Outside Salt Lake City Is Utah's Underrated Town Near A Historic Park And Unique Natural Attractions

Located over an hour outside Salt Lake City, Corinne's history is about as storied as they come. The Northern Utah community was founded back in 1869 along the Union Pacific railroad, serving as a major shipping hub for the first Transcontinental Railroad. The frontier town quickly boomed with the cropping up of many businesses, among them banks, blacksmith shops, hotels, an opera house, and even the state's first weather station. Established as a non-Mormon settlement, Corinne also had more than a dozen saloons, liquor stores, and gambling halls at its peak. This was a far cry from many of the other early pioneer communities, rooted in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, that cropped up across the state. 

Corinne's heyday, however, was short-lived, and the emergence of other rail lines marked the town's demise as a freighting mecca around the turn of the 20th century. Now home to some 900 people, the farming community stands as a great snapshot of the past. The city sits within reach of a historic park as well as many other unique natural attractions. 

Hugging the west bank of Bear River, the city is pretty easy to access, even if you're coming in from out of the area. Corinne lies roughly 65 miles north of the Salt Lake City International Airport (SLC), named the best airport in the United States in 2025. You won't find any big-name accommodations within the city's bounds, but there are several hotels and motels to choose from in nearby Brigham City, which is about a 10-minute drive away.

Relive Corinne's incredible history at the Golden Spike National Historic Park, which commemorates the completion of the country's first transcontinental railroad. You'll find this fascinating, must-see attraction in Promontory, about 25 minutes outside of the city proper. See various Victorian-era locomotive replicas and the Last Spike Site, where the Central Pacific Railroad and the first Union Pacific Railroad were joined in May 1869, allowing for cross-country travel by train. 

The park is open daily from sunrise to sunset. However, some activities vary from season to season. From May 1 to October 14, you can see the steam locomotives Jupiter and No. 119 in action, with the exception of prescheduled "boiler wash" days when the trains are pulled from duty to undergo a deep cleaning. The trains must also undergo routine maintenance during the winter months. Fret not, because from mid-October to late April, you can tour the Engine House and see engineers hard at work keeping the locomotives in tip-top shape. Just note that the tours are only available during this time period from Thursdays to Mondays at 10:30 a.m., 1:00 p.m., and 3:00 p.m.

Walk along the old railroad grade any time of the year via the 1.5-mile Big Fill Loop Trail. If you'd prefer to go it on four wheels, there are two scenic routes that you can cruise along through the park. The 2-mile East and 7-mile West Auto tours offer two different experiences, with the former revealing views of the Wasatch Mountains and the latter passing the "10 Miles of Track Laid in One Day" commemorative sign. Although the former is open year-round, the latter is unavailable from late November through early June.

There's plenty more to see around Corinne. The area at large is teeming with IG-worthy natural wonders, and at the top of the list is the aptly named Great Salt Lake. Located about an hour away from the city, the sprawling patch of saline water covers about 1,600 square miles, making it the largest saltwater lake in the entire Western Hemisphere. Despite its massive size, Great Salt Lake is a mere remnant of the freshwater Ice Age loch known as Lake Bonneville, which existed there thousands of years ago. 

Today, you can roam the waters via kayak, boat, or even a sunset cruise, or explore the lake's shores. Great Salt Lake boasts several islands, including Antelope Island, which is full of wildlife, beaches, and hiking trails. The Spiral Jetty is another popular tourist attraction. Perched on the northern end of the lake, the fascinating piece of land art was created in 1970 by artist Robert Smithson and features a 1,500-foot-long coil of rocks that extends into the water.

The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge Center, which spans more than 74,000 acres, is also minutes away from Corinne. With more than 200 species of birds sighted in the area, the protected refuge could easily top the list of the best birdwatching destinations in the U.S. Take a self-guided tour of the park with a drive along the 12-mile Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge Auto Tour Route. The looped roadway is open year-round from sunrise to sunset, good weather permitting.