Salt lake cityhas become known for its thriving community of witches recently. Perhaps you’ve seen one of the viral TikToks joking about it by local Utah band @nosuchanimal, where members of the band look out over the city, saying, “What a nice state. Certainly, there are no witches here.” Of course, here be witches.
Local witch and owner of The Pleiadian Altar, Julia Gates, defines a witch as “anyone who’s using their own self-power to make their lives better.” Gates’ shop opened its doors in July of last year as a hub for Salt Lake witches of all cultures and creeds. Gates made an effort to make her shop “baby witch” friendly, with easy DIY bundles for beginners.
Julia Gates, the owner of The Pleiadian Altar. Photo by Adam Finkle.
And you don’t need to be religious in order to be a witch. “We’re not like a pagan or Wiccan store or anything like that. So anyone of any religion could come in. You could come in and be super LDS and find something that you like,” says Gates. Gates grew up in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (LDS) and became interested in the metaphysical at the age of 12. She got her first pendulum at 16 and from there began to fall in love with the effects of crystals.
Once Gates discovered her passion for witchcraft, she quickly discovered a growing community of like-minded Utahns.
“There are a lot of very similar things between LDS or Christianity and witchcraft—like belief in an afterlife. So a lot of people might turn to witchcraft as something they might resonate with. We aren’t bound by any rules, per se, but still believe in something…There are a lot of people who are into witchcraft, the metaphysical and healing, you just wouldn’t know it.”
Events at The Pleiadian Altar
Every week the shop hosts Witchy Wednesdays from 6 p.m.–9 p.m., where anyone can participate in witchy crafts such as making spell jars from an open “herb-bar” or painting glass jars for moonwater. With instructions from Gates and her staff, everyone of all levels and interests can join in on the fun.
Check their instagram:
@the.pleiadian.altar for their monthly event schedule. 917 Vine St., Unit B, Murray (Located behind Garden Espresso.) utahcrystals.com
Daryl Lindsey, who formally launched her Yardfarmer.co sustainable landscape design venture in the fall of 2022, wants you to think about your yard differently. Totally differently.
Photo by Jackelin Slack
That fence-to-fence lawn in need of weekly mowing and thirsty for hundreds of dollars worth of water each month could become an outdoor kitchen, dining room or cozy reading nook surrounded by native plants, grasses and flowers.
“Reimagine your yard as a floor plan, the same way you would look at a floor plan of your house,” says Lindsey, who founded sustainable landscape design company Yardfarmer.co last fall. “Think about walking out of your home into the next room—an outdoor kitchen area where you’ll use the smoker for a pizza night, and then beyond that is the patio dining area, followed by a more casual living room where you’ll lounge with a glass of wine or a spritz and talk about life with friends.”
Follow Lindsey’s Tips to Reimagine Your Outdoor Space
Tip #1: Look at your yard from the top down. Think about the ways you want to spend time outside, whether it’s playing soccer with the kids or reading a book in a shaded hammock during the summer. “Those are important things to nail down first,” Lindsey says. “Then build your layout around that.”
Tip #2: Make your yard work for you. Lindsey suggests thinking about ways to reduce maintenance so being outside doesn’t feel like a chore. Converting lawn space to include eco blends or native turf, like buffalo grass, requires less mowing and watering. “You can be in your yard doing things you actually like.”
Tip #3: Go beyond the aesthetics. There’s nothing quite like walking outside to clip herbs or harvest vegetables to go with dinner. “It creates this sense of your yard doing something for you that can be really fun and special.”
Tip #4: Create an ecosystem that gives back. Lindsey explains that your yard can also do good for the planet. Think about what wildlife—like native bees, butterflies and birds—can get from your garden. “Pollinators are desperate for food sources, and they’ll start thriving in your yard,” she says.
Remember when we were all complaining about the cold? And now…it’s 100 degrees outside and even your hair follicles are sweating. This summer, the brain freeze is definitely worth it in order to taste these irresistible local frozen treats. Here are our favorite frozen treats to beat the heat in Utah: popsicles and ice cream parlor novelties.
