Utah’s small towns have tons to offer and you already know about some of the most popular attractions. Everyone knows that Vernal is THE place to go for dinosaurs, for instance, but you might not be aware of one of its other interesting bits of history. Kanab is the gateway to several of our national parks, but it also has some very cool residents of the furry variety. Read on to find out the secrets of Vernal, Kanab, and 10 other small towns in Utah that you should definitely add to your bucket list.

1. Brigham City: A refuge for the birds.
Jasperdo/flickr
Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge, 2155 W Forest St, Brigham City, UT 84302, USA
J. Kelly, USFWS/U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service/flickr
Look past Brigham City’s adorable Main Street and you’ll find something unexpected in one of the best small towns in Utah: a bird refuge. The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge includes 80,000 acres of protected habitat for many species of birds. You’ll find many species here including eagles, hawks, ducks, egrets, swans, and more.
2. Ephraim: A large gathering of Scandinavians.
Ken Lund/flickr
Ephraim, UT 84627, USA
J. Stephen Conn/flickr
Ephraim is not only the home of Snow College but it is also home to the Scandinavian Festival every spring. Many of Utah’s residents are of Scandinavian heritage (Denmark, Sweden, Norway, and Iceland). The Utah festival celebrates this great culture with music, dancing, food, and storytelling.
3. Escalante: An assortment of talented artists.
Escalante Canyons Arts Festival/Facebook
Escalante, UT 84726, USA
Escalante Canyons Arts Festival/Facebook
When you think of Escalante, the scenery certainly comes to mind. Perhaps that beauty is what draws the artists to this tiny town every fall. The Escalante Canyons Art Festival is a "working arts festival," which means that several competitions require that artists complete works during the course of the festival. For instance, the Celebrate Public Lands Paint-Out requires the artist to paint a work of art in just one day.
4. Heber City: Cowboys and poetry.
Heber Valley Western Music & Cowboy Poetry Gathering/Facebook
Heber City, UT, USA
Heber Valley Western Music & Cowboy Poetry Gathering/Facebook
Heber City, one of our favorite small towns in Utah, hosts the Heber Valley Western Music & Cowboy Poetry Gathering every summer. You’ll hear poetry from some talented poets who offer up something a little different than the Robert Frost you had to read in high school. The festival also includes plenty of great music.
5. Kanab: Awesome animals.
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary/Google
Best Friends Animal Sanctuary, 5001 Angel Canyon Rd, Kanab, UT 84741, USA
Best Friends Animal Society/Facebook
Everyone knows that Kanab is "Little Hollywood," but did you also know that it’s home to Best Friends Animal Sanctuary? The is one of the largest no-kill animal sanctuaries in the entire country and it is home to around 1,600 animals including cats, dogs, horses, rabbits, and more. Many of the animals are available for adoption and others will make the sanctuary their home for life.
6. Logan: One-of-a-kind ice cream.
beth woodrum/flickr
Aggie Ice Cream @ The Creamery, 750 N 1200 E, Logan, UT 84321, USA
Aggie Ice Cream/Facebook
Logan is home to Utah State University, which has an excellent agricultural and food sciences program. The creamery, located at 750 N. 1200 E. in Logan, serves up some delicious ice cream. The most popular flavor? Aggie Blue Mint — a minty ice cream with pieces of Oreo cookie and white chocolate.

