Wasatch Range

The Wasatch Range is a region of north central Utah consisting of the Wasatch Front and the Wasatch Back. The Wasatch Front is generally defined by the cities along the western side of the Wasatch Mountains, most of which are bordered to the west by either the Great Salt Lake or Utah Lake. At the center of the Wasatch Front is Salt Lake City, the state's largest city and capital. The majority of the state's population live in this region, with a population of more than 2.6 million (2018). The Wasatch Back consists of several valleys on the eastern side of the Wasatch Mountains.

The region stretches from Brigham City to Santaquin and includes the counties of Wasatch, Salt Lake, Utah, Morgan, Cache, Davis, Weber, Rich, and the western half of Summit County. Not everyone agrees on the limits of the Wasatch Front, however; some people argue that Logan and Cache Valley are part of the Wasatch Front or that the region goes as far south as Nephi.

Cities

40°52′12″N 111°45′0″W

Map of Wasatch Range

The cities along the Wasatch Range are grouped into valleys. (Listed in geographical order from north to south.)

Cache Valley

41.738-111.8311 Logan – home to Utah State University (USU); population 53,000.

Northern Wasatch Front

41.51-112.0152 Brigham City – generally considered the northernmost city of the Wasatch Front; population 20,000
41.228-111.9613 Ogden – center of the northern Wasatch Front; old industrial city; population 87,000
41.072-111.9644 Layton – rapidly-growing bedroom community south of Ogden, near Hill Air Force Base; population 82,000
40.981-111.8925 Farmington – home of Lagoon Amusement Park
40.884-111.8766 Bountiful – suburb north of Salt Lake City; population 46,000

Salt Lake Valley

40.76-111.8887 Salt Lake City – capital of the state, center of the LDS church and home of Temple Square, site of Salt Lake City International Airport; population about 200,000
40.692-112.0018 West Valley City – large mixed-use suburb southwest of Salt Lake City; population 140,000
40.515-111.8739 Millcreek – a large suburban city due south of Salt Lake City; population 63,000 within city limits
40.656-111.88810 Murray – mixed-use suburb near the center of the valley; population 51,000
40.61-111.97711 West Jordan – rapidly-growing mixed-use suburb west of Sandy; population 117,000
40.573-111.8612 Sandy – mostly bedroom community in the southern portion of Salt Lake Valley, with a distinct commercial region; population 97,000
40.515-111.87313 Draper – bedroom community at the southern end of Utah Valley, population 51,000
40.617-111.8214 Cottonwood Heights - bedroom community between Big Cottonwood and Little Cottonwood Canyons, southeast of Salt Lake City, population 34,000

Utah Valley

40.392-111.85115 Lehi – home to Thanksgiving Point; population 76,000
40.384-111.79216 American Fork – population 33,000
40.297-111.69517 Orem – mixed-use suburb alongside Provo in the southern Wasatch Front and home to Utah Valley University (UVU); population 98,000
40.244-111.66118 Provo – central city of the southern Wasatch Front and home to BYU; population 115,000
40.165-111.61119 Springville – bedroom community just south of Provo, home to the Springville Museum of Art; population 35,000
40.104-111.6420 Spanish Fork – home to the valley's main fairground; population 43,000
40.041-111.73221 Payson – home to Peteetneet Academty; population 21,000
39.975-111.78422 Santaquin – generally considered the southernmost town along the Wasatch Front; population 14,000

Snyderville Basin

Snyderville Basin in east of Salt Lake City through Parley's Canyon.

40.659-111.523 Park City – Main venue for the 2002 Winter Olympics and home of the Sundance Film Festival; population 8,400

Heber Valley

Heber Valley is south of Snyderville Basin and east of Utah Valley. It can be accessed from Utah Valley via Provo Canyon.

40.508-111.41424 Heber – Near three large reservoirs, Jordanelle, Deer Creek, and Strawberry; population 17,000
40.514-111.47725 Midway – Soldier Hollow was the site of the 2002 Olympics cross-country skiing; population 6,000

Other destinations

40.581-111.6371 Alta – It is incorporated as a town, but it is mostly a ski resort.
40.959-112.2142 Antelope Island – An island in the Great Salt Lake.
40.384-111.553 Provo Canyon and 40.391-111.5784 Sundance – Natural attractions and ski resort.

