Sometimes I think Salt Lakers and Utahns in general don’t know what to do with fall and Utah’s Fall Colors. Everyone plays so hard here—at first powder, we hit the slopes, we ski downhill and cross country, we snowshoe, we ride, we hike, we eat melty cheese and drink stout beer. We’re experts at bundling up and going at it, having fun with all our might. In summer, we SUP, we raft, we ski, we swim, we fish, we camp, we hike.
So in this in-between season, what should we do? I suggest we observe. Slow down a little (not too much) and really see the transition happening. Here are four great ways to see Utah’s Fall Colors from a different perspective. With just a touch of adventure, of course.
Take a helicopter ride and gain a whole new perspective. Look down on all the landscape you’ll be riding across this winter. See the colors of the changing leaves from above, like the Lord does. Wasatch Adventure Guides offers daily helicopter tours of the Wasatch range, Antelope Island and Utah’s majestic Mighty Five National Parks. Tickets begin at $350. Make your reservation on their website.
Can’t sit still? Take a ZipTour at Sundance Mountain Resort, one of the most exciting and scenic zip tours in the world, boasting over 2,100 feet of vertical drop — the most of any zip line tour in the United States. Guests can ride side-by-side on the zip line’s double cables and control their speed, cruising up to 65 miles per hour, or stopping mid-air to take in the views. In late October the resort also offers a special Halloween lift that riders can bundle with their zipline tour. Tours available 7:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Prices range from $79-$129.
Enjoy Bavarian Cuisine on a Mountaintop. Prost. Snowbasin Resort hosts Utah’s newest Oktoberfest celebration every Saturday and Sunday now through October 6th. The German-inspired beer festival showcases local Utah breweries, Bavarian food, music and a local vendor market—all against the brilliant backdrop of Autumn foliage. Entry is free for season pass holders, $10 for a single-day pass.
Take a guided nature hike at Solitude. Leaf peeping season comes and goes far too quickly, make the most of the fleeting scenery with a free guided hike at Solitude. Starting at 10:15 a.m. every Saturday through September, hikers will ride Sunrise chairlift into the mountains and make their unhurried descent while a guide points out wildlife and surroundings. The tour is free, but a valid lift ticker or season pass is required.
