Discover the Beehive State: Top 22 Fun Facts About Utah You'll Surely Love

1. Railroad Boom

Talk about a real "spike" in popularity: The completion of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869 brought thousands of folks to Utah for jobs, cut travel time to six to ten days, and opened the doors for a mining boom funded by investors far and wide.
Source => community.utah.gov

2. Movie-Marketing Hikes

If you can't handle the heat, stay out of Utah's kitchen: Though Utah's canyoneers worry that the movie "127 Hours" might lure unprepared hikers into dangerous situations, the state's Travel Council is cashing in on the film's title by launching a marketing campaign featuring Utah's stunning scenery, hoping to attract tourist dollars and promote responsible wilderness thrills.
Source => kuer.org

Did you know that Arizona's state "flower" is not a flower at all, but rather the white blossom of the giant saguaro cactus? Learn more about this prickly yet beautiful symbol of the desert! 🌵

=> Fun Facts about Arizona

3. Salt-Loving Microbes

When life gives you salt, make… halophiles? That's what the curious critters in Utah's Great Salt Lake have done: These microscopic organisms have adapted to living in the lake's extreme salt concentrations, thriving amidst high UV exposure and desiccation by dwelling within salt crystals. This surprising survival strategy has scientists intrigued, as studying these salt-loving microbes could lead to developments in sunscreen technology and hydrogen fuel cells.
Source => npr.org

4. Utah's First Department Store

In a world where shopping at department stores was just too "mainstream" for the Utah pioneers, a hero emerged to break the retail monotony: Brigham Young, founding father of the ultimate department store experience: ZCMI. Established in Salt Lake City on October 9, 1868, ZCMI was a one-stop shop for everything from the latest clogs to luxurious latex mattresses. It flourished under its original name until December 1999, when it was sold to the May Department Stores Company and eventually transformed into the Macy’s we know today in September 2006. Break out your shopping bags, folks!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Funeral Potatoes

Forget ghostly apparitions, Utah's got spuds for your mourning buds: Funeral potatoes, a tasty casserole, often grace potlucks and parties, not just somber post-funeral gatherings. This cheesy concoction of potatoes, onions, cream soup, sour cream, and crunchy toppings has won over hearts, and not just in the LDS community, becoming a delicious staple across the American Intermountain West and Midwest.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

6. Spiral Jetty Earthwork

In a salty twist of geologic genius, Utah decided to ditch the traditional canvas and let an American sculptor play with mud, crystals, and rocks to create avant-garde art: Spiral Jetty, a 1,500-foot-long counterclockwise coil, crafted from native materials, graces the northeastern shore of the Great Salt Lake near Rozel Point. Ingeniously designed by Robert Smithson in 1970, the ever-changing natural water levels may occasionally hide this masterpiece underwater – making it an immersive, elusive attraction worth preserving responsibly, as per the Dia Art Foundation's guidelines.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Pious and Sober Beer Laws

In the land of Brigham Young, even the beer is pious and sober: Utah's alcohol laws are some of the strictest in the US, limiting beer to a mere 4.0% alcohol by weight (5% ABV) in grocery and convenience stores, and maintaining a 0.05% BAC limit for drivers, although recent legislation has bumped up the ABV in beer to 5.0% (4.0% alcohol by weight) – even so, some restaurants and businesses struggle to adapt, while some chains flat-out refuse to operate in the state.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

8. Gold Medal Snow

If snowflakes had an Olympics, Utah snowflakes would be taking home the gold: Their exceptional 8.5% moisture content, coupled with the topographical magic of the Wasatch range, creates the ideal playground for skiers and snowboarders, gifting Utah the title of "Greatest Snow on Earth."
Source => skiutah.com

9. Mars Desert Research

Ever feel like you're stuck on Mars as you trudge through Utah's red rocks? Turns out, you're not too far off: Utah houses the largest and longest-running Mars surface research facility, known as the Mars Desert Research Station. In its own mini-Martian kingdom on the San Rafael Swell, it boasts a two-story habitat, greenhouse, solar and robotic observatory, engineering pod, and a science building. Talk about a cosmic staycation—here, small teams of budding Martians conduct invaluable scientific research while experiencing life on the red planet, Earth-style!
Source => en.wikipedia.org

10. UFO Hotspot Ranch

If you're looking for abducting deals on "cattle mutilation" services, one need not travel further than Utah's spine-tingling Airbnb for extraterrestrials: Skinwalker Ranch is the most scientifically studied paranormal hotspot on Earth, boasting an extensive history of UFO sightings, mysterious phenomena, and bizarre events that continue to baffle and intrigue researchers worldwide.
Source => newsweek.com

11. Dino-National Park

If Jurassic Park and the great outdoors had a baby, it would be this magical land brimming with the remnants of prehistoric giants and picturesque landscapes to make even a T-Rex swoon: Dinosaur National Monument in Utah is home to not just dinosaur fossils, but also features over 210,000 acres of scenic hiking trails, petroglyph sites, river rafting, and camping opportunities amidst mountains, desert, and deep canyons, making it the perfect destination for science enthusiasts, adventure seekers, and history buffs alike.
Source => nps.gov

