In these days when gas and the economy may have you looking for fun, interesting, meaningful adventures closer to home, you can easily find them in one of these heritage areas:

Bear River Heritage Area

As its name suggests, the Bear River Heritage Area takes in the watershed area of the Bear River, one of the most important rivers of our region. The heritage area straddles the Utah-Idaho border and represents a partnership with the two states.

It is a an area of strong agricultural tradition and natural beauty, where you can trace the footsteps of early mountain men, Mormon settlers and generations of the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation.

The heritage area consists of seven counties, four in Idaho (Bear Lake, Caribou, Franklin and Oneida) and three in Utah (Box Elder, Cache and Rich). It has been subdivided into four heritage regions:

• Golden Spike: Named for the events surrounding the completion the Intercontinental Railroad in 1869, this is an area that honors both the past and the future. You can see where the rails were joined at Promontory Point, sample some of the local produce that is an integral part of the agricultural economy, visit theBear River Migratory Bird Refuge that protects migrating waterfowl and learn about aerospace technologies at Thiokol.

• Cache Valley: Straddling the Utah-Idaho border, Cache Valley is some 50 miles long and 20 miles wide and is home to blue lakes and reservoirs, green (at least during irrigation season) fields, canyons, mountains and more. You can interact with 100 years of history at places such as the American West Heritage Center; be entertained by music and song at the Utah Festival Opera; marvel at pioneer architecture such as the Logan LDS Temple and Tabernacle; see where a great Western tragedy occurred at the Bear River Massacre monument.

• Bear Lake Country: Best known for the turquoise lake at its center, the two-state area has become a recreation mecca, but its appeal goes far beyond that. You'll also find history lessons, fanciful tales, western adventures — and some of the best raspberries anywhere.

• Pioneer Trails: Several overland trails passed through what is now Caribou and Oneida Counties in Idaho, but the area was also colonized by early Mormon settlers. It is also famous for its springs — Soda, Octagon, Steamboat, Formation. And you can find everything from National Grasslands to WPA projects.

For more information, visit www.bearriverheritage.com

Mormon Pioneer National Heritage Area