Glen Canyon was Utah's most visited NPS area in 2023
According to National Park Service data from 2023, Utah’s most visited park last year was not one of the “Mighty 5”– the collective name for Arches, Bryce, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion National Parks. Instead, this distinction goes to Glen Canyon Recreation Area, a 1.25-million-acre area near the Utah-Arizona border. Glen Canyon received a record 5.2 million visitors last year – almost 600,000 more than visited Zion National Park and an 83% increase over the number of visitors in 2022. The surge in popularity is likely due to the elevated levels in Lake Powell following last winter’s record snowpack, which allowed more boat ramps to open.
Bills introduced to Utah's state legislature aim to protect minors from social media
Two bills designed to protect minors from the harms of social media were introduced in Utah’s legislative session today. Senate Bill 194 would create stricter age verification and default privacy settings for minors’ social media accounts and provide tools for parents or legal guardians to supervise their accounts. House bill 464 would give minors and their guardians the right to hold social media companies liable for harm caused by the addictive nature of social media algorithms. According to a press release from the state legislature, 88% of Utah parents believe social media has a detrimental impact on young people, and nearly half of teens nationwide say social media use makes them feel worse. Legislators in Utah aim to reduce the negative impacts of social media and hold companies accountable.
