Utah Field Trips for Homeschoolers

Looking to enhance your homeschool with an educational trip in Utah? This page will fill you in on all the fun things to do with kids in the Beehive State. Regardless of where you live or where you will be traveling to in the state, you’ll soon discover there is no shortage of homeschool field trip ideas in Utah.

Whether you prefer to explore the great outdoors at one of the many parks or take in the exhibits in a museum, your children can learn about all the subjects and topics that interest them, from dinosaurs and natural history to planetariums and aquariums

To get started, check out this printable map of Utah and print it out for your students. You can pinpoint areas in the map that you’d like to visit. Then, be sure to download the Time4Learning lesson tie-ins at the end of this post to help supplement your field trips in Utah. Please make sure to contact each site before you plan your visit, as COVID-19 may have impacted their hours of operations.

Field Trips in Utah Northern Region

• Great Salt Lake State Park, Magna – Homeschoolers can check out the largest saltwater lake in the western hemisphere and learn about its history at this state park. Families can explore the visitor center, take part in the Junior Ranger program, and other special events throughout the year.
• Treehouse Museum, Ogden – Let your child’s imagination soar at this literacy-centered museum that features tons of interactive exhibits and hands-on activities. Opened in 1992, the Treehouse Museum offers tons of family programs, daily activities, and group tours.
• Antelope Island State Park, Davis County – Take in amazing views at this state park that is home to the largest of 10 islands located within Great Salt Lake. Families can lace up their hiking boots and take part in guided hikes and walks, explore the visitor center, take part in a number of interpretive programs, watch the bison roundup during the fall, and more.
• Utah Olympic Park, Park City – Get in some PE by taking your winter sports enthusiast to this park that was built for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Visitors can try their hand at a number of sports at this almost 400-acre destination that features sliding tracks, Nordic ski jumps, a number of activities and a museum.

Field Trips in Utah Central Region

• Bean Life Science Museum, Provo – Opened in 1978, this science museum features live animals shows, interactive exhibits on a number of topics, and special events throughout the year. Students can take part in educational programs like Biology Boot Camp, Junior Naturalist, Critter Camp, and more.
• Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, Draper – You don’t have to travel far (or underwater) to observe sharks, sea turtles, penguins, or sloths. This aquarium allows you to get up close to more than 4,000 animals with exhibits like Antarctic Adventure, Ocean Explorer, Journey to South America, and more.
• Clark Planetarium, Salt Lake City – Future astronauts can start getting a feel for outer space at this planetarium that opened in 2003. The planetarium features a dome-shaped theater with daily shows, IMAX theater, and three floors of interactive, hands-on exhibits.
• Hogle Zoo, Salt Lake City – Is there an animal love in your home? This 42-acre zoo is a must! Home to approximately 800 animal, families can explore a number of different exhibits such as African Savanna, Asian Highlands, Primate Forest, and more. Programs for kids and families are also offered and include Zoo Yoga, Outdoor Adventures, Tot Tuesday, and more.
• Natural History Museum of Utah, Salt Lake City – Part of the University of Utah, this museum first opened its doors in 1969. Homeschoolers can explore over 1.6 million objects that make up the museum’s collection in fields like anthropology, paleontology, botany, and more. Exhibits include Past Worlds, Life, First Peoples, Great Salt Lake, Land, and more.
• Timpanogos Cave National Monument, American Fork – Enhance your geology studies by taking an underground tour of the three caves that make up the monument to learn about cave formation, exploration, and preservation. Families can also check out the visitor center and students can take part in the Junior Ranger program. You should definitely consider checking out Crystal Ball Cave, a natural limestone cave covered in calcite crystal. You students are sure to love it.

Field Trips in Utah Northeastern Region

• Dinosaur National Monument, Jensen – Located on the border with Colorado, this park features dinosaur fossils, petroglyphs, and more for homeschoolers to explore. Don’t miss the “Wall of Bones” in the Dinosaur Quarry or the Quarry Exhibit Hall to learn about the prehistoric animals that once roamed the area.
• Utah Field House of Natural History State Park Museum, Vernal – Students can learn about geology, anthropology, dinosaurs, and more at this 22,000-square-foot museum that features three exhibit halls, a theatre, and an outdoor dinosaur garden. Homeschoolers can also take part in the Junior Ranger programs to enhance their visit.
• Ashley National Forest, Vernal – This vast forest covers over one million acres that span both Utah and Wisconsin. Families can explore more than 1,000 miles of trails, view wildlife, and take part in a number of recreational activities. Within the forest is the Flaming Gorge Dam and the Uinta Mountains which contain Kings Peak, the highest point in Utah.

Field Trips in Utah Southern Region

• Zion National Park, near Springdale – Experience the beauty that Utah’s first national park has to offer and the numerous species of plants, birds, mammals and reptiles that call the park home. Among its impressive formations are canyons, mountains, mesas, and natural arches. Youth programs and a number of ranger led programs can help enhance your visit, as well as your homeschool science and social studies curriculum.
• Bryce Canyon National Park, near Tropic – Ever heard of a hoodoo? This park is home to the largest concentration of these unique rock formations that form ‘amphitheaters’ throughout the park. The park features eight hiking trails as well as a scenic drive with numerous viewpoints of the impressive terrain. The park’s night sky is considered one of the darkest in the nation, making it ideal for stargazing.
• St. George Children’s Museum, St. George – Both parents and children can explore and learn in over a dozen exhibit rooms that feature topics like music, science, arts, and sports at this museum that first opened in 2013. The museum also holds several events for families to take part in such as storytime, music time, community appreciation days, and more.
• Mammoth Cave, Duck Creek Village – Your homeschoolers are sure to have fun exploring this lava tube that formed about 2,000 years ago. Make sure to take several flashlights since the cave is pitch black inside. You’ll be able to see first-hand where lava used to flow and how it looks after the cooling process — perfect for boosting your science lessons!

Field Trips in Utah Southeastern Region

• Arches National Park, Grand County – Established as a national monument in 1929, this park features over 2,00 natural sandstone arches, the most in any one place in the world. Be sure to check out the Balanced Rock, one of the park’s most well known features. Families can take part in one of the many ranger programs and hikes to learn more about the park, its features, and wildlife that call it home.
• Natural Bridges National Monument, Lake Powell – Designated in 1908, Natural Bridges is Utah’s first national monument. Homeschoolers can learn about Earth’s features at this destination that is home to three natural bridges as well as an Ancestral Puebloan ruin. Recreation activities include hiking, stargazing, bird watching, guided walks, and more.
• Edge of the Cedars State Park, Blanding – Homeschoolers can learn about the rich history of the area and the Ancestral Puebloans that called it home at this state park in the Four Corners area. Families can visit an ancient village, a museum with the largest collection of native pottery, and explore a number of educational exhibits.
• Lower Calf Creek Falls, Boulder – Not only will your homeschooler learn a ton on this field trip, but the breathtaking scenery will leave a long-lasting impact that they’ll never forget. Make sure to check out the prehistoric rock art and research the types of minerals found at this destination before you head out on your adventure.