A cache is a “collection of items stored in a hidden place”. How fitting, then, that Cache Valley and Logan – while not hidden per se – are Northern Utah’s best-kept secrets. North of Salt Lake City, discover a collection of attractions that quietly impress, especially in winter.
For travellers in the know (that’s you, after reading this), Logan and Cache Valley are where you come to find big snow with small crowds. You’ll find true Americana – the kind you long to discover on any US road trip – and a pace that feels equal parts adventure and breather.
Only a 90-minute drive from Salt Lake City, Logan is a perfect add-on to any road trip or fly/drive itinerary. A two-night stay (at minimum) allows you to capture the true heart of both Logan and the surrounding Cache Valley with its pristine landscapes and wholesome activities.
Hit the slopes
The Utah ‘cache’ skiers and boarders need to know about are Beaver Mountain, Cherry Peak, and Bear River Mountain Range.
The Beav, as locals call Beaver Mountain, is the kind of ski resort that reminds you why you fell in love with speeding down slopes for fun. Forget the anonymity of Utah’s big resorts, Beaver Mountain is the longest-running family-owned ski area in the US, welcoming rosy-cheeked adventurers since 1939.
Its friendly ambience and soul-enhancing terrain – featuring the same Utah powder you’ve heard so much about – make this a great local secret.
Cherry Peak welcomes skiers, boarders, and winter fun-seekers of all ages. It’s one of Utah’s newest resorts, offering night skiing and the chance to tear down 150 metres of slope on the resort’s fabulous tubing hill! Cherry Peak is great for multi-gen travel.
Ten minutes east of Logan, the top of Cache Valley’s Bear River Mountain Range enjoys over 130 metres of snowfall between December and mid-April, giving its craggy peaks and steep slopes the ultimate winter glow up. Backcountry skiers and snowshoers love the Logan Canyon and Tony Grove trails.
Snow country
While skiers and boarders can make you feel like their way is the only way to enjoy fresh snow, the crew at Beaver Creek Lodge says otherwise.
The postcard-perfect drive up the Logan Canyon National Scenic Byway is an activity in itself, with limestone cliffs, frozen river bends, and high-country lookouts en route.
Stay at the lodge for the ultimate thrill: waking up and jumping on a snowmobile to cruise miles of powder along groomed trails, open fields, and spectacular mountainsides. Or, try out a fully enclosed, heated all-terrain vehicle on snowmobile tracks. Seating up to six people, it’s a relaxing way to enjoy the backcountry.
Alternatively, explore this terrain at a slower pace, renting snowshoes, cross-country skis, tubes, and fat-tire bikes from Beaver Creek Lodge.
Wildlife wonders
When the snow deepens in Blacksmith Fork Canyon, hundreds of elk head to Hardware Ranch Wildlife Management Area for the food provided when the snow is too deep. Watch for bald eagles on the drive there!
Witnessing a sea of antlers is an awe-inspiring sight, best experienced on a horse-drawn sleigh or wagon (operating Thursday to Sunday in winter).
Seeing Cache Valley’s wildlife is a reminder that Utah is so much more than red rocks and big-name ski resorts when you know where to look.
Let Logan entertain you
This Northern Utah region surprises with its well-rounded entertainment options. Check out what’s on at the Ellen Eccles Theatre; the 1923 establishment hosts touring Broadway shows, refined ballets, and upbeat concerts. Make it dinner and show, dining with Logan’s cultural pot of eateries, from Indian to Italian, Mexican, Hawaiian, and, of course, good ol’ American fare.
Nearby, the restored Art Deco Utah Theatre hosts screen classics and community events. It’s ideal for a break between diamond runs and tubing thrills.
Logan’s historic downtown area is a charm-fest, with quaint shops and cosy cafés worthy of a wander. In winter, the outdoor ice-skating rink at the Laub Plaza feels like you’ve stepped into a Hallmark movie.
No matter what activity or event you’re looking for, Cache Valley does winter just right.
Yeehar
If you’re in Northern Utah in March, you will not want to miss the annual Cache Valley Cowboy Rendezvous. It’s an unabashedly Old West festival offering free and paid performances across six days.
This is your chance to take an old-time dancing lesson, listen to cowboy poetry, and enjoy western music with fiddles and banjos, guitars and more. Pick up those cowboy boots you’ve always wanted from the local merchants. You can even head to cowboy church on Sunday!
Delectable eats
The beauty of winter activities is that your turns equal earns, meaning you get to feast after all that calorie-burning activity on the slopes! Yay.
Enjoy a hearty breakfast at Herm’s Inn, a historic roadhouse cafe at the mouth of Logan Canyon, or warm up with a Caffe Ibis caffeine fix from the award-winning local roastery.
Elements is a great place for a celebratory meal with contemporary American-fusion dishes that impress. Aggie Ice Cream is practically a Logan rite of passage when it comes to dessert. This century-old creamery is on the Utah State University campus.
Cache is king (the deets)
Plan your stops to Logan and Cache Valley’s hidden cache of attractions at explorelogan.com. You’ll find everything you need, including what to do, accommodation, dining, and a handy events calendar.
This article is brought to you by Visit Utah and Explore Logan.
