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15 amazing Utah landmarks you need to see to believe

Utah isn’t just home to unique Mormon culture. Whether created by nature, artists or the supernatural, you’ll find intriguing, unique and downright bizarre things all over this state.

 

1. Spiral Jetty

Those are cars down by the Spiral Jetty.

A photo posted by Bryan Tanner (@bryanthemormon) on Nov 20, 2012 at 11:04am PST

A spiral configuration of rocks out on the north arm of the Great Salt Lake, the Spiral Jetty is one of many “earthworks art pieces” by Robert Smithson. Getting to the Spiral Jetty is an adventure of its own, and the giant art piece in the middle of a watery landscape is quite the sight.

 

2. Gilgal Sculpture Garden

Gilgal garden #josephsmith #josephspinx #gilgalsculpturegarden #westminsterslc #thisissttange #peeks #ldscrazy #sphinx #awesome #keepslcweird #hiddengem #rocks #picoftheday #handcarved #stateparkforthewin

A photo posted by @sasqui87 on Jul 20, 2014 at 9:18pm PDT

This completely quirky art garden includes a sphinx with the head of Mormon Church founder Joseph Smith and other odd rock formations. It’s right in the middle of Salt Lake City, but you might miss it if you don’t know where to look.

 

3. Fantasy Canyon

Fantasy Canyon sunset—October 2014. Where all your fantasies become reality. Oh, and it's hoodoo heaven! #FantasyCanyon #sunset #sunsetsforchris #utah #801 #geology #geologyporn #hoodoos #alpenglow

A photo posted by Cristin Poloni (@cristin_p) on Jan 5, 2015 at 10:10am PST

Otherworldly rock formations are a dime a dozen in Southern Utah, but these formations in Vernal, Utah are especially odd, with their swoops, loops and Mars-like terrain.

 

4. Saltair

An Indian-style building in the middle of nowhere, this concert hall is sure to turn heads to anyone passing it on the road heading Northwest out of Salt Lake City. The Saltair has been rebuilt several times after being destroyed by fire and water, but the unique structure lives on.

 

5. Bonneville Salt Flats

Post sunset, Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah. #utah #unitedstates #usa #saltflat #bonneville #bonnevillesaltflats #desert #horizon #moon #getoutside #landscape #southwest #texture #ut

A photo posted by Michael Royle (@laminarflow) on Jan 17, 2015 at 1:48pm PST

The Salt Flats are one of the only places on Earth where you can get an all-natural scene of salty, pure white ground as far as the eye can see.

 

6. Goblin Valley

Goblin Valley State Park #GoblinValley #GreenRiver #Utah Want to experience how life in a different planet would be like? Then you must visit Goblin Valley! There isn't technically a trail here, you can wonder through these awesome rock formations in any direction you choose. Most people chose to explore the north east section of the park due to its larger rock formations. Surface of park: 4.69 sq miles Estimate time: as long as you like Destination: Goblins Difficulty: Easy Personal rating: 10/10 Features: Hiking Trailhead: Approximately 216 miles southeast of Salt Lake City – 24 miles south of I-70 on Highway 24, turn at Temple Mountain junction, follow signs 12 miles to park. If you have extra time, visit Little Wildhorse Canyon and make sure you tag #hike_utah Happy trails, now take a hike! ✌️

A photo posted by Hike_Utah (@hike_utah) on Mar 18, 2015 at 2:21pm PDT

The eroded sandstone at Goblin Valley creates a maze of crazy rock formations you’ve got to see in real life.

 

7. The Four Corners

#salambasirsasana in four states at Four Corners Monument. #sirsasana #sanskritiscool #fourcorners #4corners #headstand #yogadudes #yogamen #yogaholic #yogaeverydamnday #yogaformen #yoga

A photo posted by Kevin Ashley Lane (@upkev) on May 20, 2014 at 5:52am PDT

It’s not much more than a landmark for taking pictures, but why not defy the odds and step foot in Utah, Arizona, New Mexico and Colorado all at once? The Four Corners Monument only place of its kind in the United States!

 

8. Vernal’s Pink Dinosaur

Welcome to Vernal, Utah's dinosaur land. You can track the creatures at local state parks, national monuments and museums. We also love the concrete species roaming around town. #lifeelevated #RoadtripUSA #utahgram #utahisrad #wowutah

A photo posted by Utah Office of Tourism (@visitutah) on Jan 7, 2015 at 2:41pm PST

Vernal, Utah lands another spot on our list thanks to “Dinah” the giant pink dinosaur. This retro, cartoony dinosaur stands more than 25 feet tall and introduces Vernal as “Utah’s dinosaur land.”

 

9. The “Up” House

Finally went to see the UP house (: #utah #Uphouse #UP

A photo posted by jariah mckay (@ms_mckayy) on Jan 26, 2015 at 11:40pm PST

Disney and Pixar made this quaint, colorful house popular in the 2009 movie “Up,” and one custom construction company liked it so much they decided to create an exact replica in Herriman, Utah.

 

10. Grafton Ghost Town

#ghosttown #Grafton #Utah #ButchCassidy and the #SundanceKid #movie #Western #house #church #southwest

A photo posted by @jstbrwsn on Apr 17, 2015 at 9:29pm PDT

Utah is home to a whole slew of ghost towns, but this one is especially known for being the setting for the film “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.” The town just south of Zion National Park was settled in 1859, then abandoned for fear of Indian attacks in 1866.

 

11. Mountain Meadows Massacre Memorial

Nothing like a visit to the visit to the site of a mass killing of innocent people to add spice to your road trip. This memorial ensures protection of the gravesites of the Baker-Fancher emigrant wagon train, who were all killed in 1857 by the local Nauvoo Legion militia.

 

12. Coral Pink Sand Dunes

Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park #utah #coralpinksanddunes #abstract

A photo posted by Diana Robinson (@dianarobinsonnyc) on Oct 24, 2014 at 9:50pm PDT

Utah may not have the ocean, but it’s got plenty of sand. Found in Kanab, these red sand hills can move as much as 50 feet per year, and are quite the attraction for off-road adventurers.

 

13. Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple

Spending a colorful afternoon w/ 100 kids at the Sri Sri Radha Krishna Temple.

A photo posted by Julie de Azevedo Hanks (@julie_hanks) on Mar 21, 2015 at 2:23pm PDT

Little old Spanish Fork is home to an impressive Hindu temple. Though it was built for the Hindu people of Utah County, the temple brings out thousands of people for the Festival of Colors every spring.

 

14. Kennecott Utah Copper Mine

A photo posted by Bridger Nielson (@bridger_nielson) on Mar 9, 2014 at 1:17pm PDT

Ever wanted to see the largest open pit copper mine in the world? You’ll find it right in Salt Lake City’s backyard, at the Kennecott Utah Copper Mine, where you can watch dump trucks haul dirt and learn about rocks at the visitor’s center.

 

15. Summum Pyramid

Salt Lake City is the location of the pyramid home of the Summum, an obscure religious group that practices modern mummification. It’s located at 707 Genesee Ave, and was built in the late 1970s.