Near Huntington Reservoir, back in 1988, excavators discovered the skeleton of a prehistoric Colombian mammoth. Later they discovered the jaw of a short-faced bear, said to be half the size of today's grizzly bear, along with a few primitive stone tools. The museum in Fairview shows a full-size replica of the Huntington mammoth, along with a number of other historic artifacts.

Sevier County

There are seven national parks within convenient driving distance — Zion, Bryce, Arches, Canyonlands, Great Basin, Capitol Reef and the north rim of the Grand Canyon.

Among the scenic backways is the Gooseberry/Fremont Road, which starts a little northeast of the town of Fremont and connects to I-70. The road is paved, but because of the steep grades and narrow nature of the road, high-clearance vehicles are advised. Along the way, travelers pass through several high-mountain meadows and pass over a number of mountain streams.

One of the main attractions within the county is Fish Lake, the largest body of water in the county. It is among the state's more popular fishing waters.

Another of the well-known sites in the county is the Fremont Indian State Park, one of the largest Fremont Indian communities yet discovered. There were 80 residential structures and a number of storage granaries. Outside the museum there are more than 700 rock-art panels with some 3,600 distinct images. Some of the things the early American Indian people have come to be are known for are their pottery and unique stitching on moccasins and cradle boards.

Also, there are a dozen designated hiking trails in the area, each with its own published guide.

Salt Lake County

Of all the counties in Utah — 29 in all — none has more recreational opportunities than Salt Lake County — many of them spectator sports and many more active sports.

Away from the city center are four of Utah's 13 world-class ski resorts — Alta, Snowbird, Solitude and Brighton. At this time of year it's possible to hike, dine and even ski at Snowbird, which is open Fridays through Sundays until June 8 and very likely beyond.

The Utah Olympic Oval in Kearns gained fame during the 2002 Winter Olympics and after as a training center for world-class athletes. Activities available are public skating, indoor soccer and lacrosse, an indoor running track, aerial bungee system and lessons for everything from figure skating to hockey to curling.

Rich County