Wasatch Mountain State Park Visitors Center, April 2016
Established in 1961, Wasatch Mountain State Park is Utah's most developed state park. Named for the Wasatch Mountains,[Note 1] the park consists of 21,592 acres (8,738 ha), and sits at an elevation of 5,900 feet (1,800 m).[5] Wildlife in the park includes deer, elk, wild turkeys, and moose. Although the southern part of Wasatch Mountain State Park is adjacent to the northeast part of Deer Creek State Park, the two parks only share a short section of common border.
Of the forty state parks in Utah, Wasatch Mountain State Park was the fifth most visited during the Fiscal Year 2017. During that period, 360,338 guests visited the park, representing a 6.7 percent increase over FY2016.[6][7]
There are 139 campsites at the park, along with two pavilions for group use, restrooms, showers, and utility hookups.[5]
Soldier Hollow was host to some of the events of the 2002 Winter Olympics. The venue remains open to the public year-round, offering Nordic skiing, tubing, snowshoeing, a summer and winter biathlon, and in-line skating facilities.[11]
Access
There are three sections of the park, each with a different access route.[Note 2] The main part of the park, including the park headquarters/visitors center, campgrounds, and the Wasatch Golf Course, is most easily reached via Utah State Route 222 (east Main Street) from Midway. It may also be accessed (except during the winter and early spring) by way of Pine Canyon Road from Guardsman Pass Road (from Big Cottonwood Canyon) or Utah State Route 224 (from Park City). The Soldier Hollow portion, which includes the cross country ski resort and the Soldier Hallow Golf Course, is most easily accessed by way of Tate Road (from Utah State Route 113 in Charleston) and then turning south on Stringtown Road. (Until 1990, this route was designated as Utah State Route 220.) Dutch Hollow, the least visited area, which includes a hiking trail, is reached via Dutch Canyon Road from River Road on the eastern edge of Midway.[14]
Climate
Climate data for Snake Creek Powerhouse, Utah, 1991–2020 normals, 1913-2020 extremes: 6010ft (1832m)
Wasatch Mountain State Park contains three historic features. The restored Tate Barn, at the south end of the park, is a recognized landmark and Heber Valley symbol. It is a classic wooden barn built in the 1890s.[18] Huber Grove, a 100-year-old appleorchard, features the Huber Farmhouse and Creamery.[19] The third feature is the Snake Creek Hydroelectric Power Plant Historic District. However, most facets of the district are currently not directly accessible by the public.[citation needed]
^Although the wording of the name of the Wasatch Mountain State Park may seem to imply it is named after or related to the "Wasatch Mountain", the only mountain so named is located over 300 miles (480 km) to the southeast in San Miguel County in southwest Colorado.[3][4] Therefore, it is a "mountain state park" that is given the specific name of "Wasatch", after the Wasatch Range, in general.
^In addition to the access routes indicated, U.S. Route 40/U.S. Route 189 very briefly passes through the northeastern edge of the park, but there is no direct access to any part of the park from that highway.[12][13]
