- BRIAN HEAD RESORT
Southern Comfort
A small ski resort with a
big personality, Brian Head
has something for all ages
and abilities. Its ski school
offers a range of classes,
and its slopes include
mellow runs as well as
lights for evening skiing,
snowboarding, and tubing.
The stars shine brightly
above Navajo Lodge,
where rangers from Cedar
Breaks National Monument
wax celestial about the
designated International
Dark Sky. Peer through
telescopes, a cup of hot
cocoa in hand.- CEDAR CITY
Simpler Times
Winter turns Cedar City’s
historic downtown into a
snowglobe-sweet postcard
of times past. The former
mining center’s vintage
buildings house indepen-
dent shops such as the
mid-century emporium
Bulloch Drug, where cloth-
ing and other wares share
a roof with a tastefully
restored (and tasty) soda
fountain. A few blocks east,
find the Rock Church, a
Latter-day Saints landmark
with unusual cobblestone
walls. Sample wines at one
of the area’s top vintners,
IG Winery, then continue
two blocks west to the
Southern Utah Museum
of Art, a trove of regional
creativity housed in a
striking white edifice.- SPRINGDALE
Buzzing
Base Camp
Maybe it’s because the tiny
town of Springdale is the
gateway to Zion National
Park, but the air around its
web of streets practically
vibrates with anticipation.
Adding to its cachet: a
designation as one of the
“prettiest towns” in the
country. Red-rock peaks
and steep canyons ring
Springdale’s valley setting,
tempting visitors to head
straight into Utah’s first
national park. Instead,
follow the sparkle of crystal
to Zion Rock & Gem, and
choose a geode. The staff
will crack it open and tell
you all about it. In winter,
businesses here tend to
close at sunset—but not
Bit & Spur. For decades
travelers have counted
on the saloon for home
cooking, Utah-crafted
spirits, and an enlightened
sensibility: More than 90
percent of the solid waste
here is recycled, and frying
oil is donated to locals to
power their cars.- EAGLE POINT RESORT
Deliberate
Detachment
A favorite among in-the-
know locals, Eagle Point
ski resort doesn’t need
frills to keep snow fans
coming back. Each ski run
becomes a meditation as
you glide down tree-lined
pitches that receive some
400 inches of snow yearly.
Slope averse? Rent snow-
shoes from the resort’s
Skyline Lodge and tramp
around frozen Puffer Lake.
The lodge’s ski-in, ski-out
condos make for cozy kips,
while hot tubs and sunset
views soothe sore muscles.- BRYCE CANYON NATIONAL PARK
Heavenly Hoodoos
Home to Earth’s largest concentration of hoodoos—
stone spires, here in pink and orange hues—Bryce
Canyon National Park is a Utah treasure, and maybe
most so in winter, when the fantastically shaped
columns are dusted with snow. Scope out the park’s
landscapes by cross-country skiing along some 20
miles of groomed trails with Bryce Valley Tours.
For a closer look, head to Bryce’s Inspiration,
Sunset, or Bryce Points, minding icy rims when
posing for photos. On your way out of the park,
refuel at Bryce Canyon Pines Restaurant, a 1930s
diner and former dance hall where lunch isn’t over
until you’ve tucked into a slice of homemade pie.
GUILLERMOTRAPIE
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