The Wasatch Range is a region of north central Utah consisting of the Wasatch Front and the Wasatch Back. The Wasatch Front is generally defined by the cities along the western side of the Wasatch Mountains, most of which are bordered to the west by either the Great Salt Lake or Utah Lake. At the center of the Wasatch Front is Salt Lake City, the state's largest city and capital. The majority of the state's population live in this region, with a population of more than 2.6 million (2018). The Wasatch Back consists of several valleys on the eastern side of the Wasatch Mountains.
The region stretches from Brigham City to Santaquin and includes the counties of Wasatch, Salt Lake, Utah, Morgan, Cache, Davis, Weber, Rich, and the western half of Summit County. Not everyone agrees on the limits of the Wasatch Front, however; some people argue that Logan and Cache Valley are part of the Wasatch Front or that the region goes as far south as Nephi.
Cities
The cities along the Wasatch Range are grouped into valleys. (Listed in geographical order from north to south.)
Cache Valley
Northern Wasatch Front
- Brigham City 📍 – generally considered the northernmost city of the Wasatch Front; population 20,000
- Ogden 📍 – center of the northern Wasatch Front; old industrial city; population 80,000
- Layton 📍 – rapidly-growing bedroom community south of Ogden, near Hill Air Force Base; population 70,000
- Farmington 📍 – home of Lagoon Amusement Park
- Bountiful 📍 – suburb north of Salt Lake City; population 45,000
Salt Lake Valley
- Salt Lake City 📍 – capital of the state, center of the LDS church and home of Temple Square, site of Salt Lake City International Airport; population about 185,000
- West Valley City 📍 – large mixed-use suburb southwest of Salt Lake City; population 130,000
- Millcreek 📍 – a large suburban city due south of Salt Lake City; population 80,000
- Murray 📍 – mixed-use suburb near the center of the valley; population 45,000
- West Jordan 📍 – rapidly-growing mixed-use suburb west of Sandy; population 105,000
- Sandy 📍 – mostly bedroom community in the southern portion of Salt Lake Valley, with a distinct commercial region; population 90,000
- Draper 📍 – bedroom community at the southern end of Utah Valley, population 40,000
- Cottonwood Heights 📍 - bedroom community between Big Cottonwood and Little Cottonwood Canyons, southeast of Salt Lake City, population 33,000
Utah Valley
- Lehi 📍 – home to Thanksgiving Point; population 50,000
- American Fork 📍 – population 25,000
- Orem 📍 – mixed-use suburb alongside Provo in the southern Wasatch Front and home to Utah Valley University (UVU); population 90,000
- Provo 📍 – central city of the southern Wasatch Front and home to BYU; population 115,000
- Springville 📍 – bedroom community just south of Provo, home to the Springville Museum of Art; population 30,000
- Spanish Fork 📍 – home to the valley's main fairground; population 30,000
- Payson 📍 – home to Peteetneet Academty; population 12,000
- Santaquin 📍 – generally considered the southernmost town along the Wasatch Front; population 8,500
Snyderville Basin
Snyderville Basin in east of Salt Lake City through Parley's Canyon.
- Park City 📍 – Main venue for the 2002 Winter Olympics and home of the Sundance Film Festival; population 8,000
Heber Valley
Heber Valley is south of Snyderville Basin and east of Utah Valley. It can be accessed from Utah Valley via Provo Canyon.
- Heber 📍 – Near three large reservoirs, Jordanelle, Deer Creek, and Strawberry; population 11,000
- Midway 📍 – Soldier Hollow was the site of the 2002 Olympics cross-country skiing; population 4,000
Other destinations
- Alta 📍 – It is incorporated as a town, but it is mostly a ski resort.
- Antelope Island 📍 – An island in the Great Salt Lake.
- Provo Canyon 📍 and Sundance 📍 – Natural attractions and ski resort.
Understand
Get in
The normal entry point to the Wasatch Front by air is Salt Lake City International Airport (IATA: SLC).
