Utah's top 10: For little or no cost, Utahns can enjoy wealth of recreation

One ride to consider is the Rail Trail route from Park City to Echo Junction — 30 miles. This was once a railroad grade that has been patched and smoothed out for bike riders and walkers. The trail is managed by the Utah Division of Parks and Recreation, which has a detailed map showing parking, access points and distances.

The trail can be taken in its entirety or in sections. The nice part is going from Park City north, where it's either flat or downhill. There is no charge to ride the trail.

Another popular route is the causeway leading to and from, and then the roads around, Antelope Island. There is a small entrance fee payable at the start of the causeway.

For a fee, a biker can take an easy ride downhill at one of the Utah ski areas — Deer Valley, Park City Mountain Resort, The Canyons, Snowbird, Solitude, Brian Head, Snowbasin, Sundance and Wolf Mountain. For the price of a lift pass — single ride or daily ticket — a biker can ride to the top of the resort on a lift and follow marked trails downhill.

For those who don't own a bike, there are reasonable rentals available for the day or by the hour.

Hiking

The opportunities here are, truly, endless — a walk around the block, a climb to the top of one of Utah's highest mountains, like Timpanogos or Mount Olympus, or a comfortable hike on a mountain trail in one of the nearby canyons.

The mountains offer a web of trails and mountain roads, which, combined with a relaxing rest in a cooler climate or a tasty picnic, can make for an enjoyable and inexpensive day.

Here, again, ski areas can come into play. There are good hiking trails leading from the base and, for those who purchase lift service, from the top down.

Consider a walk along the Jordan River Parkway or the Ogden River Parkway. As the names identify, both follow along the banks of a river, which is both refreshing and a source of riparian habitat and wildlife.

Park City has, in recent years, become a trailhead for more than 300 miles of trails.

There's a fun little hike to the scenic Bell Canyon reservoir. The trailhead is located at 10245 South on Wasatch Boulevard. The reservoir is about a half mile from the parking areas along a relatively easy trail. About a mile and a half past the reservoir is a waterfall. This section is more challenging.

One of the more accessible hikes is to Donut Falls near the top of Big Cottonwood Canyon. The Mill D trailhead road is about nine miles from the mouth of the canyon. The well-marked trail is near the Jordan Pines picnic area. The hike to the falls is about half a mile.

A short distance from Brighton Ski Resort are three beautiful mountain lakes along a well-marked trail.