Category Archives: Wasatch Plateau

County a Hit With Tourism Experts, ‘FAM’ Tour Big Success

DATE 02/21/2006 7:15 AMFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

County a Hit With Tourism Experts, ‘FAM’ Tour Big Success

County a Hit With Tourism Experts ‘FAM’ Tour Big Success

How do some Utah tourism experts who visited Sanpete County recently describe the region? Let’s count the ways:

“The perfect year-round playground.”

“A very enjoyable mixture of incredible scenic beauty, exciting outdoor activities, interesting pioneer heritage experiences.”

“So many things going for it as a tourism destination, it’s hard to keep track.”

“What a beautiful area! It’s unbelievable to me that Sanpete County isn’t more popular with local (Utah) tourists.”

These are just a sampling of some of the comments made by participants of the June 16 “FAM” tour sponsored by the Utah Office of Tourism. The event was intended to “familiarize” media and tour operators with some of Sanpete County’s “hot spots,” including the restored Moroni Opera House, Maple Canyon, the La-Sal National Forest, Ephraim, Manti and the Manti LDS temple, Mt. Pleasant and Fairview. Along the way, participants also heard about the county’s other cities, towns and attractions.

The purpose of “FAM” tours is to show travel agents, tour operators and media from various markets what the region has to offer in hopes of generating positive publicity about Utah’s world-class destinations, according to Tracie Cayford from the tourism office. If the comments received following the tour are any indication, the Sanpete County event was a smashing success.

“The climbing in Maple canyon is superb, and is a good alternative to sites a little closer to Salt Lake City,” said participant Austin Booth, who also remarked on the area’s beauty and commented that he couldn’t believe more tourist’s don’t flock to the region.

“From a historical perspective, the area is also great. I learned a lot about early Mormon settlement of Utah that I’d certainly never thought about before,” Booth said, adding he’d “highly recommended” it as a destination.”

Fellow tour participant Clayton Scrivner said he was impressed by how accessible the region is. “We were in Moroni 1 hour and 25 minutes after leaving the Salt Lake Valley.” He added the county has numerous “gifts” for visitors, including heritage and recreational sites. “Maple Canyon, the Wasatch Plateau, and all the great towns and their individual destinations… And don’t get me started on that temple, so majestic. I am sold on Sanpete.”

Chad Davis, another tour participant, also remarked on the region’s accessibility and uniqueness. “From Sanpete you can glance over the horizon and see the Wasatch Range in the distance, but it’s a world away from the Wasatch Front. Quaint pioneer villages, small town charm and outdoor recreation make it the perfect year-round playground.”

Next year, the state tourism office will be adding even more FAMS, promoting Utah’s national and state parks, ski resorts, cultural and heritage tourism areas, including other heritage attractions along U.S. Highway 89.

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For more information Contact:

Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

Secret’s Out: Sanpete County’s Outdoor Opportunities Are Second to None

DATE 12/22/2005 1:54 PMFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Secret’s Out: Sanpete County’s Outdoor Opportunities Are Second to None

The secret it out: when the weather outside starts getting frightful, there is one thing that is sure to be delightful: outdoor recreation in Sanpete County.

“More and more people are definitely discovering how wonderful winter time is in Sanpete County,” says Monte Bona, a member of the Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council.

The fantastic snowmobiling routes, friendly people and outdoor sports opportunities are among the reasons that the county has been dubbed the “best outdoor recreation experience” in Utah. And the combination of fresh snow and access to fabulous routes keep people coming back year after year, local sporting enthusiasts say.

For starters, there is Skyline Drive, one of the state’s most beautiful scenic drives. Situated on the top of the Wasatch Plateau it gets an abundance of snow, it is slowly being recognized as one of the state’s best snowmobiling areas. The drive is 87 miles long and located above the 10,000-foot elevations means it offers some spectacular views.

Fairview Canyon, which is maintained during the winter months, is a popular an snowmobiling access point for The Energy Loop: Huntington and Eccles Canyons Scenic Byway. The loop, which splits off to either Scofield or Huntington, is also known as one of the most beautiful scenic drives in the country.

The Division of Parks and Recreation also grooms about 80 miles of access trails to the plateau out of Ephraim and Manti. It makes it convenient for the snowmobilers or cross country skiers is the access to nearby towns — Fairview, Mt. Pleasant, Moroni, Spring City, Ephraim and Manti.

Then there is the redesign of the Arapeen trail system. The routes, found primarily in the Manti LaSal National Forest, have been carefully marked and mapped to ensure that riders find their way around the 370 miles that make up the trail system. The redesign was several years in the making and includes bridges, culverts and water bars. In fact, the forest holds some of the state’s largest elk and deer herds.

One of the newest winter activities is snowboarding. Economic development officials say the snowmobiling and snow boarding are huge benefits for the county, contributing by means of people eating in local restaurants, staying in hotels and bed and breakfasts and visiting stores and shops. County officials are hoping to build on the reputation for excellent winter sports venues by getting visitors to spend more time in the local cities and towns visiting local attractions.

When the snow melts and the cold weather subsides, Sanpete County is still a popular spot for outdoor sports. For starters, the back country roads are open to vehicles, ATVs and bike riders. Rock climbing is also a big draw in the summer months with the county’s rugged cliffs that draw rock climbers from all over the country. In particular, Maple Canyon, located west of Moroni, offers climbers more than 80 established routes.

Fishing, horseback riding and camping are all other popular warm-weather sports.

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For more information Contact:

Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

Fall Brings Rainbow of Color to Sanpete County, U.S. Highway 89

DATE 09/24/2005 9:12 AMFOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

This is part of an occasional series by the Sanpete Country Travel and Utah Heritage Highway 89 Alliance on the people and places along U.S. Highway 89.

Fall Brings Rainbow of Color to Sanpete County, U.S. Highway 89

Fall has arrived and the canyons, parks, forests and landscapes in Sanpete County and along historical U.S. Highway 89 are awash in color. There are vivid shades of orange, red, and gold, making the area a must-see for anyone wanting to tour the state’s seasonal, sensational sites.

In Sanpete County, be sure to drive along Skyline Drive, which is known as a bird watcher’s paradise with eagle and hawks circling overhead, and through the Manti La-Sal National Forest. The forest, in addition to boasting a spectacular display of color, offers mountain climbing and hiking trails. The Wasatch Plateau section of the Manti-La Sal Forest also contains a variety of recreation trails for foot, horse, and/or mountain biking.

As well, the northern, Manti-La Sal division offers scenic drives through the Huntington and Eccles Canyons National Scenic Byways known as the Energy Loop. These byways wind over the Wasatch Plateau, and there are several high elevation lakes and streams that feature excellent fishing and camping, and the Arapeen Trail System is also a popular spot.

In addition to viewing the amazing fall colors, tourists can take in the cities and towns along historical U.S. Highway 89, visiting antique shops, gift stores, bed and breakfast inns, historic sites, local history and culture, and more.

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For more information Contact:

Monte Bona
Sanpete County Travel and Heritage Council
(435) 462-2502

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