I-15 runs the entire length of the Wasatch Front (north-south).
I-80 cuts through Salt Lake Valley and Snyderville Basin (west-east).
Get around
The availability of public transportation varies throughout the region, ranging from good (Salt Lake City) to sparse (southern Utah Valley). Car is the most common method of transport.
Do
- Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort, 9385 S. Snowbird Center Dr., Snowbird (Exit I-15 at 90th (9000) South (exit 295). Drive east until you reach Little Cottonwood Road (UT 210). The street names will change several times as you drive east - 90th South, 94th South, 96th South - but it's the same pavement. From the mouth of Little Cottonwood Canyon drive 6.8 miles (11 km) to the resort.), 40.5806°, -111.6582°, +1-801-933-2222, info@snowbird.com. The resort was founded by Richard (Dick) Bass, the first climber to climb the "seven summits" (the highest mountain on each of the seven continents). Open year round (skiing in winter/spring, hiking/climbing/music festivals in the summer, and Oktoberfest in the fall). 2020-12-17
- Brighton Ski Resort, 8302 South Brighton Loop Road, Brighton (Take the Belt Route (I-215) to the 6200 South exit (6). Take 6200 South/Wasatch Blvd. east to Big Cottonwood Canyon Road and drive up the canyon 15 miles (24 km) to the resort. Utah Transit Authority also operates daily shuttle buses to the resort from downtown Salt Lake City.), 40.6015°, -111.5832°, +1-801-532-4731. 2020-12-17
- Solitude Mountain Resort, 12000 Big Cottonwood Canyon, Solitude (Take the Belt Route (I-215) to the 6200 South exit (6). Take 6200 South/Wasatch Blvd. east to Big Cottonwood Canyon Road and drive up the canyon 13 miles (21 km) to the resort. Utah Transit Authority also operates daily shuttle buses to the resort from downtown Salt Lake City.), 40.6205°, -111.5915°, +1-801-534-1400. 2020-12-17
- Lagoon Amusement Park, 375 North Lagoon Drive, Farmington, Utah 84025 (From the north: from I-15 take exit 325. Turn left (east) on Park Lane and take it to Lagoon Drive. From the south: From I-15 take exit 322 and follow the signs. By train: UTA's FrontRunner stops at Farmington Station and shuttles take passengers to and from the park during season operating hours), 40.9852°, -111.897°, +1-801-451-8000, info@lagoonpark.com. Utah's home-grown amusement park with rides of all types and styles. Closed during the winter. 2020-12-17
The Wasatch Front is a world destination for outdoor sports. Boasting incredible amounts of light powder snow, many ski resorts dot the mountains a short drive from Salt Lake City. A number of these resorts are storied in the annals of skiing history including Alta, which opened in 1938. In the summer the resorts can be explored for their tremendous beauty and for their mining history, which is extensive. Hikers will find a lifetime of trails in the Wasatch including the Pipeline trail in Millcreek Canyon, which is perfect for beginners and leads to impressive views of the Salt Lake Valley.
The area is also home to world-class rock climbing of a number of varieties. From quartzite in Big Cottonwood Canyon, to granite in Little Cottonwood Canyon, and limestone in American Fork Canyon a number of rock types form impressive structures and have led to the development of thousands of routes. Bouldering, sport climbing, and traditional climbing, and alpine climbing are all well represented. In the winter climbers can test themselves on a number of ice climbs, head to the local climbing gyms, or drive a few hours to the storied cracks and towers of the Utah desert.
The Wasatch Front also sports impressive mountain biking terrain, which includes beginner rides on dirt trails all the way up to extreme mountain biking at ski resorts. Salt Lake County is completing a paved trail to follow the Jordan River. This trail, which will be accessible in sections or a full cross-county adventure, will be a joy for all ages and will be open to walkers and bikers with informational signs and resting places along the way.
As one would expect for an area with so many athletes, the Wasatch Front features a number of races, from the Wasatch Powder Keg backcountry ski race to any number of small 5-km runs, there is almost always a race taking place.