert on the road to Nevada. Momen was inspired to build the tree, made of concrete and minerals native to Utah, during a vision he had while visiting your next stop.

Note: There's no place to park. Just drive along the shoulder of the highway and pull off onto the gravel near the tree. Be careful getting off and back on the highway. There have been several accidents involving tourists trying to access the site.

Bonneville Salt Flats

This is all that's left of pre-historic Lake Bonneville, which was the size of Lake Michigan at its peak and encompassed all of Salt Lake. It's so flat that if you stand on the salt and look at the flats lengthwise you can actually see the curvature of the earth. It's the perfect place to take that friend of yours who believes the earth is flat because he can't see it's curvature.

Note: Park at the rest stop for easy access to the flats.

sun Tunnels

Note: If you're able to see the Tree and the Flats before noon, you should have plenty of time to see the remaining sites around the lake before sunset. If you didn't make it out in time, simply head back the way you came before continuing toward this stop.

Nancy Holt's 1976 art project is located in the middle of nowhere and will take you a few hours of driving on a dirt road to arrive. If you do go, you'll probably be the only one there, but you'll definitely feel like you've discovered something truly special. Take refuge from the sun in the cool concrete tunnels, and see how each tunnel opening uniquely frames the desert vista.

*Limited cell phone service; save directions before departure.

orbital atk aerospace systems

The way these rockets are displayed at the ATK facility is reminiscent of a sculpture garden. With its beautiful desert backdrop, you're guaranteed to find this display more fascinating than your local space museum.

*Limited cell phone service; save directions before departure.

spiral jetty

Robert Smithson, acclaimed artist and husband of Sun Tunnels' artist Nancy Holt, completed this project in 1970. Like the Tunnels, the Jetty is remotely located, this one on the northern shore of Salt Lake. When you see it for the first time, you'll feel like you've found hidden treasure. If the tide isn't too high, you can walk the full length of the spiral, or climb up the hill for a beautiful view. Bonus: if you're here after sunset, it's a good place for a campfire, s'more, and some premium star-gazing.

*Limited cell phone service; save directions before departure.

STAY THE NIGHT IN: PARK CITY

For restaurant and hotel recommendations, reservations and more, check out our Customize section.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

Fifth water hot springs

A 2.5 mile hike (one-way) with a moderate incline will take you to about a dozen hot Sulphur pools, which you are free to bathe in. Get there early or you'll be bathing with a bunch of tourists and a few naked old men. Beware: the pools close to the waterfall are boiling hot and not recommended for bathing unless you want to be cooked alive. Find a pool downstream with a temperature to your liking. Be sure you clean up any trash, as there's no garbage pickup on site.

Note: To see a list of the best hikes in Utah, check out our UV blog post, Power Rankings: Hikes of Utah.

*Limited cell phone service; save directions before departure.

Thistle

Back on the highway, you'll pass some creepy, abandoned structures. These are the remains of a one-time prosperous railway town, decimated by an earthquake and landslide in 1983. Just a few buildings remain - the church on the hill, two twin-concrete structures and the main attraction: a home half-submerged in a swamp.

Note: If you can't locate the town, save the swamp-home coordinates: 39.990477,-111.498388. Park on the shoulder of the road. Be careful pulling off, as cars go fast around the bend. The other sites are  northeast along this road, on the left.

*Limited cell phone service; save directions before departure.

Harold mill

The skeleton of a former reduction mill can be found hiding in plain sight upon a hill. It was only in operation for four years before being was abandoned in 1925. It now serves as a canvas for graffiti and grounds for exploration.

Note: Explore at your own risk, preferably in a group. The site is filled with rusty objects. There are usually graffiti artists present, but there have also been reports of sketchy people. Do not swim in the springs below the mill, unless you like arsenic poisoning.

*Limited cell phone service; save directions before departure.

Note: If you have at least two hours before sunset, you have time for the following site.

Delta solar r&D site

This place is a bit of a stretch in terms of added distance to the day's itinerary but some explorers might find this site irresistible. A solar-energy initiative, which failed spectacularly upon startup in 2008, left its mark on the desert terrain, with several dozen huge "umbrellas" still standing there, slowly rotting away.

*Limited cell phone service; save directions before departure from previous stop.

STAY THE NIGHT IN: PARK CITY

For restaurant and hotel recommendations, reservations and more, check out our Customize section.

Day 1 | Day 2 | Day 3

Olympic parkway

During the summer months, the ski jumps at Utah Olympic Park in Park City double as water-tube slides. Genius! There are three slides of different height, sending you flying down the hill at speeds of up to 50 mph. Definitely skip breakfast before this stop.

guardsman pass road

This 30 minute drive will take you past some of the most scenic viewpoints near Park City. The drop-offs on the side of the road get a bit steep at certain points. Slow down if you want to live to show people pictures.

main street, park city

Go shopping in what looks like an upscale version of an old-Western town. There's plenty of boutiques and eateries to occupy a full afternoon or evening. There's even a free (very slow) trolley that takes you back to your car if you're too lazy to walk.

If this is the end of your Utah adventure:

Depart: Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC)

If continuing your journey to Part 3...

STAY THE NIGHT IN: VERNAL

For restaurant and hotel recommendations, reservations and more, check out our Customize section.

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