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From shifting sand dunes to tree-covered mountains, Utah's 43 state parks highlight diverse regions.

From the turquoise waters at Bear Lake State Park on the Utah/Idaho border to the 1,000-year-old kiva at Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum in the Four Corners area, Utah's state parks offer adventure for all ages.

Only 460 miles separate Bear Lake State Park, Utah's northernmost park, from Coral Pink Sand Dunes near the Utah-Arizona border, yet the scenery is vastly different. The striking deserts in the south and conifer-covered mountains in the north exhibit Utah's diverse natural landscape.

Some state parks are famous for being locations in major films. Snow Canyon State Park made a cameo in Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid; Galaxy Quest was filmed at Goblin Valley State Park; and Dead Horse Point State Park offered breathtaking scenery in Mission Impossible 2 and Thelma and Louise.

Pitch a tent or park an RV in one of 2,000 Utah state park campsites from primitive to full hookups. Or enjoy the comforts of home while staying in a cabin or yurt. Reservations can be made four months in advance online or by telephone.

Utah's state parks staff also administers the off-highway vehicle (OHV) and boating programs. Whether you're looking to ride on the 80,000 miles of OHV trails and routes or spend a weekend riding the waves in your boat, seek out a route on the state parks' website. Trail maps, boating education courses and safety tips are also available at stateparks.utah.gov a

of interest: four state parks

CAMP FLOYD-STAGECOACH INN Experience history by attending special events like history camps, Pony Express exchanges, Civil War encampments and school programs.

FREMONT INDIAN

Discover artifacts, petroglyphs and pictographs left behind by the Fremont Indians. Museum preserves treasures from the site, including pottery, baskets and arrowheads.

UTAH FIELD HOUSE Discover the prehistoric world, dig for fossils and explore the dinosaur garden while revealing the Earth's geologic story with hands-on activities.

FRONTIER HOMESTEAD

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