Just 90 minutes north of Salt Lake City and less than a three- to four-hour drive from Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks lies Logan, one of northern Utah’s least discovered treasures.
Nestled in the stunning Cache Valley, Logan is packed with small town charm that will give your guests a huge dollop of the great American West.
Its historic old town has a cool 1950s Americana vibe but with world-class live theatre and musical performances, which have earned the city the title of Utah’s Heart of Arts.
From mid-June through to the end of August, the city hosts more than 150 brilliant live performing arts events, and visitors can enjoy free summer concerts every weekday at noon in the Tabernacle downtown, which is a great example of the architecture of the early Mormon settlers.
Tourists should make a point of stopping at the brand new Laub Plaza, which has a splash pad to cool off in the summer and an ice rink in the winter, plus larger-than-life games like checkers and chess, vintage and antique stores and unique cafes and restaurants, many of which offer farm-to-table dining.
Talking of food, a popular activity is the self-guided Cache Valley Foodie Trek and Signature Products Tours, which visits food production facilities and lets guests sample its internationally renowned Caffe Ibis coffee, Pepperidge Farm cookies and cheddar goldfish crackers, Cox honey from fourth-generation beekeepers, hand-dipped Bluebird chocolates and more.
Logan is famous for its ice cream and cheese and is home to Gossner Foods, the largest Swiss cheese manufacturer in the country. Other unique products on the tour include Spirit Goat handmade goat’s milk soaps and lotions, pyjamas and socks.
Logan is also home to the interactive American West Heritage Center, where visitors can take a step back in time. This 65-hectare, outdoor living history museum, gives guests a flavour of the Old West, where they can watch a blacksmith at work, take a wagon or pony ride, throw hatchets, milk a cow and play pioneer games. They can also see bison, make arts and crafts, listen to stories of times gone by, and so much more.
An absolute must-see attraction is the Logan Canyon National Scenic Byway, just a 10-minute drive from downtown, where you can hike, go rock climbing, picnic, mountain bike, canoe, fish, birdwatch, go horse riding or hire an off-road buggie.
The 70 km Scenic Byway features dramatic limestone cliffs towering above the Logan River, with pine forests and alpine trees leading to the breathtaking turquoise waters of Bear Lake.
A good tip is to hike along one of the locals’ favourite trails, the Wind Caves, a delicate triple arch and natural cave at the top of a limestone geologic formation, called China Wall. The trailhead is up Logan Canyon, only a few minutes from downtown.
After they’ve worked up an appetite, hikers should head to Angie’s Restaurant, where the locals eat. This classic American diner serves all-day breakfast and everything is homemade. A firm favourite is a scone, a fluffy and light sweet dough deep-fried and served with honey butter, or their banana split with mounds of ice cream and toppings served in a mini kitchen sink – those who finish it earn bragging rights and a bumper sticker saying you cleaned the sink at Angie’s!
Hear more about Logan during this Take 5 with Travel Gossip.
For more information, go to explorelogan.com.