Popsicles
Joy Pops: Latina-style mobile popsicle truck keeps it cool
Paletas are popsicles that originally hail from Mexico and have spread around the world—including to our little corner. They are made with fruit, cream and light sweeteners. The result is a refreshing, satisfyingly creamy and fruity taste perfect for hot summer days here in Salt Lake City.
Joy Pops Paletas. Photo by Adam Finkle
Kalli Lebaron, the owner of Joy Pops, launched her gourmet “ice cream truck” style paletería when she was just 17 years old. Kalli met Valerie, the owner of Joy Nutrition Pops, in the Dominican Republic and was so inspired by her that she decided to apprentice with her to learn how to make genuine paletas from scratch. With the support of her family, she put together a business plan, found a retired ice cream truck and space in a commissary kitchen, and launched her business as she was wrapping up high school.
What makes paletas unique?
“American ice pops are normally water-based and are flavored with artificial flavors, thickeners and sweeteners,” explains Kalli. “Mexican paletas are made with a whole fruit base, all real fruit and water. The cream-based ones are made with thick cream, milk and natural sugars. It is also not churned, so we are not incorporating air into the base. We end up with a dense texture where you can taste the quality and the care. And what always stands out to me is the texture.” They are almost like gelato in popsicle form.
Fruity Favorites:
Tropical—with strawberry, mango, pineapple and peach
Mango & Kiwi—made with fresh mangos and whole kiwis
Watermelon—tastes like the sweetest fresh watermelon ever
Mojito—limeade and fresh mint
Creamy Pops:
Coconut—with fresh shredded coconut
Cookies and Cream—with an ENTIRE cookie right at the top
Berry Cheesecake—with house-made cream cheese and berry jam
Coffee & Toffee—creamy coffee with chocolate-covered toffee
Ice Cream Parlor Treats
The Float
What It Is Not: A Milkshake
What It Is: A fizzy, creamy combination of ice cream or sherbet in a glass of soda (flavored or plain). The key here is acid phosphate or phosphoric acid. Phosphoric acid contains a small amount of the mineral phosphorus, which, according to Coca-Cola’s “official” statement on the substance, “is found widely in nature and helps give our bodies energy. It is also a big component of bones and teeth.” So it’s fine, right? The point is the fizzy minerally, tart acid collides with creamy ice cream, resulting in yummy. Classic is, of course, the Root Beer Float (vanilla ice cream + root beer) but there are many, many variations. Like lime sherbet and 7-UP (a mainstay at ward picnics, substituting Shasta, of course.)
Who Does it Best: Hire’s Big H, 425 S. 700 East, SLC, hiresbigh.com
The Sundae
What It Is Not: A boring scoop of vanilla ice cream
What It Is: Originally called the “Sunday,” the sundae’s name evolved confusingly from ice cream shops trying not to confuse customers who thought “the Sunday” was only available on, well, Sunday. Make sense? No. Nevertheless, this mountain of ice cream and toppings is alive and well here in Utah and there are plenty of options for turning ice cream into something way bigger. Bigger is better right?
Who Does it Best: Farr Better Ice Cream Shop, 274 21st St., Ogden, farrsicecream.com
We have more on the history of ice cream in Utah, and more summertime treats, here!
In 2006, Glen Hansard, frontman of the Irish rock band The Frames, and Czech pianist Marketa Irglova agreed to record music for an independent Irish film. In addition to writing and recording the soundtrack, they also ended up playing the leading roles. Once, filmed in Dublin over 17 days with a budget of $150,000, premiered at Sundance in 2007 and won the World Cinema Audience Award before going on to win an Oscar for Best Original Song with “Falling Slowly.” Now we have a chance to welcome in the Oscar and eight-time Tony Award-winning duo Swell Season on Monday, August 21, 2023
Hansard and Irglova formed the indie-folk duo Swell Season after the launch of the film and charmed audiences on the road with their award-winning formula of heartfelt songs of struggle, love, and loss. In 2009, they released their second full-length album Strict Joy which reached #15 on the Billboard Top 200 charts. The following year the duo went on an extended hiatus to work on separate solo projects. But Once, the little independent Irish film that could, kept building momentum. In 2012, it was adapted into a Broadway musical that won eight Tony Awards including Best Musical.
