Romance in the great outdoors can be the stuff of legend.

Skinny dips in a secluded lake. Holding hands at the top of a sand dune under a full moon. Proposing marriage while taking a horse-drawn sleigh ride.

It can also be the stuff of nightmares.

Getting mosquito bites in places too embarrassing to scratch. Becoming stuck in a blizzard on the way to a romantic winter interlude. Spending the night in a leaky tent miles from a trailhead.

Yet, more than a few couples enjoy the many romantic possibilities Utah's outdoors offers, from yurts to park landmarks to secluded picnic spots and hot springs.

Bruce "Sparky" Jensen, an outfitter in Midway who leads horse-drawn sleigh rides around The Homestead Resort, said he has witnessed or helped organize more than one marriage proposal.

Here are 10 ideas to enjoy such romantic interludes.

1. Rent a small houseboat and find a secluded beach at Lake Powell to park it. Fix a romantic candlelit dinner, then take a dip in the warm water.

2. Wait for a full moon and hike to the top of a dune at Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park and bask in the moonlight.

3. Find the most remote campsite at Kodachrome Basin State Park, pitch a tent and then sit by the campfire, surrounded by the state park1s stunning -- what some may even describe as phallic -- rock formations.

4. Go cross country skiing in Logan Canyon and have a picnic lunch. Then head to Crystal Hot Springs in Honeyville for a sunset soak. Spend the night at the romantic Alaskan Inn up Ogden Canyon.

5. Hike to the Delicate Arch at sunset and find a secluded spot where you and your love can snuggle.

6. Rent one of the new yurts at East Canyon State Park, just for the two of you. Share a dinner next to the warm stove, open the skylight to enjoy the night sky and share a sleeping bag for two.

7. Take several days to enjoy a canoe trip for two down Labyrinth Canyon on the Green River. You'll find secluded sand bars and beaches where you can swim in the warm water and sleep under the stars.

8. Find a lake in the High Uintas Wilderness Area -- there are hundreds to choose from and set up camp. Spend the evening cuddling and enjoying the quiet.

9. Take a sailboat or powerboat out on the Great Salt Lake, park it at sunset and enjoy a quiet dinner.

10. Spend the day cross country skiing at The Homestead, Soldier Hollow or Wasatch Mountain State Park, take a soak in The Homestead Crater, enjoy a quiet dinner at one of the nice Midway restaurants and cap the night with a horse-drawn sleigh ride at The Homestead.

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* TOM WHARTON can be contacted at wharton@sltrib.com. His phone number is 801-257-8909. Send your favorite romantic outdoor ideas to wharton@sltrib.com.