Houseboating in Utah

Utah reads as desert and mountains on the postcard, but the boating here is real and it is strange in the best way. Reservoirs and natural lakes scattered across the state add up to thousands of miles of shoreline, from Lake Powell's red rock canyons in the south to the cold, clear water of Bear Lake up on the Idaho border. Powerboats, sailboats, wakeboats, fishing rigs: they all find water that fits.

The season follows the warm months, roughly late spring through early fall, though the biggest lakes can carry traffic year-round when conditions allow. Marinas around the state cover the essentials (slips, mooring, fuel, services), and access points stay well maintained even where the water sits a long way from anywhere. On lakes this size, crowding is rarely the problem; distance is.