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Central Utah Overview

Central Links
Fish Lake
Goblin Valley
Green River
Price
Richfield
San Rafael Swell
Tushar Mtns. & __Beaver
Wasatch Plateau
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Lightly populated Central Utah contains rugged red rock deserts and forested highlands. The rugged and starkly beautiful canyon desert area covers most of the eastern portion of this region. The Green River cuts through it from north to south providing some mild whitewater rafting opportunities. The San Rafael Swell features some of the best scenery and is the most easily accessed area.

As you move west, the canyon desert landscape gives way to forested highlands of rolling hills, alpine meadows and small lakes. Of note is the Wasatch Plateau and Tushar Mountains which both offer nice scenic drives and hiking, mountain biking and fishing opportunities.
To learn more about Central Utah, select an area or town from the following summaries.
Main Attractions
The San Rafael Swell is a terrifically wild and lightly visited area of desert canyons in the heart of Utah. Visitors here should expect plenty of solitude in a harsh but starkly beautiful setting. Several rough but passable scenic drives are available as is backcountry hiking for the adventurous. The San Rafael River through the "Little Grand Canyon" makes for a pleasant flat water trip by raft or canoe.

 

Tushar Mountains & Beaver -- The Tushar Mountains are a pretty range with a good network of hiking and biking trails, campgrounds and small lakes. Though the Tushars exceed the height of the Wasatch Mountains in Northern Utah, they remain under appreciated and relatively uncrowded. Adjacent to the range along I-15 is the pleasant little town of Beaver.
The Wasatch Plateau is an expansive area of forested peaks and rolling hills, alpine meadows and mountain lakes. Its highest point is 10,900 feet and a good portion of the plateau sits above 10,000 feet. Skyline Drive runs for 100 miles along the crest of the plateau providing access to numerous campgrounds, hiking areas and great views.
Other Attractions and Towns
Fish Lake is a large natural lake 8,800 feet up in the heavily forested Fishlake Mountains. The lake has good fishing for large lake trout. In the surrounding area are some good hiking and biking trails. Winter brings heavy snow and opportunities for snowmobiling, cross-country skiing and ice fishing.
Goblin Valley State Park -- Smooth, bulbous, oddly-shaped, free-form rock formations are the lure of small Goblin Valley State Park. Small holes in some of the formations make them look like petrified goblins, hence the park's name.
Green River (town of) -- The attraction of this mid-sized town is the Green River which snakes through extremely remote canyons in central Utah north of the town and through red rock canyons south of town before merging with the Colorado River in Canyonlands National Park. From town one can find some good white water rafting as well as peaceful and beautiful float trips.
Price is a mid-sized town on the edge of terrifically remote expanses of desert of the Colorado Plateau. Nearby is Nine Mile Canyon with some of the best ancient rock art in the state. South of Price lies the northern portion of the San Rafael Swell while to the west is the Wasatch Plateau.
Richfield is a mid-sized town along I-70 that serves as a good travelers' stop. It has plenty of convenient places to stay and a selection of places to eat. It is within easy driving distance of Fish Lake, the Tushar Mountains and the southern reach of the Wasatch Plateau.

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