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An Afternoon In The Park Filed under:
Travel destinations on
3
Jul
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Park City Utah, located in the Wasatch Mountains, approximately 30 miles east of Salt Lake City, has long been known for its winter skiing. If you vacation here during the winter months, you’ll have your choice of runs, though vacation rentals may be at a premium due to the tremendous popularity of this region.
However, travelling to Park City in the summer months has as much to offer, particularly when it comes to off road mountain biking. Folks who enjoy extreme mountain biking at an elevation of over 8000 feet, as well as novices who are merely searching for a casual stroll through some of the most magnificent country in the Intermountain West, will find over 150 miles of mountain biking trails and hiking trails in the Park City area with rental amenities close by. Mountain biking trails are rated in the same way as ski runs, with green circles indicating easier rides and black diamonds and red octogons indicating the most difficult.
Park City is one of Utah’s two premier resort towns. Moab is the other major destination, located to the south, where the Moab Annual Race is a major tourist draw. In addition to world class outdoor sports year round, Park City offers a fascinating history. Founded in the 1870s, after gold and silver was discovered in the area, the community was legendary for its wealth until the bottom fell out of the silver market after the Second World War, transforming Park City into a ghost town. The community got a new lease on life when the first ski resort, Treasure Mountain, opened in 1963. Since then, several more resorts have opened in the area with names that evoke Park City’s fabled past with names such as Silver King.
Summer mountain biking and winter sports are only part of what Park City has to offer. The town is also residence to the Sundance Film Festival in January. The downtown Main Street is lined with historic Victorian architecture and bistros. Utah opened one of the first beer breweries in the first decade of the 20th Century as the creators of Wasatch Ale. A number of celebrations of the arts during the year occur, particularly for music lovers. These include the Park City and Salt Lake Music Festival in July, Artstravaganza during the month of August, and the Autumn Classics Music Festival throughout September and October. Vacation rentals during these months are much easier to find and frequently at reduced rates.
History buffs will enjoy the Park City Historical Society Museum, located in the town’s original city hall, constructed in 1885. There, you can see the original form of mass transit in the Old West, a restored stagecoach, as well as spend some time in the old city jail with ghosts of the past. Those whose interests lie in natural history should visit the Swaner Nature Preserve, a 1200 acre facility where you can learn more about the area’s flora and fauna.
Wesley Mathews is part of the travel team at FindVacationRentals.com and FindBedandBreakfast.com. These directories provide detailed information on Utah vacation rental deals and things to do.