Hansard and Irglova have reunited for a limited tour (a belated 15th Anniversary celebration of the success of Once) which includes a stop at the Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre. They’ve also released the deeply personal duet “The Answer Is Yes,” their first song together in more than a decade. The song tells the story of their strong bond, despite their past struggles as a duo. We have a rare opportunity to see Swell Season perform favorites from the Once soundtrack, Swell Season hits, and maybe even a few songs from their solo catalogs. Before you go, rewatch the film. It’s definitely worth seeing again. The soundtrack is timeless.
Opening is singer-songwriter Lizzy Weber. The St. Louis native will reconnect with Irglova with whom she recorded two songs in 2018. Weber is touring in support of her recently released album Fidalgo. Inspired by the Cormac McCarthy novel, Blood Meridian, Weber penned a song by the same name that captures the novel’s eerie gloom. Though the record isn’t limited to dark literary themes, “Be Your Love” and “Yours and Mine” evoke a Mazzy Star-styled dream-pop sensuality. She’ll be a great pairing with Swell Season. Indeed, this season at the Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre has certainly been swell.
It’s the start of a new chapter for Bambara, one of downtown Salt Lake City’s most iconic restaurants, located on the ground floor of the Kimpton Hotel Monaco on Main Street.
Nowadays, guests will find a fresh new take on a longtime favorite. From top to bottom, Bambara boasts a brand new aesthetic, with crisp, clean black and white decor accentuating the soft brown leather seating. In this new era, the goal is to be more than a place for that one big night out.
“We have a history of being a special occasion restaurant,” Bambara’s Food and Beverage Director Brandon Buschart says. “We want to bridge the gap with people who are out on the town and might be hopping around from place to place while also not alienating those people who have been coming here forever.”
Photo courtesy of Bambara; Hotel Monaco
With a welcoming atmosphere and exceptional service, Bambara also offers a menu for meals of all shapes and sizes. Whether you want to have a few small plates to share, or a fantastic appetizer and a full-fledged entree, you can have either—or both.
If you’re out with a group and have no reservations about passing plates, putting together one of Bambara’s artisan charcuterie boards might be the way to go. With cheese offerings like Red Butte Hatch Chili Cheddar, Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese and Rogue Smoked Blue Cheese to complement slices of Duroc Pork Paté, La Belle Farms Duck Rillette, and Rocky Mountain Elk Summer Sausage, you can’t go wrong with whichever combination you choose. Of course, you can always order the whole smorgasbord, if you’re up for it.
Bison Wellington. Photo courtesy of Bambara; Hotel Monaco
Now small plates can be fun for a crowd, or a lighthearted night out, but if you’re looking to make the night a memorable one, Bambara offers a slew of surf-n-turf entree options. Across the entire menu, you can find a yummy bite made from local ingredients, done in partnership with farms and purveyors in the region. Sustainable, local food is a pillar of Bambara’s values. And according to many, Bambara’s crown jewel is the Bison Wellington, Chef Patrick LeBeau’s favorite dish which has been locally sourced from Wyoming and done in a very traditional way.
“The renovation allowed time to develop new relationships with local vendors and producers and we are very excited to highlight them on the menu,” said Executive Chef Patrick LeBeau. Some of these new vendors include Bread Riot Bakehouse and Brickhouse Growers supplying us with great local sourdough and microgreens that can be seen across the menu. The menu will continue to rotate seasonally, with a couple of staple dishes remaining from season to season.”
