Ute Mountain Fire Lookout Tower

The Ute Mountain Fire Lookout Tower, built in 1937, is the last standing fire tower with living quarters in Utah. The views from the tower are amazing! The 360 degree view of  Ashley National Forest and the northeastern slope of the Uinta Mountain range are worth the visit. On a clear day you can even see Wyoming and Colorado.

Directions

From Manila, Utah turn South on UT 44 and drive 13 miles to Sheep Creek Geological Loop. 

Turn Left onto the Loop. Drive 2 miles to FS 221 and travel 1 mile to FS 55. 

Turn left and drive 1.3 miles until you come to the tower. 

Open June - September Fridays and Saturdays 10:30am-4:00pm.
There is an outhouse but no running water.

We suggest you pack a picnic and enjoy a little extra time on the Sheep Creek Geological Loop

Little Haunts at This Is The Place

Little Haunts is right around the corner and we are so excited! 

Who: Children of all ages

What: Halloween fun!

When: October 14, 19-22, and the 28

Where: This Is The Place

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Little Haunts at This Is The Place is the FUN, and not so scary Halloween Haunts for kids and their families!  

Trick or Treat throughout the Village! Ride the trains and ponies, Creature Encounters, pan for gold and dig for treasure in Prospectors Pit.  Hear Halloween stories from The Story Telling Witch and join us as Alice the Dragon leads you in the costume parade! You can come with or without a costume.  The Candy Cannon will blast out yummy taffy and there will be face painting, games like Tug O'War, Stick Pony Racing, Bean Bag toss and much much more! For more information call: 801-582-1847. 

Receive $2 off each ticket by mentioning I Heart Salt Lake Blog!  

Head over to the I Heart Salt Lake Instagram for a chance to win free admission! 

 

The Paint Mixer and University of Utah's Painting Camp for Kids

Who: Kids ages 6-12
What: Children's painting class to help develop painting skills in a fun, spring themed class. Utilizing acrylics and canvas. 
When: April 10th- 14th
Where: The Paint Mixer in Sugarhouse

Register here.

Baby Animal Season at This Is The Place

One of our favorite times of the year is here, baby animal season at This Is The Place Heritage Park!

There is nothing like spring time with all the new life around. Flowers, the warm weather returning and of course baby farm animals!  We love going to baby animal season at This Is The PLace to  see all the sweet baby animals, the kids love that they get to get up and close with baby goats, chicks, lambs, puppies and more.

Of course we also love the pony rides, train rides, panning for gold and the yummy donuts at donuts from Brigham Donut Shop.

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• $12.95 Adults
• $10.95 Seniors (65 and Over)
• $8.95 Children (3-11)
• FREE Children 2 and under
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• Open 10:00 am - 5:00 pm
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• $2 off each ticket for I Heart Salt Lake readers. Just mention I Heart Salt Lake when purchasing your tickets. 

Fantasy Canyon

In North Eastern Utah, about an hour outside of Vernal you will find some very unusual geological formations that date back to 38-55 million ago. If you are in North Eastern Utah I recommend that you take a few hours and check out Fantasy Canyon.

During the hot summer months it is best to go early in the morning before the sun is at it's hottest. The trails are easy, it is only about a mile around but wear good shoes. Wear sunscreen and bring plenty of water.

You can find more information and directions to Fantasy Canyon here.

Geckos Live at Natural History Museum of Utah

By Kim Cracroft

Tucked away on Wakara Way located in Salt Lake City, is the Natural History Museum of Utah. It's simply put... Amazing!
There is so much to look at and so many things to do... The staff is friendly and very knowledgeable about their surroundings! It is for all ages 1 to 100.

Right now til May they have an exhibit they are featuring called "Geckos Live" and It did not disappoint! You walk into the exhibit and you are whisked away on an totally awesome adventure of finding the camouflaged geckos in their habitats. They are hiding in rocks or tree branches, sliding down the windows and they are very still so looking for them can sometimes be tricky. They have a sign on each exhibit telling you how many geckos to look for... My littles thought that was pretty fun!

They have a wonderful cafe' and a fun gift shop you can peruse after making your way through the museum! After we did the gecko exhibit, we went and looked at the dinosaur exhibit, brushed away dirt to find artifacts, and played in the sand to dig up Dino bones.
Overall it was a really good time! We have been a time or two before, but you can never visit this place too much... They offer memberships, day passes and children parties. Hope you get to visit soon!

We are giving away 4 tickets to the Natural History Museum of Utah on our Instagram. Go there to enter.

Storybrook Play Cafe

A quaint little play place for children opened up not too long ago in Millcreek and we had to check it out.

Storybrook Play Cafe is an indoor play place that both kids and parents love. It's great for parties, small get togethers or just a fun time. There are pint size playhouses, a ball pit, a mini puppet theater, cars, dolls, and toys galore. The play area caters to kids under 6 years old.

Everything is really clean and they ask that everyone wears socks to help keep it that way. 

