Things to Do in American Fork

Benjamin Allen believes outdoor pursuits can positively influence those in need. This belief has led him all over the continent, building a ropes course for an orphanage in Mexico and setting up two courses for troubled youth at Provo Canyon School, a bit closer to home. Wanting to share his knowledge of nature with the public, he set up a course, CLAS Ropes Course, near Utah Lake nearly 20 years ago. Benjamin and his crew have since erected more than 50 ropes courses around the country, continuing to inspect ropes and train others how to run them.

CLAS Ropes Course continues to grow each year, creating obstacles such as a giant swing that releases passengers 40 feet in the air, a 400-foot zipline that whizzes through forest canopy, and a "leap of faith," where adventure seekers jump from a treetop platform to a trapeze. A log balance beam hung 30 feet above the ground and a 24-foot-tall rock-climbing tower test agility and endurance, and a fleet of 20 canoes lets paddlers navigate a mile and a half of river. Many of these structures play host to team-building activities focused on developing a group's creativity and tolerance for hearing one another sing. Staff members tailor their instruction to families, dating groups, or athletic teams. They often apply their approach to athletes, such as a professional golfer who traveled all the way from Texas hoping to conquer her fear of not qualifying for tournaments. She defeated the log balance beam, departed victorious, and qualified during her next tryout two weeks later.

Though it began as a snowmobiling tour group in the early 1980s, the family owners of High Country Adventure quickly expanded their territory to the water, the trails, and the forest canopy. Conducting most of their trips on a 6-mile stretch of the lower Provo River and a 12-mile canyon-clad expanse of the Weber River, High Country's guides encourage locals and visitors alike to explore the area's rugged terrain and take in the natural treasures made possible by its ecosystem. The company frequently puts this love of the environment into practice, urging catch-and-release during fishing excursions and often lending their gear to others for trips down the river to collect drifting garbage.

The group's more than 20 guides lead rafting trips down the Provo River's class I and II rapids or the Weber River's class II and III rapids, pointing out local flora and fauna as well as unique rock formations along the way. Combination trips set out on a mountain train ride before rafting commences or add ziplining to a day of rafting, sending guests out of water and sweeping through overhead tree canopies over the Provo River. Prospective guides with High Country Adventures commit to internalizing the local rivers and terrain on their own before they're trusted with leading groups, ensuring each one knows how to handle excursion variables and what the river gods' favorite appeasing snack is on Tuesdays.

Mountains echo with the clicking of hooves on rocks as mountain vegetation waves in the breeze and the sun glistens on snow-dappled trails. Schools of fish scatter as a pair of slick rubber boots parts the waters—a fisher wading through thick river sediment before casting a line into the current. Rocky Mountain Outfitters' experienced outdoorsmen usher customers through all manner of seasonal wilderness adventures, including fly-fishing on the Provo River, snowmobile tours, and horseback riding along mountain trails. Many tours run through Soldier Hollow Valley, which played host to the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Visitors may encounter roving wildlife such as snow rabbits, moose, and fawns frolicking through varied landscapes for memorable photo ops or police sketch-artist renderings. Adventure packages combine more than one outdoor activity and include the Reins and Train adventure, a role-playing tour that merges a train trip with a horseback trail ride. Depending on the season, guests can board traditional wagons or horse-drawn sleighs towed by teams of clydesdales, belgians, and spotted draft, or they can lasso free-range dinner rolls during Old West–style outdoor meals.

Walking into Creativity Art Studio is like walking into a sunset. Eyes fill with the golden and maroon hues of the walls, which foster tranquility in the mind so that students can explore their thoughts and express their dreams. Amid the colors, shelves of ceramics and painting supplies equip artists-in-training before they sit and let their imaginations travel across their chosen canvas with the guidance of a creative and adept staff.

Experienced creators can spread their wings solo, while those dipping their toes into artistic waters for the first time can use a stock of stencils. After each masterpiece has been touched up with its final details, staff experts guide patrons through the finishing process, whether that be waiting for the paint to dry or determining the best way to sneak sculptures into a museum display. Ceramic pieces stay behind for a glaze and stint in the studio's kiln, to ensure a lustrous piece that can be picked up roughly a week later.

When The Yoga Underground's four passionate instructors aren't shopping for shoes, watching the sun rise while hiking up Mount Timp, or partaking in the great American pastime of wearing crazy socks, they're hitting the mat to teach students how to build physical strength and emotional wellness. Although they consider themselves students of the ancient practice of yoga, they aren't afraid to add some modern twists into the Ashtanga and Vinyasa yoga traditions, such as incorporating core-bolstering moves from Pilates and, according to instructor Brittany, playing "really awesome music." They offer an octet of lighthearted, yet challenging classes, which includes two fast-paced kick-asana classes, a primary series, and a lunchtime yoga session that accommodates working yogis on the go.

Upon entering Hee Haw Farms, kids and adults surrender to their senses as feet crunch through fallen leaves, cheeks are warmed by the sun, and nostrils fill with the aromas of warm grass and fresh produce. A plethora of outdoor activities entertains families during the warm months, including pony rides, baby-animal petting zoos, and pig races. Other attractions shift with the seasons, such as a 12-acre corn maze and haunted hayrides in the fall, sunflower planting in the spring, bushels of fresh veggies for sale in the summer, and bushels of fresh snow in the winter.