Scallops. Photo courtesy of Bambara; Hotel Monaco
Those who want an especially memorable meal might consider a more intimate experience with Chef LeBeau. Taking part in the Chef’s Table feature seats guests at special tables that allow unique access to Chef LeBeau and his team during the service and allows for insight on upcoming dishes, Chef’s favorites, and other experiential items not available at other tables.
But the changes don’t stop at just the decor and menu prepared by Chef LeBeau. Not only is Bambara showing off a new look and feel, just like the entire Hotel Monaco, but an exciting new location will soon be throwing open its doors to the public on the other end of the restaurant. The Vault, a cocktail bar with sidewalk access on the corner of Main St. and 200 West, will soon be ready to serve up some of Salt Lake City’s most unique spirits in an ultra-cool ambiance.
“It will be very approachable to all, like a 1950s American bar,” Buschart says of the soon-to-be-opened bar space, which pays homage to the location’s former identity as a bank.
So while things might look a little different now at Bambara, the great experience and attention to detail have remained the same. Whether it’s for a special occasion, or just a moment to treat yourself and others, Bambara is the place to be.
“We’re looking to make it a place where you can have a couple of drinks and an appetizer and maybe move on to somewhere else and also have a great meal on a special evening,” Buschart says. “In a hotel space, you have to figure out if you want to be a local favorite or a place for business guests. We’re going to be both.”
For most of the two-plus decades that I have called Utah home, my consideration for Idaho really didn’t extend much beyond its most famous ski area, the posh Sun Valley Resort, and the non-Utah half of Bear Lake. Lately, however, I’ve gotten to know the Potato State a little better, particularly its rural southeastern corner—a beautifully rugged landscape ripe for adventuresome nature bathing. Following are highlights of three must-do and-see Idaho summer destinations just over Utah’s northern border: Maple Grove Hot Springs, City of Rocks National Reserve/Castle Rocks State Park and Minnetonka Cave. All of these destinations are reachable within a three-hour drive from Salt Lake City.
Springs Eternal
Tucked along the Bear River’s Oneida Narrows Reservoir, Maple Grove Hot Springs & Retreat Center (maplegrovesprings.com) is 45 acres of nature-infused tranquility. There, you’ll find summer camp-chic accommodations, sweeping mountain-meets-river views and, of course, the natural, mineral-infused hot springs: two swimming-pool-sized soaking pools just outside the River House check-in/locker room building and three smaller, stone-lined pools, situated along lit, flagstone walkways. Besides soaking, things to do at Maple Grove include swimming or paddling in the river, working out the kinks in a yoga class or, as part of the owners’ mission to raise mental health awareness, taking part in the center’s monthly suicide prevention trainings.
City of Rocks National Reserve. Photo courtesy of visit Idaho.Hiking at Castle Rocks State Park near Almo. Photo courtesy of visit Idaho.
Surreal City
On the bucolic approach to City of Rocks National Reserve/Castle Rocks State Park (nps.gov/ciro), sweeping sageland gives way to fairytale-like valley filled with granite spires that reach toward the sky like giant gnarled fingers. Though these side-by-side recreation areas are a climber’s mecca—just shy of 1,000 rock-climbing routes have been established there—non-climbing families will find plenty to do in the surreal and stunningly beautiful landscape there. Dirt roads throughout both “The City,” as it is known for short, and Castle Rocks lead to trailheads accessing hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding trails that wind through and around the rock formations, including a section of the California National Historic Trail. Pitch your tent at one of the many campsites inside the Reserve ($14 per night); larger sites suitable for both tent camping and RVs, can be found at Castle Rocks’ Smoky Mountain Campground ($31 per night) which also features paved roads, a shower house and flush toilets. Advance and same-day camping reservations for both areas can be made at reserveamerica.com. Day use in The City is free and $7 at Castle Rocks. After the sun goes down, be sure to look up. Earlier this year, City of Rocks received full certification as an International Dark Sky Park.
