weekender.
Weekend trips from Utah Valley University
Hidden spots near Orem, day trips and weekend road trips from Utah Valley University in November, scored 1–10 on price, timing and what's happening, with gas, park fees, a campsite or room and food included.
Plan your own trip from Utah Valley University →Local finds near campus
Provo Canyon & Bridal Veil Falls
A double waterfall right off the canyon road, and a paved river trail.
Stewart Falls & Sundance
A two-tier waterfall under Mount Timpanogos, by Robert Redford's Sundance resort.
Timpanogos Cave
A steep trail up a canyon wall to three caves full of helictites. Tours sell out.
Homestead Crater
Swim in 95°F water inside a beehive-shaped limestone dome, near Midway.
Little Cottonwood Canyon
Alta and Snowbird's legendary powder, and wildflower hikes above the granite in summer.
Day trips
Spiral Jetty
A 1,500-foot rock spiral in the pink Great Salt Lake, a land-art icon. Free; long dirt road.
Park City
An old silver town of ski runs and Main Street bars, home of the Sundance Film Festival.
Salt Lake City
Temple Square, mountains at the end of every street and canyons 20 minutes away.
Weekend trips
Dinosaur National Monument
A rock wall with 1,500 dinosaur bones still in it, plus petroglyphs and river canyons.
Goblin Valley
A valley of thousands of mushroom-shaped goblins you can wander among freely (Galaxy Quest's alien planet).
Capitol Reef
Pioneer orchards where you can pick the fruit, under cliffs of red rock. Pie at the Gifford House.
Arches & Moab
Over 2,000 stone arches (Delicate Arch at sunset), with Moab's mountain biking and jeep trails.
Canyonlands
Mesa Arch framing the sunrise over a maze of canyons the Colorado River carved.
Bryce Canyon
An amphitheater of orange hoodoo spires, and some of the darkest night skies anywhere.
Long weekends
Zion
Wade up the Narrows slot canyon and hike Angels Landing (permit lottery).
Valley of Fire
Swirling red and pink sandstone, petroglyphs and the Fire Wave, an hour past Las Vegas.
Craters of the Moon
A black lava landscape where Apollo astronauts trained, with lava tubes to crawl through.
Grand Canyon South Rim
The Rim Trail at sunset and a few switchbacks into the canyon (going down is optional, up is not).
Dinosaur National Monument
A rock wall with 1,500 dinosaur bones still in it, plus petroglyphs and river canyons.
Goblin Valley
A valley of thousands of mushroom-shaped goblins you can wander among freely (Galaxy Quest's alien planet).
Personalize it
Set your budget, how many friends are coming, your car (or no car: train and bus), and what you're into (hiking, beaches, camping, stargazing, food and more), and Weekender re-ranks every trip for you, with a day-by-day plan, directions and campsites.
Find my trips from Utah Valley University →