outdoor recreation

Growing up in Utah is now a largely urban experience. But the Cowboy Camp organized by the USU Extension wants to get more teens to trade screen time for saddle time.

Trout need cool water to survive. But record heat this summer has driven water temperatures to levels that can kill fish. Wildlife officials are responding by banning fishing during certain hours on rivers and streams across the U.S. West.

Overuse, drought and climate change have pummeled the lake fed by the imperiled Colorado River to near historic lows, made worse by the driest winter on record and extreme heat. Even so, businesses on the lake say there's still plenty of water to recreate.

Traditional methods for tracking recreation numbers include trailhead surveys or vehicle counters. But those techniques don't capture all visitors, especially in less popular areas.

Getting outside during summer break offers big benefits for kids. But as climate change warms Utah, it can be tricky for parents to balance safety and outdoor play.

The only place to find the Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle is in a tiny sliver of the southern Utah desert. So as climate change and recreation threaten its fragile habitat, it has nowhere else to go.

There’s no good time to lower a reservoir, said one researcher, but this is “probably the least bad time.”

As men face growing challenges with loneliness and belonging, some Utahns are finding community through the outdoors — but breaking into the state's recreation culture can be intimidating for beginners.

Lake Powell’s dire water level forecast is prompting an unprecedented move: transporting a massive marina to deeper waters. It’s another example of how the West’s historically dry, warm year is straining the Colorado River.

Local fishermen are “going to want to get out now, especially if they have a boat,” says the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources. The bad snowpack and drought are likely to take their toll.

Search and rescue crew leaders from national parks across the West converged at Zion this week to share tips and tricks for how to keep people safe.

The slump in Utah park tourism comes as American politics and rhetoric keep many international visitors away. Locals around the parks are feeling the impact.