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- Utah announced the new Utah Film Trail, highlighting iconic movie scenes filmed in the state.
- The trail includes nearly two dozen sites all across the state.
- State tourism officials hope it gives film enthusiasts a new perspective of Utah.
SALT LAKE CITY — Utah has been a star on the silver screen for over a century, serving as the backdrop for many memorable movies, TV shows and iconic cinematic moments.
That "Thelma & Louise" scene where Susan Sarandon and Geena Davis drive off a cliff? That was shot at Dead Horse Point State Park in Moab. "Galaxy Quest" also took advantage of southeast Utah's otherworldly landscapes in production.
And "Jeremiah Johnson"? Well, that's basically a love letter to the Beehive State's natural splendor.
Some of these spots are now officially markers on a new state program that essentially blends the love of cinema with an appreciation of the outdoors and small towns. On Wednesday, the Utah Film Commission and the Utah Office of Tourism announced the creation of the Utah Film Trail, which highlights nearly two dozen familiar filming locations from across the state.
"The Utah Film Trail will take you off the beaten path to discover the settings of made-in-Utah films and television shows you've fallen in love with," said Virginia Pearce, director of the Utah Film Commission, in a statement.
Markers will be placed at all of the selected sites over the next year, explaining which movies were filmed in that location. Each of them will include a QR code directing people to more information about that location.
Some of these are outdoors in nature, while others — like Park City's Main Street or the interior of Sundance Mountain Resort — are public locations. The initial trail inductees are:
- Antelope Island State Park (Syracuse)
- Box Elder Historic Courthouse (Brigham City)
- Bryce Canyon National Park (Garfield County)
- Compass Rose Lodge (Huntsville, Weber County)
- Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park (Kane County)
- Dead Horse Point State Park (San Juan County)
- Goblin Valley State Park (Emery County)
- Goulding's Lodge (San Juan County)
- Great Salt Lake State Park (Magna)
- Heber Valley Railroad (Heber City)
- Helper Main Street (Helper)
- Historic 25th Street (Ogden)
- La Sal Junction (San Juan County)
- Park City Main Street (Park City)
- Parry Lodge (Kanab)
- Snow Canyon State Park (Washington County)
- Sundance Mountain Resort (Utah County)
- Uintah Basin/Vernal (Uintah County)
- Wendover Airfield (Tooele County)
- Zion Canyon Village (Washington County)
Where these locations fall on the map and a list of the productions that were filmed there can be found on a new webpage dedicated to the program.
Natalie Randall, director of the Utah Office of Tourism and Film, said filming has been instrumental in the state's economy, contributing to $6 billion in impact over the last decade.
The industry's impact has gone beyond the cost of filming. Her office found that, in 2023, more than one-third of visitors cited movies and TV shows for their desire to visit the state, boosting the state's $12 billion tourism industry.
But Randall says the new trail network goes beyond that.
"The Utah Film Trail allows visitors to experience Utah through a different lens," she said.