Road signs entering into Camp Rock at City of Rocks National Reserve; Camping. Photo courtesy of visit Idaho.City Of Rocks National Reserve, Almo. Photo courtesy of visit Idaho
Almo Attractions
The super-cute ranching town of Almo offers the closest services to The City/Castle Rocks. Get your bearings at the City of Rocks National Reserve Visitor Center, located in the center of town (208-824-5901, open 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. daily). Other attractions along the Almo’s main drag include the Durfee Hot Springs(durfeehotsprings.com), the wood-fired pizza and HUGE canned beer selection at Rock City Mercantile(208-824-5510) and homemade pie at The Outpost Steakhouse (almoinn.com). Though a few other restaurants eke out an existence there, be sure to bring plenty of food with you for your stay. Almo eateries can get crowded on summer weekends (the closest grocery store is about an hour away).
Over-The-Border Spelunking
Hiking inside Minnetonka Cave at St. Charles. Photo courtesy of visit Idaho.
What’s better than dipping a toe in Bear Lake’s cool, blue waters on a hot summer day? Taking a tour of the nearby Minnetonka Cave, one of the largest and most impressive karst limestone caves in the U.S. This mind-blowing natural wonder (that stays at a constant 40 degrees all summer long) features nine separate chambers, all beautifully lit, including the 300-feet-wide and 90-feet tall Ballroom.
While every part of the cave’s 90-minute tour is impressive, particularly memorable features include the dense set of slender stalactites called the Soda Straw Ceiling and an enormous stalagmite trio dubbed The Three Sisters.
When you go, bring a jacket and comfortable walking shoes and be ready for a workout: though the distance you’ll cover in the cave is only about half a mile, you’ll climb up and down a daunting 888 stairs in the process.
Minnetonka Cave is open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day, weather permitting. Make tour reservations in advance at recreation.gov.
Getting there
Maple Grove Hot Springs & Retreat Center is 47 miles north of Logan in Thatcher, Idaho. Take S.R. 91 north from Logan to Preston. From there take S.R. 36 to N. Maple Grove Road and Oneida Narrows Road to the retreat center.
City of Rocks/Castle Rocks State Park: take Interstate 15 north from Salt Lake to Tremonton. There, head west on I-84 to Sublette exit 245 and go west toward Malta, Elba, and Almo. (Google maps may suggest a route along 27 through Oakley, Idaho, which requires driving more than 20 miles on a dirt road.)
Minnetonka Cave is about 90 minutes from Logan through Logan Canyon and past Bear Lake. Take S.R. 89 north to St. Charles. There turn west onto Minnetonka Cave Road and follow it for 8 miles to the lower cave parking lot.
Take the Party Elsewhere
Photo courtesy of maple grove hot springs.
Unlike some other hot springs that attract soakers into tying one on, at Maple Grove, relaxation, reflection and wellness take center stage. Drinking is not allowed in the pools, and neither is nudity. After-dark quiet hours require conversations to diminish to a whisper, both at the pools and around campfires. There’s no cell phone service at Maple Grove and the number of daytime and overnight guests is limited. It’s simply one of those few, rare places where you can go to reboot, immerse yourself in nature and find peace.
Movies are kind of a thing here in Utah but with all the mega plush movie theaters we think not enough drive-in theaters are getting the proper attention they deserve. Here’s three of the best from around the state.
Redwood Drive-in Theater
This outdoor theater has been showing movies since 1948! Since then they’ve made a bunch of changes including a state of the art projector system. Broadcasting a movie through their powerful FM system makes movies feel more real than ever. So, grab the kids and load up the suburban. Located in West Valley City additional details can be found on their website.
Erda Drive-in Theater
Motor Vu
Formerly known as Motor Vu Theater, Erda Drive-in started in 1947 and has been a staple in the Salt Lake Valley for generations. The theater features four screens and a digital projection system that will bring every movie to life. Not literally, but you know what we mean. One of our favorite things about this drive-in is their snack bar. Instead of having to pay $5.50 for a large coke, prices at the snack bar are much more reasonable and wallet friendly. What Megaplex or Cinemark serves dill pickles, custom energy drinks and four cotton candy flavors? All these and more can be found at the snack bar. Erda movie theater is located in Tooele and additional information can be found on their website.
