Utah State Parks like Wasatch Mountain and Dead Horse Point are well-known destinations for hiking, cross-country skiing, and viewing the state’s unique natural beauty.
But what you may not realize is that Utah State Parks are rich in historical significance, too. Below you’ll find a few of our favorite educational stops in the Beehive State!
5 Utah State Parks Museums and Heritage Center to Explore
Utah State Parks and associated organizations have done a fantastic job at preserving and presenting the state’s history—from millennia-old archeological discoveries to the industrial age inventions and beyond!
These five state parks in Utah offer something for everyone to learn about and explore.
Frontier Homestead State Park Museum
A genuine blast from the past—this museum located in Cedar City in southwest Utah is certainly a crowd-pleaser! Horse-drawn wagons, 1800’s-era farm equipment, rare pioneer artifacts, the city’s oldest brick home, and more showcase days gone by with thought-provoking tales of what early American life was like out west.
Fremont Indian State Park Museum
This museum and state park offering camping and ATV trail access is located in Sevier, Utah, and marks the largest Fremont Indian community in the state. Other tribes are thought to have passed through the area, too. Challenge your perception of Native American living through hands-on activities, rock art exhibits, and much more!
Camp Floyd State Park Museum
The Civil War was undoubtedly a time of great turbulence in American history. But a lesser-known skirmish took place when President Buchanan sent nearly one-third of the US army to Salt Lake City to tame the rumored-to-be rowdy Mormons in the mid-1800s.
The Stagecoach Inn, Camp Floyd, Fairfield Schoolhouse, and even a stop along the Pony Express offer visitors the opportunity to learn about this great misunderstanding and its outcomes for those early pioneers.
Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum
Located in the Four Corners region and alongside a modern-day reservation, you’ll find the Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum—home to the largest collection of Puebloan pottery and artifacts. Take some time to appreciate the diligent work historians and archeologists have gone through to preserve, protect and present detailed accounts of early native life in this culturally significant region of the United States.
Anasazi State Park Museum
For a deep dive into the past, you must check out the museum at Anasazi State Park! Anasazi is a Navajo word believed to mean “ancient enemies.” And what makes this site (located in Boulder, Utah) so interesting is that it melds both Fremont and Puebloan Native American cultures. The area is thought to have been a significant area for trade among various tribes.
While here, visit a replica of a large ancient dwelling full of artifacts as you imagine what life was like thousands of years ago!
Personal Experiences with a Shared Past
One of the best ways to integrate the past with the present (and even bring it with us into the future) is to write down what we experience. Writing about our lives gives us space to reflect and process our internal worlds.
Journaling about our experiences can be a form of meditation. And recording your experiences in state parks as you visit naturally beautiful and historically significant sites is a fantastic way to learn and develop a greater understanding of our shared past as human beings.
Which is one reason we created Bucket Journals—to help others capture these moments and preserve them for years (and even generations) to come. So before you head out to visit any of these historical sites and museums, be sure to pack yourself a copy of our Utah State Parks Bucket Journal.
And tell us in the comments which of these Utah State Parks museums you're most looking forward to visiting!
