South of Parowan on UT 143, Brian Head Resort possesses a bit of the alpine atmosphere of Utah’s northern ski areas but looks more like southern Utah. Skiers taking the resort’s Giant Steps lift find themselves standing under 11,307-foot Brian Head Peak – an impressive red sandstone mountain some say may have been named after the famed bald-headed politician William Jennings Bryan. On a clear, cold winter day, skiers look down on a scene of fire and ice, out toward Zion National Park and the red-rock deserts.

The town of Brian Head is large enough to provide for thousands of skiers, while retaining a quaintness that makes it a quiet alternative to the huge California and Colorado resorts. Smaller lodges near Duck Creek and Panguitch Lake offer rustic, out-of-the-way settings to visitors looking to escape the big city.