Wasatch Mountain, Jordanelle rank among Utah’s six busiest state parks

PARK CITY, Utah — Two state parks near Park City ranked among Utah’s six most visited during the latest fiscal year, drawing a combined 1.7 million visits as statewide visitation surpassed 12 million for the third consecutive year.

Wasatch Mountain State Park recorded 910,046 visits during fiscal year 2026, making it the fourth-most visited park in Utah. Jordanelle State Park followed in sixth place with 828,300 visits, according to figures released by the Utah Division of State Parks.

Together, the two Park City-area destinations received 1,738,346 visits between July 2025 and June 2026.

Fiscal year 2026 was the state park system’s third-highest year for visitation, according to an Aug. 19 news release from Utah State Parks. It was also the third consecutive year that Utah’s 46 state parks collectively surpassed 12 million visits.

Wasatch Mountain State Park recorded one of the sharpest increases. The park received 131,204 more visits than in the previous fiscal year, the second-largest numerical increase among Utah state parks.

Only Snow Canyon State Park, near St. George, recorded a larger increase, adding 162,088 visits. Utahraptor State Park gained 114,078 visits, Goblin Valley State Park added 58,145, and Sand Hollow State Park recorded 51,349 additional visits.

Located near Midway, Wasatch Mountain State Park offers year-round recreation. According to the park’s official website, warmer-weather activities include camping, golfing, hiking, mountain biking, horseback riding and off-highway vehicle use. Winter activities include cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and snowmobiling.

The nearly 23,000-acre park has more than 40 miles of nonmotorized hiking, biking and equestrian trails. Its trail systems include routes near the visitor center, as well as in Pine Canyon and Dutch Hollow.

The park also provides access to four 18-hole golf courses. The Gold and Silver courses are part of the Soldier Hollow Golf Course complex, while the Mountain and Lake courses make up Wasatch Mountain Golf Course.

Soldier Hollow, which hosted cross-country skiing, biathlon, and Nordic combined events during the 2002 Winter Olympics, remains open year-round for recreational activities and events, according to Utah State Parks.

Jordanelle State Park, a few miles from Park City in Wasatch County, remained another major regional draw. With 828,300 visits, it ranked behind Sand Hollow, Dead Horse Point, Snow Canyon, Wasatch Mountain, and Antelope Island state parks.

The park has four main access points along Jordanelle Reservoir. Its primary recreation areas include Hailstone, Rock Cliff and Ross Creek, while Crandall Point provides additional trail access.

Utah State Parks lists boating, fishing, camping, hiking, and picnicking among Jordanelle’s principal activities. The reservoir, fed by the Provo River, also provides culinary water to users in Wasatch, Utah, and Salt Lake counties.

Another Wasatch Back destination, Deer Creek State Park, ranked seventh with 635,592 visits. That placed three parks in or near the Heber Valley among Utah’s 10 most visited.

Sand Hollow State Park in Washington County led the statewide rankings with 1,408,754 visits. Dead Horse Point State Park ranked second with 1,130,864, followed by Snow Canyon with 919,545.

Antelope Island State Park ranked fifth with 875,790 visits. Following Jordanelle and Deer Creek were Bear Lake State Park with 631,502 visits, Willard Bay State Park with 560,945, and Goblin Valley State Park with 517,915.

“In the past 10 years, visitation in Utah State Parks has more than doubled from 5 million to 12 million annual visits,” Utah State Parks Director Scott Strong said in the division’s release.

Strong said the division would continue providing recreational opportunities, maintaining facilities and staffing parks with rangers as public interest in outdoor recreation grows.

Utah lawmakers established the State Parks and Recreation Commission in 1957. The system now encompasses reservoirs, desert landscapes, mountain recreation areas, historic sites, and museums throughout the state.