Best Winter Spots to Visit In Utah: From A Local

enjoy winter to the fullest by discovering these locations around northern utah

We wish you all a happy new year and we wanted to kick it off with a surprise – a curated list of our favorite winter spots across Utah. Join us today to explore some incredible locations for fat biking, skiing, ice fishing, and a local's secret spot for some epic sledding! Keep reading to uncover the best Utah destinations and start planning your winter adventures.

Fat Biking in Utah's Winter Wonderland

Fat biking has gained popularity in recent years, offering another reason to take your bike out during winter. Our top spot is a pocket of groomed trails near Heber City, forming part of the Coyote Loop trail. Nestled close to Jordanelle Reservoir, it offers breathtaking views of the lake and Deer Valley Ski Resort.

To get there, take Highway 40 and turn onto State Route 32 before reaching Heber City. Once you've ascended the hill, park at the lot on the south side. It's a hidden gem perfect for a thrilling biking experience.

Tap this link to see it on google maps: https://maps.app.goo.gl/zMoyytJDVvxgP5899

Follow along with this Facebook group for updates on trail grooming, conditions, and more: https://www.facebook.com/wasatchtrailsfoundation/

Backcountry Skiing at Alta Ski Resort

Unbeknownst to some, Alta Ski Resort in Little Cottonwood canyon has backcountry ski access. They offer some uphill travel opportunities as well as backcountry access gates. Click here to read more about what Alta has to offer, their restrictions, and guidelines. We love heading to Alta for some fresh back country snow, not only do they get dumped on during storms, it’s quick and easy to get some good turns in.

Please remember that although you’re in a resort, still bring all necessary gear for back country skiing including avalanche safety kits. Ski Utah says it best, “Every skier and snowboarder who ventures into the backcountry should have the requisite education and skills to safely travel in avalanche terrain and perform an avalanche rescue. At a minimum, this entails reading and understanding an avalanche forecast, choosing appropriately safe backcountry terrain and effectively using avalanche rescue gear (beacon, shovel, probe).” They also give some great resources to learn more about avalanche safety, rescue clinics, and more, we encourage you to check it out if you’re interested.

avalanche safety + more

Ice Fishing at Strawberry Reservoir

Strawberry Reservoir near Wasatch County is by far our favorite place to go for ice fishing. Especially when the ice is new, you can usually catch 18-20 inchers. This lake is high up in the mountains, meaning it almost always freezes over. It’s remote and offers beautiful scenery while you’re up there. The road getting there is plowed, but should always be driven with caution. Now for the fish, you can find rainbow trout, sockeye salmon, utah chub, and more.

Visit https://strawberrybay.com/fishing/ to read more about it, book a fishing tour, and find rentals. There are a list of activities to do around the reservoir. Check out their snow mobile rentals, fat biking, and snowshoeing.

Local's Favorite Sledding at Iron Mountain

Last but not least is a local’s favorite: Iron Mountain. Located in a Park City neighborhood, you hike up the trailhead to a magnificent view of Park City, from there you grab your “Swiss bob”, a single person sled, and sled all the way down. It’s a wild fun ride!

The hike up is about 2.5 miles and the trail is clearly marked. We personally love to bring our dogs along as well! This trail is little-known among tourists so you’ll only see the locals there. It’s a blast, and anyone can do it! Just copy and paste these coordinates into google maps: 40.6692, -111.5292, you can park in the neighborhood, and head up the trail.

For the sleds, there is a park city local who designed a sled specifically to use on Iron Mountain. Cool, huh? Check out the Facebook shop page here: facebook.com/canyoncomet

Thanks for joining us today. We hope you love these spots as much as we do.

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