This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2015, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
As the Thanksgiving and Christmas holiday seasons approach, many families begin looking for places to enjoy outdoor activities.
After all, the holidays are supposed to be about family. Sliding down a tubing hill, ice skating under the stars with a Thermos of hot chocolate nearby or even exploring a national or state park to get a winter perspective can be a well-deserved break during a busy season.
Here are 10 outdoor activities to consider enjoying during the holidays:
Outdoor ice skating • Though ice skating is primarily an indoor pursuit these days, there are some good places to skate outdoors, as well. Expect the Gallivan Center, Park City ski area and Midway ice rinks to be open, weather permitting, for Thanksgiving weekend. Nice outdoor rinks are also available at South Jordan's city hall, Solitude and Snowbird.
Tubing • While informal tubing hills can be found throughout Utah with Sugar House Park and Mountain Dell Golf Course among the most popular, some ski areas and state parks offer lift-served tubing. This sport is often weather-dependent, but expect to see lift-served hills such as Soldier Hollow, Gorgoza in Parleys Canyon, Snowbasin and Brian Head to be open around Thanksgiving.
Exploring bird refuges • Though many migrating birds leave Utah when the cold hits, some spend the winter. Those species often include bald eagles, who seek out open water at Great Salt Lake east shore bird refuges, where carp can be an important food source.
Consider visiting Farmington Bay's Bob Hasenyager Nature Center, where there is a short trail through the refuge, or walking the boardwalk and seeing the outdoor nature center at the Nature Conservancy's Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve west of Layton.
The driving tour and visitor center at the federal Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge also makes for an inexpensive holiday adventure.
Hogle Zoo/Tracy Aviary • When the weather gets chilly, locals often forget that the Zoo and the Aviary are open year-round. Animals and birds often go through changes in the winter months, and the facilities are usually much less crowded. Both are open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The Zoo also features its ZooLights outdoor program that features animated lights in addition to the live animals throughout December, with gates opening at 5 p.m.
Great Basin National Park/Northern Nevada Railroad Tour • Looking for a weekend adventure about three hours from the Wasatch Front?
Great Basin offers snowshoeing and cross country skiing on roads closed to winter use as well as daily 1 p.m. 90-minute Grand Palace Lehman Cave Tours except on Christmas, New Year's Day and Thanksgiving. On Saturday and Sunday, an additional 9 a.m. tour is added.
The Northern Nevada Railroad is located in Ely, Nev. It will be offering Polar Express train rides Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Thanksgiving through the holidays. Visitors can also spend the night in a bunkhouse or caboose.
Snow Canyon State Park • Families with a hankering for some winter camping, hiking and biking might want to try this state park near St. George. It can get cold here, but it's always warmer than the Wasatch Front. There are some great hikes and a paved bicycle trail. If the weather gets too cold, check into a St. George motel with an indoor pool. Zion National Park isn't far away either.
Vernal Dinosaur Tour • Another weekend excursion could take families to Dinosaur National Monument on the Utah-Colorado border east of Vernal.
Hours are reduced this time of season but crowds are smaller, giving a more personalized experience. The visitor center near the Quarry Exhibit Hall is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. except on Christmas, New Year's and Thanksgiving. Vehicle caravans leave at 9:30, 10:30, 11:30 a.m. and 1, 2, 3 and 4 p.m. to see the famous Quarry Visitor Center. When a ranger is available, sometimes on weekends, private vehicles can drive up any time.
Visitors can spend the night in Vernal and also may want to visit the Utah Field House of Natural History, a state park. That park, which features exhibits on dinosaurs and local geology, is closed on Sundays.
Cache Valley Shopping Tour/Crystal Hot Springs Soak • Families looking to pick up some bargains for Christmas might want to shop factory outlet stores in the Cache Valley area in Logan that include pajama, honey, cheese, sock, meat, ice cream and Pepperidge Farm outlets and then cap the day with a soak at Crystal Hot Springs in Honeyville. This is a great day trip for those who like to buy from the factory.
Hardware Ranch Elk Viewing • Families love riding horse-drawn sleighs that take them up close and personal with elk at Hardware Ranch near Hyrum. Rides begin when there is enough snow, usually in mid-November. Check the Division of Wildlife Resources website at wildlife.utah.gov for hours and opening dates.
Alpine skiing • The weekend before Thanksgiving is the start of the ski season at many Utah resorts, with Alta, Brian Head, Brighton, Snowbird and Solitude all expected to be open this weekend, and other resorts following suit. Visit skiutah.com for details.
Twitter: @tribtomwharton