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{{short description|Region of northern Utah, United States}}
{{Refimprove|date=June 2019}}
{{coord|40|30|N|111|30|W|region:US-UT|display=title}}

The '''Wasatch Back''' is a region in the [[Rocky Mountains]] in northern [[Utah]], United States, on the east side of the [[Wasatch Mountain]] range. The name ''Wasatch Back'' differentiates it from the [[Wasatch Front]], which is the region on the western side of the Wasatch Mountains. The terms are commonly used in local media,<ref>https://www.parkrecord.com/2024/02/20/more-snow-is-coming-to-the-wasatch-back-this-week/</ref><ref>https://www.abc4.com/news/northern-utah/traffic-alert-expect-traffic-delays-in-weber-co-friday-morning/</ref> and also in scholarly and scientific discussions of the region.<ref>Sagers, Larry A. "Landscape Design Series 14." (2005).</ref><ref>Lund, William R., et al., eds. Geology and Resources of the Wasatch: Back to Front. Utah Geological Association, 2017.</ref><Ref>Sam, Duc Minh. Forgetting and Remembering Native Land Use and History in the Wasatch Back. MS thesis. The University of Utah, 2022.</ref><ref>Lund, William R., et al., eds. Geology and Resources of the Wasatch: Back to Front. Utah Geological Association, 2017.</ref><ref>Busch, Glen. Development and validation of a logistic regression-based urban growth model for Utah's Greater Wasatch Area. Utah State University, 2005.</ref>

While the Wasatch Front includes most of Utah's more populous cities (such as [[Salt Lake City]], [[Ogden, Utah|Ogden]], [[Layton, Utah|Layton]], and [[Provo, Utah|Provo]]}, the Wasatch Back has a lower population, and the landscape is generally more rural and mountainous with smaller communities such as [[Park City, Utah|Park City]], [[Heber City, Utah|Heber City]], and [[Morgan, Utah|Morgan]]. [[Summit County, Utah|Summit County]] (home to Park City) is within the Wasatch Back region, and as of 2019 the county has one of the highest household income levels in the United States.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2019/01/24/richest-counties-us-median-household-income/38870227/|title=Richest counties in the US: A state-by-state look at where median household income exceeds norm|website=USA TODAY|language=en|access-date=2019-05-28}}</ref>

Originally a mining and agricultural region, the Wasatch Back has experienced rapid residential growth through the 1990s and continuing into the 2000s.{{Citation needed|date=June 2022}} Local recreational activities include [[skiing]], [[snowboarding]], [[snowmobiling]], [[hiking]], [[boating]], and [[horseback riding]].{{Citation needed|date=October 2011}} Park City is the site of numerous concerts and festivals, including the [[Sundance Film Festival]] held every January.

==Communities==
=== [[Morgan County, Utah|Morgan County]] ===
==== Cities ====
* [[Morgan, Utah|Morgan]] (county seat)

==== Census-designated places ====
{{div col}}
* [[Enterprise, Morgan County, Utah|Enterprise]]
* [[Mountain Green, Utah|Mountain Green]]
{{div col end}}

==== Unincorporated places ====
{{div col}}
* [[Croydon, Utah|Croydon]]
* [[Littleton, Utah|Littleton]]<ref>{{cite gnis|1427128|Croyden}}</ref>
* [[Milton, Utah|Milton]]<ref>{{cite gnis|1455096|Milton}}</ref>
* [[Peterson, Utah|Peterson]]
* [[Porterville, Utah|Porterville]]
* [[Richville, Utah|Richville]]<ref>{{cite gnis|1431780|Richville}}</ref>
* [[Stoddard, Utah|Stoddard]]<ref>{{cite gnis|1432991|Sotddard}}</ref>
* [[Taggarts, Utah|Taggarts]]<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.intermountainhistories.org/items/show/267|title = Taggart's Camp}}</ref>
* [[Whites Crossing, Utah|Whites Crossing]]
{{div col end}}

=== Summit County ===
==== Cities ====
{{div col}}
* [[Coalville, Utah|Coalville]] (county seat)
* [[Kamas, Utah|Kamas]]
* [[Oakley, Utah|Oakley]]
* [[Park City, Utah|Park City]]
{{div col end}}

==== Towns ====
* [[Francis, Utah|Francis]]
* [[Henefer, Utah|Henefer]]

==== Census-designated places ====
{{div col}}
* [[East Basin, Utah|East Basin]]
* [[Echo, Utah|Echo]]
* [[Hoytsville, Utah|Hoytsville]]
* [[Marion, Utah|Marion]]
* [[Peoa, Utah|Peoa]]
* [[Samak, Utah|Samak]]
* [[Silver Summit, Utah|Silver Summit]]
* [[Snyderville, Utah|Snyderville]]
* [[Summit Park, Utah|Summit Park]]
* [[Wanship, Utah|Wanship]]
* [[Woodland, Utah|Woodland]]
{{div col end}}

==== Unincorporated communities ====
{{col div}}
* [[Bountiful Peak Summer Home Area, Utah|Bountiful Peak Summer Home Area]]
* [[Castle Rock, Utah|Castle Rock]]
* [[Christmas Meadow Summer Home Area, Utah|Christmas Meadow Summer Home Area]]
* [[Emory, Utah|Emory]]
* [[Grass Creek, Utah|Grass Creek]]
* [[Monviso, Utah|Monviso]]
* [[Rockport, Utah|Rockport]]
* [[Uintalands, Utah|Uintalands]]
* [[Upton, Summit County, Utah|Upton]]
{{col div end}}

=== [[Wasatch County, Utah|Wasatch County]] ===
==== Cities ====
* [[Heber City, Utah|Heber City]] (county seat)
* [[Midway, Utah|Midway]]

==== Towns ====
{{div col|colwidth=28em}}
* [[Charleston, Utah|Charleston]]
* [[Daniel, Utah|Daniel]]
* [[Hideout, Utah|Hideout]]
* [[Independence, Utah|Independence]]
* [[Interlaken, Utah|Interlaken]]
* [[Wallsburg, Utah|Wallsburg]]
{{div col end}}

==== Census-designated places ====
* [[Timber Lakes, Utah|Timber Lakes]]

==== Unincorporated communities ====
{{div col|colwidth=28em}}
* [[Center Creek, Utah|Center Creek]]
* Deer Mountain
* [[Mayflower, Utah|Mayflower]]
* [[Soldier Creek Estates, Utah|Soldier Creek Estates]]
* [[Soldier Summit, Utah|Soldier Summit]]
* Wildwood (part)
{{div col end}}

==References==
{{reflist|22em}}

==External links==
{{commons category-inline|Wasatch Back}}


{{Utah}}

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[[Category:Regions of Utah]]
[[Category:Wasatch Front]]
[[Category:Wasatch Range]]


{{Utah-geo-stub}}