Understand

Get in

The normal entry point to the Wasatch Front by air is Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC^IATA).

I-15 runs the entire length of the Wasatch Front (north-south).

I-80 cuts through Salt Lake Valley and Snyderville Basin (west-east).

Get around

The availability of public transportation varies throughout the region, ranging from good (Salt Lake City) to sparse (southern Utah Valley). Car is the most common method of transport. Within the Salt Lake Valley, the Trax light-rail system goes to most destinations.

Do

40.5806-111.65821 Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, 9385 S. Snowbird Center Dr., Snowbird (Exit I-15 at 90th (9000) South (exit 295). Drive east until you reach Little Cottonwood Road (UT 210). The street names will change several times as you drive east - 90th South, 94th South, 96th South - but it's the same pavement. From the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon drive 6.8 miles (11 km) to the resort.), ☏ +1-801-933-2222, toll-free: +1-800-232-9542, info@snowbird.com. The resort was founded by Richard (Dick) Bass, the first climber to climb the "seven summits" (the highest mountain on each of the seven continents). Open year round (skiing in winter/spring, hiking/climbing/music festivals in the summer, and Oktoberfest in the fall). (updated Dec 2020)
40.6015-111.58322 Brighton Ski Resort, 8302 South Brighton Loop Road, Brighton (Take the Belt Route (I-215) to the 6200 South exit (6). Take 6200 South/Wasatch Blvd. east to Big Cottonwood Canyon Road and drive up the canyon 15 miles (24 km) to the resort. Utah Transit Authority also operates daily shuttle buses to the resort from downtown Salt Lake City.), ☏ +1-801-532-4731. (updated Dec 2020)
40.6205-111.59153 Solitude Mountain Resort, 12000 Big Cottonwood Canyon, Solitude (Take the Belt Route (I-215) to the 6200 South exit (6). Take 6200 South/Wasatch Blvd. east to Big Cottonwood Canyon Road and drive up the canyon 13 miles (21 km) to the resort. Utah Transit Authority also operates daily shuttle buses to the resort from downtown Salt Lake City.), ☏ +1-801-534-1400, toll-free: +1-800-748-4754. (updated Dec 2020)
40.9852-111.8974 Lagoon Amusement Park, 375 North Lagoon Drive, Farmington (From the north: from I-15 take exit 325. Turn left (east) on Park Lane and take it to Lagoon Drive. From the south: From I-15 take exit 322 and follow the signs. By train: UTA's FrontRunner stops at Farmington Station and shuttles take passengers to and from the park during season operating hours), ☏ +1-801-451-8000, info@lagoonpark.com. Utah's home-grown amusement park with rides of all types and styles. Closed during the winter. (updated Dec 2020)

The Wasatch Front is a world destination for outdoor sports. Boasting incredible amounts of light powder snow, many ski resorts dot the mountains a short drive from Salt Lake City. A number of these resorts are storied in the annals of skiing history including Alta, which opened in 1938. In the summer the resorts can be explored for their tremendous beauty and for their mining history, which is extensive. Hikers will find a lifetime of trails in the Wasatch including the Pipeline trail in Millcreek Canyon, which is perfect for beginners and leads to impressive views of the Salt Lake Valley.

The area is also home to world-class rock climbing of a number of varieties. From quartzite in Big Cottonwood Canyon, to granite in Little Cottonwood Canyon, and limestone in American Fork Canyon a number of rock types form impressive structures and have led to the development of thousands of routes. Bouldering, sport climbing, and traditional climbing, and alpine climbing are all well represented. In the winter climbers can test themselves on a number of ice climbs, head to the local climbing gyms, or drive a few hours to the storied cracks and towers of the Utah desert.

The Wasatch Front also sports impressive mountain biking terrain, which includes beginner rides on dirt trails all the way up to extreme mountain biking at ski resorts. Salt Lake County is completing a paved trail to follow the Jordan River. This trail, which will be accessible in sections or a full cross-county adventure, will be a joy for all ages and will be open to walkers and bikers with informational signs and resting places along the way.

As one would expect for an area with so many athletes, the Wasatch Front features a number of races, from the Wasatch Powder Keg backcountry ski race to any number of small 5-km runs, there is almost always a race taking place.

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