The cafe serves, beverages, smoothies, healthy snacks and more. It's the perfect place for parents to visit with friends while the kids play, get a little work done or even get down on the floor and play with your little ones.

The themed play events are really fun too. They have had Scales and Tails visit, princesses, Santa Claus, the Easter Bunny and many other fun themed play dates. Follow Storybrook Play Cafe on Instagram for more information.

Storybrook Play Cafe

(801) 669-0628

1538 East 3300 South

Monday through Friday 9:00 am-6:00 pm

Saturday 9:00 am- 1:00 pm

Salt Lake City, Utah 84106

Baby Animal Days! Win Tickets!

Baby animal days might be one of our very favorite things at This Is The Place Heritage Park. Who doesn't love seeing baby farm animals? The season kicks off March 24th-26th and we can't wait!

This Is The Place will be celebrating their baby animals for an entire month and we are giving away free tickets on our Instagram. Bring the whole family to experience the fun for yourselves. Hold a baby chick, pet a baby goat, let your kids take a pony ride, see the Skymasters Bird show and much more. For more information check out their website.

Baby Animal Days Kick Off
March 24th-26th
10:00 am- 5:00pm

Receive $2.00 off your tickets by mentioning I Heart Salt Lake. 

Enter to win a family day pass for 6 plus a dozen Brigham's donuts over on our Instagram! 

This Is The Place Halloween Discount and Giveaway

Are you looking for some fun Halloween inspired things to do with your kids this season? Than look no further than This Is The Place Heritage Park. They have some fun family friendly activities both you and your children will enjoy!

We have teamed up with them to give I Heart Salt Lake readers $2 off at This Is The Place plus a chance to win a family pass. More on that below. But first let us tell you about a few of the fun things to do at This Is The Place Heritage Park.

Get dressed up and head to the park to check out Little Haunts!

Little Haunts October 15-17, 24 and 31

A "Not so Scary Trick or Treat" for the Little Spooks!

Pony and Train Rides, Panning for Gold and Treasure House

The Story Witch!

Take Home Crafts

The Heritage Park Gift Shop 

Trick or Treating 

You can also check out the Haunted Village and the Witches Ball. Must purchase separate tickets for these events. Little Haunts is included in park entrance fee.

To receive $2 off your entrance fee to This Is The Place Park use code: I Heart Salt Lake. The code is valid through October 2015. 

To enter to win a family pass for 6 and a dozen donuts head over to the I Heart Salt Lake Instagram!

Camera Shy Photography

Last week I took my kids to have their pictures taken at Camera Shy Photography at Gardner Village. It was such a good experience!

Camera Shy has three locations, you can find them at Gardner Village, Jordan Landing and in Lehi. They specialize in fun, high quality photographs that are convenient and affordable.

For only $89 you get a 40 minute session, a CD with your edited images, same day printing, and more. Sounds great right?

The 40 minute sessions fly by, even for kids. The Camera Shy staff is fun and energetic plus they know all the right tricks to getting little ones to smile. My twin two year olds were laughing, giggling and having the best time along with my six year old. I didn't have to lift a figure during the photo shoot.

 
Each Camera Shy studio has numerous backgrounds, walls, furniture and props to use in each session. The photographers are great about working with you to get what you want out of your session and also offer suggestions to get the most out of your photo shoot.

Give Camera Shy a try next time you need pictures, we loved them!

Jump To Fun Utah Bounce Houses

Do you have an upcoming party your planning? If so then I suggest you head over to Jump To Fun Utah and check out their bounce houses and inflatables. They are a big hit with kids!

We recently had some friends over to check out two of the fun inflatables from Jump To Fun Utah. And of course we had a great time! The climbing wall was a fun addition too.

Prices are very competitive at Jump To Fun and they even offer monthly specials. They also rent chairs, tables, popcorn and snow-kone machines, games and more. 

You may remember us telling you how much we loved Jump To Fun Utah before.  We love that they come set up and clean up after the party. The work is all done for you!

Jump To Fun

801-644-2022

Office hours Monday through Saturday 9:00 am-6:00 pm

Delivery hours Sunday though Saturday 9:00 am- 8:00 pm

Utah Summer Adventure Ideas

Hello!  We are Harmony, Stephanie and Melinda from The Salt Project.  Between the three of us, we have 11 kids, yes, it's crazy. We feature things to do in Utah with kids. (Most things we write about are still cool to do without kids too.) We host weekly giveaways on Wednesday, so be sure to follow us on Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest and occasionally twitter! You don't want to miss out on our Weekly Newsletter either, sometimes, we host special giveaways to just our subscribers!
Summer is here! Holla! We've rounded up some of our favorite places and would love to see your summer adventures. Tag #thesaltproject so we can follow along.

Antelope Island | Layton, Utah

Antelope Island is so much more than just a place you visit when you are in elementary school. Hiking, biking, swimming, exploring the ranch, birdwatching and watching for wildlife are just a few things that our kids love to do.