12. Jell-O Monarchy

In the land of wobbly desserts and jiggly treats, Utah stands as the Jell-O-obsessed monarch, proudly wiggling its gelatinous scepter: The Beehive State declared Jell-O its official snack, likely stemming from a General Foods marketing ploy in the 1980s, which successfully targeted Utah's high birth rate and young families with the launch of the Jell-O Jigglers – perfect nibbles for the kiddos!
Source => mashed.com

13. Granite Mountain Vault

If Fort Knox and Batman's Batcave had a love child, it would probably look like this Utah marvel: The Granite Mountain Records Vault lies under 700 feet of solid mountain stone, with reinforced doors capable of withstanding a nuclear blast and houses over 2.4 million rolls of microfilm and 3.5 billion images on microfilm, microfiche, and digital media from more than one-hundred countries, adding 40,000 new microfilm rolls annually – all while keeping church scriptures and financial records safe as houses.
Source => identiv.com

14. Unknown Mountain Range

You've heard of the road less traveled, but have you ever taken the mountain range less known? Utah has you covered: The Henry Mountains were the last mountain range to be added to the map of the 48 contiguous U.S. states and were once even called the "Unknown Mountains", named after Joseph Henry, the first secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. As a cherry on top, the Henry Mountains are also home to around 350 purebred, free-roaming American bison, making it one of only three herds in the U.S. to hold that esteemed title.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

15. Lake Effect Snowstorms

Utah or as we like to call it, "Narnia for Meteorologists," is known to occasionally pull party tricks when it comes to weather phenomena: this Beehive State stirs up some of the most epic snowstorms in the world thanks to a geological wizardry known as lake effect snow, which occurs when cold winds meet the warmth of the Great Salt Lake, resulting in a convergence zone that amps up the snowfall like it's an avalanche rave.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

16. Moon-Sandwich Photography

Where the Moon does the sandwich tango: At Utah's Bonneville Salt Flats, you can catch a glimpse of the Moon rising over the Cedar Mountains, wedged between salt flats and the pink-tinged Belt of Venus. This picturesque phenomenon happens as a result of sunlight being reddened by sunset, and the Earth's shadow deep blue color mixing in, all while gusty winds at ground level give the salt flats a splendid texture, turning it into a dreamy photography hotspot.
Source => epod.usra.edu

17. Brine Shrimp Heroes

Here's a salty little tale for you: Utah's Great Salt Lake is a veritable shrimp cocktail hub, hosting the ultimate survivalists and teeny-tiny eco-warriors – the brine shrimp! Serious reveal: These hardy little critters have adapted to live in saline levels from 3% to 33%, thriving for at least 600,000 years, and serve as vital fuel for over 250 migrating bird species, despite their minuscule size of 0.3-0.5 inches.
Source => wildlife.utah.gov

18. Weeping Rock Adventure

Tired of feeling like Indiana Jones without a destination? Embark on a mini-adventure at Zion National Park that even Dr. Jones would be jealous of: Visit the Weeping Rock Trail, a family-friendly half-mile round-trip quest, where you'll traverse through forests of cottonwood, maple, and ash trees, and uncover a secretly weeping wall of sandstone nestled amidst stunning hanging gardens at the end of your journey – just beware of slippery moss-covered walkways, and remember to hop on the shuttle to the 7th stop to get started!
Source => zionnationalpark.net

19. Sacred Rainbow Bridge

Who says you can't find a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow? Well, at least not exactly: Utah's Rainbow Bridge National Monument, one of the largest natural bridges in the world, is a sacred site for nearby American Indian tribes. However, getting there is like finding a needle in a haystack, as visitors must dock their boat and trudge through muck to reach the trail, due to low lake levels.
Source => nps.gov

20. Sundance Film Preservation

Lights, camera, preservation! When Utah isn't busy rolling out the red carpet for the renowned Sundance Film Festival, it's on a mission to protect the cinematic treasures it helped create: The Sundance Institute Collection at UCLA is dedicated to preserving over 2,300 independent films, including rescued gems like The Doom Generation and SLAM, which were lovingly restored and showcased at the 2023 festival's From the Collection section – all in the name of ensuring these indie flicks can be enjoyed by future generations!
Source => sundance.org

21. Salty Kisses and Ecosystems

In the land of salty kisses and buoyant swims, where mermaids trade their fins for Morton's salt containers: the Great Salt Lake in Utah reigns supreme as the largest saltwater body in the Western Hemisphere without an oceanic connection. While under the spell of a megadrought and a ballooning population that takes a sip too many, it still protects and nurtures unique ecosystems such as the darling microbialites that form the lake's ecological backbone.
Source => pbs.org

22. Women's Voting Rights

While the Beehive State buzzes with the power of sisterhood, women's voting history in Utah isn't your typical suffrage story: Becoming the second state to grant women voting rights in 1870 was fueled by a bid for statehood and dispelling misconceptions about oppressing women within the Mormon society, leading to Utah's eventual statehood in 1896 as the third state to maintain women's suffrage after Wyoming and Colorado.
Source => nps.gov