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just one alpine lake, we visited at least six named bodies of water
— Crystal, Long, Island, Duck, Pot, and Weir lakes — and sauntered
past a number of anonymous little ponds.
The unquestionable highlight was Island Lake, as, true to its
name, there’s a stone island with pine trees — a place that looks as
though at one time it was almost certainly inhabited by creatures
straight from The Hobbit — just offshore. “We should swim out
and camp there tonight, Dad.”
Ah, the spirit of a 12-year-old, who, for the record, wasn’t all that
dissuaded even when I explained we didn’t have any overnight gear.
Or dry clothes. Or food other than our trail snacks. Or fresh water
other than what we were carrying.
Instead, we found a nice place to sit for a while before moving on.
The out-and-back distance to Island Lake is approximately 6 miles
round-trip. The Duck Lake loop adds a couple of miles. If you’d like
similar scenery without all the walking, drive a little farther east to Mirror
Lake. It’s a pretty spot immediately accessible from the parking lot.
Summertime Fun
As much as I cherish “the serenity of a clear blue mountain lake”
(thank you, John Denver), I also appreciate the revelry of a concert
or festival set amid those same mountains, and Park City definitely
keeps the party going throughout the summer.
The St. Regis Big Stars, Bright Nights series brings popular
acts to town to perform at Deer Valley’s Snow Park Outdoor
Amphitheater — past artists have included Dierks Bentley, Five for
Fighting, and Trampled by Turtles. And with reserved and general-
admission lawn seating available, and bring-your-own picnics
allowed, it’s a great evening of entertainment whether you’re a fan
of the band or just want to enjoy a good plate of charcuterie with live
music playing in the background.
The same venue hosts shows during the Deer Valley Music
Festival, a summer’s worth of performances featuring the Utah
Symphony. Some nights spotlight classic arrangements, such as
when they play the “1812 Overture,” and others offer more modern
fare, with renditions of renowned movie scores or tributes to popular
rock ’n’ roll bands.
For three days, usually at the beginning of August, hundreds of
artists and nearly 60,000 patrons descend on downtown for the
annual Park City Kimball Arts Festival. Technically, it serves as
a fundraiser for the namesake center of art education and exhibi-
tion, but truly, it’s a fun-filled community event complete with food
vendors, live music, a kids’ area, and incredible art for purchase.
Unfortunately, we weren’t able to attend any of these special
events, but we did partake in the Park Silly Sunday Market. And by
partake, I mean we did a little street Zumba, Dade got a lacrosse-
themed “tattoo,” and we cheered for a group of fire dancers. Park
Silly happens every Sunday from June through September (except
during the Kimball Arts Festival), and also features a lot of food, plenty
IntervalWorld.com
SuperStock/Glow Images; Park City Chamber/Bureau; Rebekah Stevens Photography/Park Silly Sunday Market
A Family Affair
Make an exchange or buy a Getaway at
The Getaway price is valid April 1 – August 31, 2015.
The Utah Olympic Park (above), site of various
events during the Salt Lake 2002 Olympic
Winter Games, defies simple classification.
It’s history. It’s a training facility. And it has
one of the coolest thrill rides in the world:
the Comet Bobsled, on which you’ll scream
down one of the tracks used during the
Games at up to 60 miles per hour. Plan for
a full day here. Take the guided tour, and
then enjoy all the other activities, including
adventure courses, zip lines, museums, an
alpine slide, and more. You may even have
a chance to watch Olympic-hopeful freestyle
aerialists practicing new tricks — and
splash-landing in a big swimming pool.
Connect with nature at the
Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest.