Things to Do
Spring City is a slow-down kind of place. The best day here is equal parts historic homes, working art studios, and the Sanpete Valley's wide-open scenery right outside town.
Right on Main Street
Walk the Historic District
Nearly every building in town predates 1910. Wander Main Street and the surrounding blocks to see 1860s adobe cabins, Greek Revival stone homes, and ornate Victorian pattern-book houses, side by side.
Read the full history →
Visit the Art Studios
Horseshoe Mountain Pottery (est. 1980) and other working studios line Main Street. Spring City Arts runs the town's gallery and its annual Plein Air Competition & Studio Tour, when working studios open their doors.
See studio tour dates →
Daughters of Utah Pioneers Museum
Housed in the 1893 Old City Hall on Main Street, alongside the 1874 Old Rock Jail behind it - a look at the town's earliest pioneer artifacts and history.
Sanpete Valley & the Wasatch Plateau
Spring City sits at the foot of the Wasatch Plateau, and the valley around it is built for slow scenic drives, fishing, and off-road exploring.
Skyline Drive Scenic Backway
A high mountain drive along the crest of the Wasatch Plateau above Sanpete Valley, with sweeping views down over the farmland below. Popular for a scenic afternoon drive, wildlife viewing, and fall color. Sanpete County describes the core scenic segment as roughly a 1–2 hour drive; the broader Skyline trail system continues much farther as part of the Great Western OHV Trail.
Palisade State Park
A reservoir and park south near Manti with camping (tent, RV, and cabins), fishing, swimming, non-motorized and electric boating, and an 18-hole golf course. Also a popular access point for the region's OHV trail network.
Arapeen OHV Trail System
Part of a roughly 550-mile network of trails through the Manti-La Sal National Forest, connecting to the Gooseberry trail system. Gateway towns include nearby Fairview and Ephraim, with UTV rentals available in the area.
Fishing & Hunting
The Sanpete Valley and surrounding Manti-La Sal National Forest are well known in-state for fishing access and big game hunting. Check current Utah DWR regulations before you head out.
Nearby towns & sights
Manti - ~18 miles
The striking Manti Temple was dedicated in 1888 after eleven years of construction, built from locally quarried limestone in a Gothic Revival / Second Empire style with twin 179-foot towers. It recently completed a major renovation (2021–2024) that preserved its historic murals. Manti's south lawn also hosted the Mormon Miracle Pageant for over 50 years (1967–2019); the pageant has since been discontinued, but the temple grounds remain a striking stop.
Ephraim - ~11 miles
Sanpete County's largest city and home to Snow College, founded in 1888. Also home to Granary Arts, a contemporary art nonprofit with rotating exhibitions worth pairing with a Spring City studio visit.
Mount Pleasant & Fairview - ~5–12 miles
The next towns north on US-89, both worth a stop for a fuller loop through the valley and the northern access point for Skyline Drive.
Plan around the weather
Sanpete Valley has a true four-season, high-desert climate. Summer (late June–late August) is warm and dry and the best window for outdoor recreation; spring and fall are mild and quieter; winters are cold, with January the coldest month.