Springville, UT Outdoor Activities

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.

Max Zipline's tours and expeditions illuminate the beauty of Provo Canyon from riverbed to treetop. Zip lines send airborne tourists careening over tree and field, with mid- and high-speed courses all ending at wooden platforms manned by professional guides. In the valley, the Heber Valley Railroad winds through the glacier-carved canyon as riders snap pictures of Mt. Timpanogos.

In the Chase the Mayor 5K, Provo Mayor John R. Curtis will have a one-minute head start as throngs of citizens pace and roar with anticipation behind the starting line. After these 60 seconds are up, participants burst forth and book it 3.1 miles along University Avenue, hoping to stride past the finish line before the elected head of Provo does. If any entrant does beat his honor, they will win a custom window sticker commemorating the victory, as well as a lifetime pass to swim in any public fountain. Otherwise, the signature Provo City Marathon—a USATF-certified marathon and a Boston Marathon qualifier—sends runners on a rigorous, yet fun jaunt downhill toward postrace festivities. It is these types of exciting flourishes and thrilling stakes that form the principles of Run13’s mission to “make road races an event.” Run13 also organizes several other races, including half marathons, 10Ks, and 5Ks.

For each race, the organization designates a charity to donate its proceeds to, often taking suggestions from its fans or the magic 8 ball that presides over all affairs.

It's a breezy day, and reflections of the nearby Wasatch Mountains ripple over the surface of Utah Lake. A sailboat cuts through the scene, churning the waters so that the snowcapped peaks' reflections sway and finally dissolve into a field of undulations. Though they fill their days with a busy schedule of hands-on courses and programs, the instructors at Bonneville School of Sailing often pause to enjoy the distinctive beauty of their surroundings. They also take pleasure in witnessing sailing's power to change lives. Many will attest that putting someone at the helm can spark a suppressed desire to explore, just as working together to raise a mast can promote understanding and cooperation among a corporate team or family.

At any point during the April–October season, students can begin navigating the school's sailing curriculum with a hands-on introductory course. Intermediate-level courses allow students—should they take to the high seas with enthusiasm—to log plenty more hours on the water, where instructors teach lessons in steering and dispatching mutinous crew members. Advanced classes, along with weekend racing and spinnaker clinics, equip students with the final skills needed to enjoy a long and buoyant life on the water.

After years of training and diving around the world, owners Colby, Darren, and Tony decided to spread their love of scuba by opening North American Divers. They instruct classes such as Discover Scuba Diving, where be-finned students try breathing underwater for the first time. During Advanced Open Water classes, more experienced divers earn certification across five dives at locales such as Sand Hollow and the California Channel Islands. They also rent out gear such as regulators, oxygen tanks, and wetsuits. Additionally, the trio’s team of in-house certified technicians fixes nearly all makes and models of scuba and snorkeling equipment with a simple twitch of their nose.

From its origins in the Uinta Mountains’ Washington Lake, the Provo River descends to Utah Lake. On its way, thousands of years’ worth of the river’s water has carved the nearly 7,000-feet-deep Provo River Canyon. The water carries adventurers as well, bearing expeditions toward the landmark’s geological contours in vessels furnished by Runoff River Adventures.

Owned and operated by its guides, Runoff River Adventures has attracted some of the best river navigators in the business. Each guide has personally traversed more than 200 rivers, whose collective currents criss-cross countries across the world. The aquatic experts wield this experience as they guide kayaking and rafting expeditions down courses that can pass through roiling rapids or stick to calmer areas, such as goldfish bowls. Instructors also helm paddling and rafting courses, which focus on oar work and the art of the lake roll and river roll. Once they have mastered the basics, adventurers can confidently sally forth for self-guided tours in inflatable or non-inflatable kayaks, rafts, and innertubes that function as both flotation devices and very large headbands.