Central Region, UT Land for Sale

Central Utah is located in the middle of the state, and includes Salt Lake County and the counties to the north and south. Salt Lake City is the largest city in the region, in the state, and is the state capital, with other large cities being West Valley City, Provo, West Jordan, Orem and Sandy. Salt Lake City was founded in 1847 by Brigham Young and numerous other Mormon followers, who extensively irrigated and cultivated the arid valley, and it is home to the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS) and considered a holy city by members of the church.

Immigration of international LDS members, mining booms and construction of the first transcontinental railroad initially brought economic growth to the region. It was known as the "Crossroads of the West" for its railroads, when nearby steel, mining and railroad operations provided a strong source of income. The modern economy of the region is more service-oriented, with major sectors being government, trade, transportation, utilities and professional and business services. The largest employer in the region is an airline with its hub at Salt Lake City International Airport. Other major employers in the region are a large healthcare provider, the University of Utah, a large oil company, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. There are also a number of companies headquartered in Salt Lake City. Other economic activities are tourism, conventions and major suburban call centers. Tourism has increased since the 2002 Olympic Games which were held in Salt Lake City, with many hotels and restaurants that were built for the events. There is a large convention center that was built in the 1990s and hosts many large annual meetings, conventions and other events. Higher education institutions in the region include University of Utah, known for its research and medical programs, Westminster College, Utah Valley University, Stevens-Henager College, Eagle Gate College, The Art Institute of Salt Lake City, LDS Business College, Utah State University, Neumont University, Brigham Young University and Salt Lake Community College. There are also many other trade and technical schools.

There are around 12 state and national parks in the region, including Great Salt Lake State Park, Great Salt Lake State Park ? Saltair Beach, Hat Island State Wildlife Management Area and Gunnison Island State Wildlife Management Area. These are all centered on the Great Salt Lake, the largest salt water lake in the Western Hemisphere and the eighth largest terminal lake in the world. It is the largest lake in the United States outside of the Great Lakes region. It covers an area of around 1,700, which fluctuates due to the lake's shallowness. Visitors can enjoy great views, marina access for boaters and bird watching. Other protected areas are Jordan River State Park, Wasatch National Forest, Uinta National Forest, featuring excellent fishing, and Utah Lake State Park, featuring Utah's largest freshwater lake, with year-found fishing of catfish, walleye, white bass, black bass and major access to the 96,600-acre lake for power boating, sailing, canoeing and kayaking. Salt Lake City features many museums, some including the Church History Museum, with collections of artifacts from the history of the LDS church, Clark Planetarium, Discovery Gateway, a children's museum, Utah Museum of Fine Arts and the Natural History Museum of Utah. Salt Lake City also features performing arts, such as music and theater, a number of unique festivals and conventions throughout the year, such as the Utah Arts Festival, portions of the Sundance Film Festival, "Steamfest," a festival dedicated to steampunk culture and Salt Lake Comic Con, to name a few. There are also several professional sports teams based in Salt Lake City, including a Major League Soccer team, a National Basketball Association team, a Pacific Coast League baseball team and hockey team (ECHL).

Utah County is located in the southern part of Utah's Central region, and is the second most populated county in the state. It is named for the Spanish name for the Ute Native Americans, indigenous to the area. The county is one of seven counties in the U.S. to share the same name as the state. Provo is the largest city and the county seat, and is the third largest city in Utah. Other large cities in the county are Orem, Lehi, Spanish Fork, Pleasant Grove and Springville, and there are nearly 40 other cities, towns, census-designated places and unincorporated communities. Utah Valley is at the center of the county, lined by the mountains of the Wasatch Range to the east. Utah Lake occupies a large part of the valley. Utah County's economy is based on education, the steel industry, light manufacturing and agriculture. The Provo Woolen Mill became Utah's first large manufacturing plant in 1873. Higher education institutions in the county are Brigham Young University, Utah Valley University and Mountainland Applied Technology College. Protected areas in the county include Timpanogos Cave National Monument, Ashley National Forest, Manti-La Sal National Forest, Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest, Deer Creek Reservoir State Park and Utah Lake State Park. Brigham Young University offers a number of attractions in the country, including the BYU B.F. Larsen Gallery, featuring student and contemporary artists, BYU Botany Pond and Grounds, BYU Legacy Hall, BYU Monte L. Bean Life Science Museum, BYU Museum of Art, BYU Museum of Paleontology, BYU Museum of Peoples and Cultures, and more. Other attractions in the region include the Petroliana Museum, Ashton Gardens, Bridal Veil Falls, Cascade Springs, Central Utah Gardens, Crandall Historical Printing Museum, several Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum sites, Heber Valley Historic Railroad, Lincoln Beach, Museum of Natural Curiosity, Payson Lakes, Rock Canyon Park, Spanish Fork Canyon, Spanish Fork River Park and Sundance Mountain Resort.

Salt Lake County is located in the middle of Utah's Central region, north of Utah County. The county occupies the Salt Lake Valley, and parts of the surrounding mountains, the Oquirrh Mountains to the west and the Wasatch Range to the east. The northern part of the county includes part of the Great Salt Lake. Salt Lake City is the largest city in the county and Utah, the county seat and the state capital. Other large cities in the county are West Valley City, West Jordan, Sandy, Millcreek, Taylorsville and South Jordan, and there are around 20 other cities, towns, townships and unincorporated communities. Mining and LDS services are still important to the county's economy, but have declined in significance since the 19th century. Defense industries play an important role due to its strategic central location in the western part of the country, and the largely uninhabited Great Salt Lake Desert to the west, used for training, weapons testing and storage of hazardous materials. Tourism is also a major part of the economy of the county, especially the Alta Ski Area. Service industries and information technology are also large contributors to the economy. There are a number of higher education institutions in the county, including University of Utah, Westminster College, Roseman University of Health Sciences, Broadview University, Eagle Gate College, LDS Business College, Neumont University, Stevens-Henager College and Salt Lake Community College. The county is known for its ski resorts, why Salt Lake City was selected to host the 2002 Winter Olympics. Some additional attractions in the county include Natural History Museum of Utah at the Rio Tinto Center, This Is the Place Heritage Park, where visitors can explore a pioneer village, pan for gold and ride trains and ponies, Utah's Hogle Zoo, the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium, the Beehive House, Big Cottonwood Canyon, Camp Floyd State Park and Museum, Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum, Price Family Holocaust Memorial Garden, Tracy Aviary and Deer Valley Resort.

Davis County is in the northern part of Utah's Central region, just north of Salt Lake County. It borders the Great Salt Lake and includes Antelope Island. It is the third most populated county in the state. It is named for Daniel C. Davis, a captain in the Mormon Battalion, which fought in the Mexican-American War. Layton is the largest city and Farmington is the county seat, and other larger cities are Bountiful, Kaysville, Clearfield, Syracuse and Clinton, and there are less than 10 other communities. The county's largest employer is Hill Air Force Base. Other large employers are Davis School District, an amusement park and a manufacturer of blow-molded polyethylene products, such as folding chairs, tables, picnic tables, and basketball equipment, as well as other products such as sheds, kayaks, paddleboards and lawn and garden items. Davis Applied Technology College, Weber State University's Layton campus and Utah State University owns and operated Utah Botanical Center in Kaysville, which includes an education center. Antelope Island State Park, Great Salt Lake State Park and part of Wasatch National Forest are in Davis County. The county boasts over 500 miles of trails to explore, Snowbasin Resort and S&S Shortline Railroad Park and Museum. Great Salt Lake Bird Festival is a popular event that takes place Farmington each year in May.