Photo by Jamie Swank
By Chapel Taylor-Olsen
No matter how you like to have fun, there is a way to get outside with your family this year! Being outside together has many benefits for our health and happiness. Also, the CDC considers outdoor activities to be safer than indoor activities (2021). Keep in mind that the types of activities recommended by the CDC as safe for you and your family vary based on your COVID-19 vaccination status. If you would like more information on where and how to get vaccinated for free and for more information on the CDC’s recommendations for families with kids who are not yet vaccinated, please see the resources below.
Here are some ideas that we put together for what you can do outdoors with your family this summer.
Go Fishing
Kids under the age of 12 do not need fishing licenses in Utah. Fishing licenses for people 12 years and up can be purchased online at wildlife.utah.gov and can even be carried digitally on your smart phone. The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources site has lots of information on how to get a fishing license, where to fish and other tips: wildlife.utah.gov/fishing/main-fishing-page.html.
Some community members recommended Gigliotti Pond in Helper, the Price Fairgrounds Fishing Pond, and Wellington’s Knights Ideal Pond as particularly good locations for fishing with kids.
Go Hiking or Off-Roading
Carbon and Emery counties both offer lots of places for hikers, bikers and ATV riders. However, it can be hard to know where they are if you’re not already familiar with the area. We found this great site with links to many trail maps and guides to Castle Country: www.castlecountry.com/Trails. Here are some highlights of the trails in our area:
Wood Hill Mountain Biking Story Interactive Map (pdf) – Over 30 miles of trails around Price City. Great for all ages, for hikers and bikers, and can be as long or as short as you need them to be. Great views!
Carbon Corridor Trail System Map – Illustrates trails throughout our region. Includes paved trails in Price (Price River Trail) and Helper (Helper Parkway Trail) that are great for young children and those looking for a place to hike in town. There are also more challenging off-road trails (including the Great Western Trail west of Scofield Reservoir and Water Canyon running north of Wellington and connecting with other trails that can take you all the way to 9 Mile Road).
Emery County OHV Trails Map – Includes over 1,000 miles of off-highway vehicle (OHV) roads and trails. Includes difficulty level of the trails, vehicle type and mileage. Rent a UTV if you don’t have your own! Check out Big Mountain Lodge Utah for information on renting UTVs, jet skis, kayaks, tubes, and more: www.bigmountainlodgeutah.com/rentals.html. Carbon Recreation also rents some equipment for outdoor adventures (435-636-3702).
Remember to ride responsibly by staying on designated roads and trails, and avoid widening the trails by going over obstacles rather than around; comply with posted signs and barriers; and never drive while under the influence. For more information and tips for safe riding, check out Tread Lightly.
Go Camping
Utah is rich with public lands, but between privately-owned land, state land, federal land, and different types of land within each of those categories, it can be difficult to know where we’re allowed to go. Public Lands Interpretive Association has a great interactive map with detailed information about trails and campgrounds around our state: publiclands.org/pages/recreationmap?=UT.
Go Play or Relax
There a quite a few game areas open to the public. You can play disc golf at the USU Eastern Disc Golf Course on USU Eastern’s campus in Price or at Cheddar Field Frisbee Golf course in Cheddar Park, Castle Dale (200 San Rafel Ave, Castle Dale). Play tennis, horseshoes, basketball or pickleball at Washington Park in Price.
If you need a pool to cool off in, you can swim or take swim lessons at the Desert Wave Pool in Price, the Helper City Pool in Helper or the Emery County Aquatic Center in Castle Dale.
If you’re looking for something more relaxing, you could join the Helper Nature Journaling group, a great free activity for kids. Or, join Castle County Yoga for yoga in the Helper Park. With Helper designated as a “dark sky” community, getting outside and gazing at the stars might be just the therapy you need.
Go Find Local Events
Check out Castle Country Events (www.castlecountryevents.com/) for local events happening this summer like Wellington Pioneer Days (July 23-24), Price City’s International Days (July 29-30), Carbon County Fair (Aug. 4-7), Carbon County Sheriff Search and Rescue Demolition Derby (Aug. 14), Helper Arts, Music, and Film Festival (Aug. 20-22), and the Desert Thunder Raceway 2021 Race (Aug. 27-28). You can sign up to get text notification of events going on in the area by texting “ccevents” to (855) 422-3836. If you are part of organizing an upcoming event, make sure to add your event to the Castle Country Events Calendar to help spread the word!
If you’re on Facebook and want to stay informed about local events, join this Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/castlecountryevents. Local groups and individuals share flyers and information about things going on in our area.
We are aware that this is not a comprehensive list of all the different kinds of activities and places to go in this diverse region, but hopefully it will give you some resources to get started with your outdoor plans!
Resources
Southeast Utah Health Department Vaccine Information
CDC’s Vaccine Locator
Safer Travel Tips for Families with Unvaccinated Children | CDC
Guidance for Operating Youth Camps | CDC
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]. (2021, June 10). Safer travel tips for families with unvaccinated children. Retrieved from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/travelers/travel-risk.html?fbclid=IwAR2-x1UpeRatEaYCFFI5BS-k5FtrajTElT4-bl-RKBoLrwU6spOa_tIgT3U