Winter Sports

From skiing to ice skating to bobsledding, Utah’s “greatest snow on Earth” tends to live up to its name.

People from all over the world have long associated Utah with winter sports, and the state certainly offers many options. Dozens of Bingham students can often be found skiing and snowboarding at resorts, and sledding in parks is another common activity for younger kids. Along with the more common winter sports, there are a number of interesting and fun activities to try when the snow starts to fall.

Because Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Olympic Winter Games, several new sporting facilities were built to withstand decades of use. The Utah Olympic Park, near Park City, Utah, advertises a bobsled track and a ski jump. The Utah Olympic Oval hosts areas for ice skating and even offers lessons on their website.

In addition to this, many new businesses have also appeared in order to satisfy the demand for winter sports experiences. Snowmobile rental companies and tubing parks abound, giving families plenty of opportunities for unconventional winter fun. There are even stores to rent seasonal skiing equipment and snowshoes, so avid hikers can still explore the mountainous vistas.

If you wish to do something closer to home, fat-tire snow biking is a viable option. By upgrading to larger snow tires, the snowy streets and sidewalks are no longer a dangerous obstacle to cyclists.

More winter activities await in rural towns and lakes, where ice fishing can be an exciting family affair. Bear Lake in particular plays host to many great winter fishing spots, where the ice is thick and the fish are hungry.

For those who want to use the ice more adventurously, frozen waterfalls offer an exciting climb. Experienced climbers can grab their climbing gear and head off to one of the many waterfalls in Utah’s plentiful canyons. Provo Canyon is a seasonal favorite, according to visitutah.com.

Whether you prefer the traditional skiing and snowboarding experience or you like to experiment with more unconventional sports, you can find some amazing winter sport venues and opportunities throughout Utah.