Shooting Star Drive-in
Down in Utah’s Red Rock Country, near the Grand Staircase-Escalante Monument, which is awesome and you should totally go there, you’ll find Shooting Star RV Resort in Escalante. The resort has a Drive-in theater with a fleet of classic ’60s cars to watch an outdoor movie. We thought this was pretty cool and definitely worth checking out. Movies are shown on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Check out their website to find out more.
Shooting Star Drive-in. Photo courtesy Visit Utah.
Movies in the Park
Whether you don’t have any sweet wheels, or your Prius just isn’t suited for comfortably sitting through all three hours of Oppenheimer, you can still watch films in the great outdoors. Check out these movies in the park hosted select days throughout the summer:
Movie Magic in the Mountains
Enjoy the sweet summer breeze and stunning mountain views at Solitude Mountain Resort. The ski resort screens free classic films on their Moonbeam Lawn every Thursday now through Aug. 31. View the whole schedule, and don’t forget a lawn chair and a blanket!
Friday Fun Nights
Riverton City hosts Friday Fun Nights all summer, which include food trucks, local vendor booths, live music and free outdoor movie screenings. Movies begin at dusk, weather permitting.
The State Room Presents hit the trifecta when they booked three amazing women who rock the blues. Over the next few weeks we’ll have a chance to see some of the best the genre has to offer in intimate settings.
When we hear the term “blues” we often think about the men who pioneered the genre–be it Robert Johnson, Son House, Howlin’ Wolf or Muddy Waters. Women, however, have been singing the blues since the emergence of the musical style. Ma Rainey, the Mother of The Blues and Bessie Smith, the Empress of The Blues, were the first superstar blues musicians in the 1920s. In the 1930s, Sister Rosetta Tharpe electrified gospel and blues. Two decades later, artists like Elvis Presely and Chuck Berry copied Tharpe’s influential style and turned it into rock‘n’roll. Women pioneered the blues, often without the acknowledgment they deserve. They are still carrying the torch.
Ally Venable
Ally Venable
Twenty-four year-old, East Texas guitar slinger, Ally Venable, just released her 5th full-length studio album Real Gone (yes, 5th album–she started recording as a teenage prodigy). Blues legends are lining up to play with this rising star. On “Texas Louisiana” Venable teams up with Buddy Guy for a fresh, new duet that feels like an old classic. On “Broken and Blue,” a great slow-burning blues number, she trades guitar licks with Joe Bonamassa. Real Gone charts Venable’s progression as a songwriter (her guitar chops are already well-established) and builds off her excellent 2021 release Heart of Fire. Venable is a legitimate tour-de-force in modern blues and to see her in the intimate confines of The State Room on Friday, August 18, 2023 is a “don’t miss” opportunity for me. I might not get another chance to see her in a small listening room before she launches to larger venues.
Danielle Nicole
Danielle Nicole
Danielle Nicole (born Danielle Nicole Schnebelen) emerged from the Kansas City blues music scene as lead vocalist and bassist in her family band, Trampled Under Foot. In 2014, the band’s album Badlands won the Blues Music Awards Contemporary Blues Album of the Year. She also became the first woman to win the Blues Music Award in the category of Instrumentalist–Bass. Since, she’s won the award three more times. The following year Nicole released her debut solo album Wolf Den which reached #2 in the Billboard Top Blues Albums chart. The singles “Take It All” and “You Only Need Me When You’re Down” exemplify the soulful nature of Nicole’s powerhouse voice. Her bass-line tracks put the rhythm in her blues.
Her critically-acclaimed 2018 release Cry No More hit #1 on Billboard’s Top Blues Album chart and earned her a Grammy nomination. The album highlights Nicole’s commanding blues, rock and soul vocals paralleling artists like Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Raitt and Susan Tedeschi. Her single “Save Me” featured Kenny Wayne Shepherd on guitar.
