If you’re like me and can’t sit still for a weekend, these day trips from Provo, Utah are the perfect mini-getaway for you and your crew on any budget.
Battle Creek Rappel
Battle Creek Falls is a beautiful waterfall located near Lindon, Utah. It’s a 4-mile round trip hike and beautiful when done on its own. At the top of the waterfall, there is a set of chains for an easy rappel down the waterfall. It’s about 20m to the base of the falls and is best done in late summer and early fall. Since it’s a popular spot, be mindful of the hikers below as you people tend to hang out down below.
Paddle Board at Tibble Fork
Located just up American Fork Canyon, Tibble Fork Reservoir is an easily accessible recreation area. The reservoir is often used for fishing, paddleboarding, kayaking, and swimming. It’s a great place to cool off during the summer months and a beautiful destination year-round.
Climbing in Maple Canyon
Maple Canyon is home to some of the best climbing in the world. With a unique look of conglomerated of rocks and small boulders, the walls are wide and chunky. It’s a great change-up from the climbing spots near Utah county.
Located about an hour and a half from Provo, this can easily be done as a day trip but is a great overnight as well. There’s camping near the climbing areas, including BLM land. With walls on the north and the east and a fair number of trees overhead, there’s plenty of shade during the summer months.
Mona Rope Swing
Mona, Utah is a small town located about 30 minutes south of Provo. The rope swing is situated on Burraston Pond and features several platforms around the pond to jump off. The rope swing, situated on the northwest side of the pond, features a 12-foot rope into a deeper area of the pond.
Meadow Hot Spring
Meadow Hot Spring (also known as the Fillmore Hot Spring) is located just outside of Fillmore, Utah. If you’ve made the drive from Salt Lake City to Saint George, you’ve passed right by them. Added bonus: Fillmore has a Costa Vida, so you can get your sweet pork fill en route :).
Meadow hot spring is a natural hot spring that sits between 98-102 degrees. There are 3 springs on the property, the one at the east being the largest and warmest and decreasing in size and warmth as you move west.
Kanarra Falls
Kanarra Falls, located in Kanarraville, UT, is a gorgeous water hike featuring waterfalls and ladders. It has become an iconic photo of red rock hiking in Utah. Tight canyon walls create beautiful flowing waterfalls. This is a great hike in the heat of summer, but does require a permit.
Fifth Water Hot Spring
Fifth Water Hot Spring, also known as Diamond Fork Hot Spring, is located in Spanish Fork Canyon outside of Spanish Fork, UT. This gorgeous hot spring is known for its vibrant green, blue and teal colors due to mineral deposits in the water. These are hot hot springs with the upper pools reaching 120 degrees Fahrenheit. The lower pools are fed by a waterfall from the upper springs and are perfect for fall, winter, and spring hiking.
Tubing the Provo River
The Provo River is a Blue-Ribbon fishery for its phenomenal fishing and easy access to wading. This also means it’s a slow-moving river that is fairly shallow in many spots along the river, perfect for a leisurely afternoon float. Grab some friends, and a life jacket, and set sail on a sunny afternoon tube down the Provo River.
I recommend dropping a car at Vivian Park on the way up the canyon (this will be your endpoint) and proceeding to drive to High Country and Adventure River Rafting (located a few miles east of Vivian Park towards Midway). Just past High Country, there is a parking lot down a dirt road where you can leave your car while you tube down to Vivian Park. Pack plenty of sunscreen and PB+J’s for the ride back!
Now what are you waiting for!? Grab your gang and get going. Follow me on social for more adventure ideas!