Go for a drive: West Utah Lake has spectacular views of the valley

I’ve lived in Utah County for nine years. Like the vast majority of you, Utah Lake has always been to the west. So it’s easy to take your surroundings for granted.

That is, of course, until you venture to the west side of the lake to Saratoga Springs via Highway 68. From there, you’ll feel refreshingly disoriented. You’ll see things like this and that, and gain a new appreciation for the valley.

I know I did when discovering it for the first time last year. On a whim one Sunday, I drove to the west side of the lake in the evening with my family and mother-in-law, a native of Utah who grew up boating on Utah Lake.

Admittedly, the kids were too preoccupied with Red Vines to care, but all of the adults in the car were in awe of the view. “I’ve never seen the valley from here,” my mother-in-law said. “It’s beautiful.”

We all agreed—so much in fact that we’ve since returned as often as we can, with plenty of Red Vines of course. For any eastsiders: Have you been to the west side recently?