This week we kick off with What’s Open at Park City’s Resorts and Action-Sports Playgrounds from Park City Magazine by Jane Gendron. The Covid-19 protocols and safety guidelines are in place. Here’s the plan for Park City’s mountain playgrounds.

Deer Valley Resort Chairlifts open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, now through September 7; then, Saturdays and Sundays only through September 20. After a thrilling descent on a mountain bike or a picturesque alpine wander, grab a bite and drink on the deck of Royal Street (11:30 a.m.–3 p.m.) or the Silver Lake Snack Shack (11 a.m.–5 p.m.)—or watch the paddleboard action from the deck of Deer Valley Grocery Café (8 a.m.–3:30 p.m.). Lodging properties are open, parking is available at Snow Park Lodge, and pre-purchase of lift tickets is advised.

Park City Mountain - Park City base activities are open Thursday–Saturday, 10 a.m.–8 p.m., and Sunday, 10 a.m.–7 p.m. Buckle up for some mountain adventure via the alpine slide, mountain coaster, and lift-served hiking and biking courtesy of Crescent and Pay Day lifts. For to-go eats, swing by Jupiter Java, or time your visit for the Wednesday Farmer’s Market in the Silver King lot, noon to 5 p.m. The Extreme Zip is part of Utah Olympic Park’s Jumpside pass, a two-hour unlimited ticket to activities located near the Nordic jumps; a Trackside pass accesses the ropes courses and airbags near the bobsled track.

Utah Olympic Park 9 a.m.–6 p.m. The UOP is leaping into action with a Jumpside Pass and a Trackside Pass (starting July 4), accessing two-hour unlimited sessions on the activities near each location. Jumpside—in the environs of the Nordic jumps—means access to Extreme tubing, the alpine slide, Extreme Zip, Freestyle Zip, and Discovery ropes course. Trackside is focused on everything near the bobsled, including the lofty Summit and Canyon ropes courses and the airbag jumps. Pay for two-hour increments between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m., or just check out the interactive Alf Engen Ski Museum and Eccles Salt Lake 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum free of charge.

Woodward Park City 10 a.m.–8 p.m. Action sports campus Woodward reopened in May for scooter, skateboarding, and BMX; and the much-anticipated lift-served downhill mountain biking came online in mid-June. Adrenaline-fun seekers are also allowed indoors for parkour and trampoline sessions (in limited numbers). Plus, there’s a multi-action-sport camp (5 or 10 days) for kids ages 6 and up, July 6 through August 14.

Utah is an amazing place to watch the evening skies. Shermans Travel even added the Utah skies to 9 Incredible Stargazing Destinations Around the World. Teresa Bitler shares in this article the Utah’s International Dark Sky Parks. Most Americans live in an area where they cannot see the Milky Way due to the light pollution -- but that's not an issue when stargazing in Utah, which has 15 certified International Dark Sky Parks. This includes Canyonlands National Park, Capitol Reef National Park, Goblin Valley State Park, Dead Horse Point State Park, Antelope Island State Park, Steinaker State Park, Cedar Breaks National Monument, Natural Bridges National Monument, Hovenweep National Monument, Rainbow Bridge National Monument, and Dinosaur National Monument. Judy and I are getting out to see the stars.

Looking to get out on the water - here is the The Insider’s Guide to Four Park City Area Reservoirs: For details about camping, which is available at all four reservoirs, visit stateparks.utah.gov/activities/camping. Here are the four Wasatch Back reservoirs closest to Park City—Deer Creek, Echo, Jordanelle, and Rockport.

Deer Creek - With stunning views of Mount Timpanogos and hugging the road between Heber City and Sundance Resort, Deer Creek Reservoir is about as accessible as it is scenic. It took 17 years to build the Deer Creek Dam and Reservoir, completed in 1955 as part of the Provo River Project. But only fishing was allowed there until 1971, when the state park opened. Now, in addition to boating, swimming, fishing, and camping, Deer Creek is home to the Uinta Kiting kiteboarding school and Zipline Utah’s Screaming Falcon zipline tour.

Get there: Deer Creek Reservoir is 23.5 miles from Park City via US 189/US 40 toward Charleston/Sundance Resort. Day-use fees are $10 per vehicle (up to eight passengers), Monday through Friday; $15 on the weekends. Dogs are not allowed in the day-use areas. 435.654.0171

Echo - Echo Reservoir (filled by the Weber River since 1931) transitioned from privately run to Utah’s newest state park in 2018. The 18-site campground at the reservoir’s south end, which was closed all last summer for renovations, will open this summer and has been renamed Dry Hollow (to dissuade its previously raucous reputation, perhaps). New flushable toilets and shower facilities are scheduled to open this summer as well; portable bathrooms will be used until they are completed. For a truly adventuresome day, ride the 28-mile length of the Historic Union Pacific Rail Trail from Park City to Echo Reservoir.

Get there: Echo State Park is 27 miles from Park City. Take Interstate 80 east to the Coalville exit. Follow the Echo Dam Road along the east side of the reservoir to the state park. The day-use fee is $6 per passenger vehicle (expect an increase when the restroom facilities are complete) and $4 for a walk-in/bicycle. 435.336.9894

Jordanelle - Like Deer Creek, the Jordanelle is fed by the Provo River. The Jordanelle Dam, constructed from 1987 to 1993, holds 320,300 acre-feet of water, which covers the former small towns of Hailstone and Keetley. The Jordanelle State Park opened in 1995. Anything you can do on the water goes there: Park City SUP, the Park City Rowing Academy (801.245.9351), and Park City Sailing all are based at this reservoir. At the Hailstone area, the marina offers all sorts of watercraft rentals (jordanellerentals.com). Eschew the crowds by hiking or pedaling the 15-mile Perimeter Trail, a dirt two-track running along the northern and eastern shores, connecting Hailstone to quieter Rock Cliff recreation area (home to the nature center).

Get there: The Hailstone entrance ($15 admission per car) is 6 miles from Park City along US 40 toward Heber City. The Rock Cliff entrance ($10 admission per car) is 22 miles from Park City via US 40 to River Road/SR 32 east toward Francis. 435.649.9540  

Rockport - You’ll find many of the same amenities offered at Jordanelle, but with a fraction of the people, at Rockport. Until 1952, when the Bureau of Reclamation began buying the property there to build the Wanship Dam, 27 families lived on the land now occupied by the reservoir. Before the area was flooded, some of the town’s buildings were moved to the Pioneer Village at Lagoon Amusement Park. Now at the marina and convenience store, you can rent jet skis, power boats, paddleboards, kayaks—even inflatable water trampolines. Along with boaters and beach-goers, Rockport’s cold water temps provide an ideal fish habitat, making it popular with anglers as well. An unusual amenity is the 3-D archery range: targets that look like mountain lions, bears, and turkeys along the Lakeview Trail.

Get there: From Park City, take SR 248 to Brown’s Canyon Road. Head left on SR 32 at Peoa and follow the signs to the state park. Daily admission to the state park is $12 per car (up to eight people). 435.336.2241