The 9 Things Outsiders Always Get Wrong About Utah
By Catherine Armstrong|Published June 28, 2019
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Catherine Armstrong
Author
Writer, editor and researcher with a passion for exploring new places. Catherine loves local bookstores, independent films, and spending time with her family, including Gus the golden retriever, who is a very good boy.
As a general rule, people tend to stereotype a group of people or a place. For instance, you may have heard that Florida is just full of retirees and alligators, and that all Texans listen to country music and wear cowboy hats. These generalizations may have a grain of truth, but overall, they’re wrong. Sure, retirees love Florida, but only around 20 percent of the state’s residents are older than 60. Texas does have its share of country music fans, some of whom wear cowboy hats, but it also hosts the largest music festival of its kind in the world, South By Southwest, which brings in artists from all over the world, playing all genres of music from Afro pop to folk to indie rock.
As Utahns, we’re lucky to live in this beautiful state, but people from other places often have misconceptions about what it’s like here. Here are 9 things that outsiders often get wrong about the Beehive State:
People from elsewhere see photos of Utah's gorgeous national parks and think that the entire state looks just like Bryce Canyon. Imagine their shock when they realize that we're not all living amongst the hoodoos, and we actually have plenty of alpine mountains with beautiful forests and lakes.
While the LDS Church definitely still has a strong presence in the Beehive State, Utah's population is becoming more religiously diverse. Of the residents in Salt Lake County, only 49 percent are Mormon, according to membership numbers released by the church last year. That number includes both active and inactive members who no longer attend church (which make up roughly 40 percent of members). Mormons aren't the majority in five counties in Utah - Salt Lake, Carbon, San Juan, Summit, and Grand.
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3. The Great Salt Lake is the perfect place to swim on a balmy, summer day.
The Great Salt Lake's salinity level does mean that you'll float easily in the water, but most Utahns want no part of it, especially in the summer when the gnats are thick and the water is smelly. Long ago, people visited SaltAir to bob in the lake, but that time has passed.
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4. Utah's national parks are so much fun - just like Disneyland!
Our national parks are amazing, but they're a far cry from Disneyland. Sure, the trails are listed in the guidebooks and park maps just like the rides at Disneyland, but if you're not prepared for some of them you might find out the hard way that hiking is nothing like standing in line with a frozen banana, waiting for a roller coaster. A tourist collapsed and died this spring on the lower section of the Angel's Landing Trail, and unfortunately his tragedy is all too common.
Utah does have some restrictive liquor laws, but most aren't really that difficult to work around. Our craft beer scene has exploded over the last several years, and we have several distilleries creating some excellent spirits. Just make sure you stock up on wine well before Thanksgiving Day, and buy the liquor for your Sunday BBQ on Saturday, because every Utahn knows that the state-run liquor stores are closed on holidays and Sundays.
Sure, if you visit in July, you'll find that much of the Beehive State is a blistering 90-100 degrees. Of course, if you visit in January, you'll find 30-degree temperatures and plenty of snow on the ground. Even places like Zion National Park get a little bit of snow.
Television shows like Big Love and Sister Wives, and national news scandals about Warren Jeffs and others put Utah polygamists in the spotlight, but in reality their numbers are few. And let's be honest...most Utah men couldn't handle more than one wife!
8. Everyone in Utah skis and boards just like in a Warren Miller film.
Utah advertises that it has the Greatest Snow on Earth, and we do...but not everyone loves to strap on skis or a snowboard and race down a snow and ice-covered slope. And honestly, most of us who do look nothing like the pros in Warren Miller's films.
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9. Visiting Utah's national parks is a sure way to find peace, tranquility, and solitude.
This is actually true! Our national parks do all offer solitude and tranquility, but you're going to have to go way past the beaten path to find it. Most visitors to Zion National Park hop on the shuttle, then spend just an hour or so exploring the most popular trails. Utahns know that the best way to enjoy the parks is during the off-season, and we enjoy going farther afield to find our bliss.
What other misconceptions do people have about Utah? Tell us what you think in the comments!