To hear Danielle Nicole and her band on Wednesday, September 6, 2023 in a space with the sound quality of The State Room is too good to pass up.
Samantha Fish
Ally Venable
With the style of Marilyn Monroe and the guitar prowess of Stevie Ray Vaughan comes Samantha Fish, the Kansas City guitar shredder who now calls New Orleans home. Fish is a mesmerizing presence on stage and a powerful force in blues music today. With a string of albums hitting #1 on the Billboard Blues charts, Fish has built an impressive catalog of great rockin’ blues numbers like “Faster” and “Kill or Be Kind.” Nobody can draw you in quite like Fish, especially when she tackles the blues classics like “I Put A Spell On You.” When she pulls out her cigar box guitar things really start smoking. Check out this video of “Bulletproof.”
Her latest album Death Wish Blues, recorded with Austin-based country rocker Jesse Dayton, pushes the limits of blues music. She lures you in with inflections of funk, punk, rockabilly, and country, before driving the blues dagger into your soul with songs like “Death Wish” and “Rippin’ and Runnin’.”
Fish is best experienced live. You won’t be able to look away even as her explosive guitar riffs melt your face. Her upcoming show at The Commonwealth Room on Thursday, September 28, 2023 is sure to sell out. Don’t wait too long to buy tickets.
Who: Ally Venable, Danielle Nicole, Samantha Fish
What: Women Who Rock The Blues
Where: The State Room (Venable, Nicole), The Commonwealth Roon (Fish)
When: August 18, 2023 (Venable), September 6, 2023 (Nicole), September 28, 2023 (Fish)
This year, October is bringing more than candy and insensitive costumes. An annular solar eclipse is set to occur on Saturday, Oct. 14th and will pass through seven states and thirty national parks, including most of southern Utah. City folks are gearing up for the trip and small, southern towns are skeptical about the tourists that might trash their public parks and national monuments. Here’s how to prepare for the solar event, where to see it, and a few stargazing events to attend.
What is an annular solar eclipse?
An annular solar eclipse, like a total solar eclipse, occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the Earth. However, when an annular eclipse occurs the moon is in orbit farther away from the Earth and is unable to block the sun completely leaving a burning outline around the moon’s silhouette which is why this type of eclipse is nicknamed “Ring of Fire.” Not only is this event extremely rare, but it will be the second solar eclipse of the year.
No need to plan your lodgings ahead of time! With thousands of people pouring into small towns that are ill-equipped to handle such a sudden and large influx of tourists, you can be sure that they have reserved a space for you.
However, if you do wish to book your stay in advance, hotels are available in many towns surrounding Capitol Reef. Please visit the Wayne County, Utah Office of Tourism page for more information.
Camping
Camping reservations at Capitol Reef are fully booked. Check out camping alternatives in the area. Neighboring Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and US Forest Service (USFS) lands do permit dispersed camping, please inquire locally for dispersed camping rules and ethics.
Special Events
Snow College in Richfield, UT is hosting an eclipse event. There will be science experiments, telescopes, and more. Visit the Snow College website for more information.
Visitors can also hike any of the frontcountry or backcountry trails for a unique perspective amongst the rock outcrops of Capitol Reef National Park. Any overnight backpacking trips do require a free backcountry permit which can be obtained at the visitor center.
Daily astronomy activities at 11 am; 30 minutes at Ripple Rock Nature Center lawn.
Daily solar scope viewing outside the visitor center, stop by to look safely at the sun. Times to be determined.
October 12, special eclipse evening program at 7:30 pm at the campground amphitheater.
Safety and Impact
Remember, it is NEVER safe to view an eclipse without certified eyewear. But don’t worry about properly disposing of your glasses. The good residents of Torrey and other small towns will be THRILLED to watch as city-dwellers leave their paper glasses all over parks and public spaces.
Utah boasts the highest density of certified dark sky parks in the world! Learn more.