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7. Midway: A geothermal pool.
The Crater(The Homestead Crater)/Facebook
Homestead Crater Mineral Dome, Midway, UT 84049, USA
The Crater (The Homestead Crater)/Facebook
The Homestead Crater in Midway offers the only warm scuba diving in the continental U.S. From the outside, the 55-foot-tall limestone rock doesn’t look that impressive, but inside is a geothermal spring. You can swim, soak, scuba dive, or just relax on the deck next to the crater. The temperature inside is between 90 and 96 degrees Fahrenheit.
8. Panguitch: Hot air balloons and a really cool lake.
Quinn Dombrowski/flickr
Panguitch, UT 84759, USA
Ken Lund/Flickr
You know all about Panguitch because of its proximity to Bryce Canyon National Park, but this small town in Utah has even more to offer. The Panguitch Valley Balloon Rally takes place each summer. It includes morning ascensions, tailgate parties, food, live entertainment, a 5k, and other fun events. Just make sure you give yourself plenty of time to visit Panguitch Lake. This is a beautiful spot for fishing, photography, and boating.
9. Price: A picturesque canyon filled with Native American art.
Bureau of Land Management/flickr
Nine Mile Canyon Road, Nine Mile Cyn Rd, Utah, USA
Ken Lund/flickr
You know that Price is one of the more unique small towns in Utah with a rich mining history, right? It’s also the gateway to one of Utah’s most beautiful scenic drives. Nine Mile Canyon is NOT nine miles long — it’s 50. Which is lucky for you, because it offers that much more to see. The canyon has some of the best Native American rock art in the state.
10. Spanish Fork: A Hindu temple.
Chris Chabot/flickr
Shri Shri Radha Krishna Temple, 311 W 8500 S, Spanish Fork, UT 84660, USA
Stephen Gerner/flickr
Deep in the heart of Utah County, where more than 80 percent of the population is Mormon, a Hindu temple hosts the world’s largest Holi Festival of Colors. Tens of thousands of people attend the festival each year. And, even if you decide not to attend the festival, make sure to still stop at the Spanish Fork Krishna Temple. This is one of our favorite day trips in Utah.
11. Vernal: The homestead of one of Utah’s most independent women.
Scarlet Sappho/flickr
Vernal, UT 84078, USA
Tricia Simpson/CC BY-SA 3.0/Wikipedia
You know that Vernal has dinosaurs, but did you know that it was home to one of Utah’s most spirited, independent women? Josie Barrett Morris homesteaded on Cub Creek from 1913 until her death (at age 90!) in 1963. Josie was an interesting character. She married five times and divorced four of her husbands. She was arrested, but later acquitted, for rustling cattle and was a friend of Butch Cassidy.
12. Veyo: Best pies in the state.
Veyo Pies/Facebook
Veyo Pies, 24 S Main St, Veyo, UT 84782, USA
Veyo Pies/Facebook
The tiny town of Veyo has less than 500 residents, but Veyo Pies sells an average of 100 pies a day during their busy season. The week of Thanksgiving, Veyo sells 400 pies EVERY DAY. Why? Because they’re the best pies in the state! To get one during that week, you’ll need to reserve it by the middle of November.

What are some other lesser-known attractions in the Beehive State? Are there any hidden gems in Utah that we missed? What are your favorite small towns in Utah? Let us know in the comments! 

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Small towns in Utah

Courtnie Erickson | May 22, 2023

What are some of the best small towns in Utah to visit?

Choosing the best small towns in Utah is no easy task. There are so many incredible places to visit that it is difficult to narrow down your options. But, if we had to choose some of our favorites and the best small towns in Utah to visit, the following locations would be on that list:

 

If you are searching for even more small towns in Utah to check out, take a look at our list featuring several small towns in Utah that are perfect for a weekend escape.

What are some of the best cities to live in Utah?

While small towns in Utah are certainly worthy of exploring, so are the cities. We have some incredible cities that have all types of attractions, friendly residents, and beautiful scenery. Some of the best small cities to live in Utah include:

 

What are some hidden gems in Utah?

In the article above, we list several of the best hidden gems in Utah. But keep in mind that this is just the beginning. There are so many incredible spots all around the state that are just waiting to be discovered. Some additional hidden gems in Utah that certainly deserve your attention include:

 

If you would like to check out even more hidden gems in the Beehive State, take a road trip. We’ve put together this road trip itinerary that takes you to several hidden gems in southern Utah. Plan for several days of exploring the Beehive State. This is one road trip you won’t forget!

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