Ogden River Walk | Ogden, Utah

One of our favorite, shady places is the Ogden River Walk that runs along the Weber river.  You can bike, roller blade or walk down the paths. If you start out by Weber Canyon you can try some of the delicious Mormon Muffins, or check out Slackwater Pizza on the other end. Lorin Swimming pool (where the famous Sandlot movie was filmed) and skate park are located in the middle of the paths. You can fish or just wade through the river. Plus, Fort Buenaventura is one of the stops and they host a yearly Mountain Man Rendezvous!

Gilgal Sculpture Garden | Salt Lake City, Utah

Tucked in the heart of Salt Lake is a slightly odd sculpture garden. If you have a few minutes be sure to stop by or even take a picnic.

Home Depot Workshops for Kids | Your Local Home Depot

Free craft, free apron, free pin, free fun!  The kids love these! Held once a month, you'll want to check out the craft and sign up your kids!

Crystal Hot Springs | Honeyville, Utah

Hot or cold weather, rain or shine, the Crystal Hot Springs is a favorite place. Bring your swimsuit and be prepared to go down the water slides. They also have camping spots too.

Nicholls Castle Park | Kaysville, Utah

This park is just off Highway 89. It's a great park for kids of all ages. We love picnicking and walking along the Bair Nature path just below the park.

Dinosaur Park | Ogden, Utah

Along the Ogden River Walk is the Dinosaur Park! Inside is an awesome museum and outside is an even greater park. Walk among the dinosaur or slide down a prehistoric tree! Dig for dinosaurs and take a picnic.

Museum of Natural Curiosity | Lehi, Utah

This place is crazy cool. Rope Courses, wind tunnels, kidtopia, zip lines, beautiful flowers, mazes, you'll want to spend a whole day here with your kids for sure.

Ogden Nature Center | Ogden, Utah

Hikes, classes, raptor birds, bear den, this place has it all. Be sure to stop and walk through the bird house displays.

The Food Truck League | Salt Lake City, Utah

Food trucks are all a rage and we love em too! The Food Truck has Monday Round-Ups and now Friday Nights in Bountiful. Be sure to follow their social media to see what trucks are coming to the Round-Ups.

Pineview Reservoir | Huntsville, Utah

Utah is so awesome. 20 minutes from Ogden is a beautiful Reservoir with sandy beaches and amazing views in the valley. Be sure to check out this free beach we found!

High Adventure Park | Ogden, Utah

This park is not just for kids. It's totally a park for adults too. It's also along the Weber River.
We're super excited for summer fun and all the Utah has to offer! Get out there Utah!

Western Trail Rides at This Is The Place Heritage Park

We are really excited about the new Western Trail Rides at This Is The Place Heritage Park!

During the trail ride you can enjoy beautiful views from the top of a horse just like the early settlers did. Riders age 5 and up can schedule their ride Monday through Saturday 9:30 am- 6:30 pm. Western trail Rides include admission to This Is The Place Heritage Park.

Trail rides can accommodate up to 8 people and are guided by experienced wranglers. Larger group rides can be arranged. More information on trail rides here.

$55 per person for 60 minute ride 

$40 per person for 30 minute ride 

*Price includes admission into This Is The Place Heritage Park!

Head over to our Instagram to enter to win a Western Trail Ride for 4-6 people!

Blogger Event at the Train Shoppe

Recently we held a local blogger event at The Train Shoppe in Salt Lake City. We have posted about The Train Shoppe before, it is Utah's only destination model railroad store. It is amazing! We really can't say enough good things about The Train Shoppe.

They have a great store full of everything you need for model trains with employees who really know their stuff. Plus they have a special area that was designed to resemble an old time western town. The little town has three party rooms you can rent at a low price, dozens of model trains that are coin operated so you and your little ones can control them. They have touch screen controls so they are super easy to use.

And our favorite part, is the 1/8th scale train ride. The train goes through a little mining town and each rider gets a little gun for the interactive shooting gallery. It is so much fun!

This back room is open during business hours but the train ride runs during specific hours. Check the schedule to see the hours. It is usually running on most weekends, during the summer months and during school holidays. Get updates from The Train Shoppe on Facebook.

The Train Shoppe was so great to host us! We recommend going there for your next birthday party.

We served delicious cookies from The Fix. You can read more about The Fix here. They made train cookies and of course I Heart SL cookies too. Their cookies are really so good! If you haven't tried them yet, go and pick yourself up a traditional sugar cookie and a coco cream cookie. Oh, and don't forget a drink too! Follow The Fix on Instagram and Facebook.

Sara from Confetti Sunshine put together a fun train kabob for the kids.

All the supplies are from Oriental Trading Company.
Train sucker, marshmallow poles, salt water taffy,  and gummy X and O's. You could make these for any party, just switch out the sucker to fit your theme.

Sara also made a train conductor certificate for the kids and they each got a train conductor badge.

A big thank you to those who attended and for our great sponsors.