Elevation:
7,000 feet (2,134 meters)
Population:
300
La Sal is an unrivaled outdoor playground offering recreation opportunities throughout the year. Dirt roads lead to some of the best camping in Utah.
The name of the town comes from the Sierra de la Sal, bestowed by Spanish traders as early as 1750 and referring to the snow capped peaks. Detailed information appears in the 1776 diary of Father Escalante's exploration of the area on the Dominguez/Escalante Expedition.
La Sal hosts the La Sal Mountain 5K Race in June, the Hike to Mt. Peale in July, and the La Sal Mountain Summer Festival in August. During the winter you can ski or snow-shoe on the mountain one day and hike the desert canyons the next. Popular day tours include Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Dead Horse Point State Park, Canyon Rims Recreation Area, Manti-La Sal National Forest, and Looking Glass Arch. Lodging, dining, and tours available.
The tiny town of La Sal is located on the flank of the La Sal Mountains at 7000 feet in elevation and is the northern most community in San Juan County. It is thirteen miles west of the Utah/Colorado border and forty-two miles north and east of Monticello via US 191 and Utah 46.
The area was first loosely settled by ranchers. It has survived uranium booms, oil and gas exploration. The 2010 US Census population was 395. La Sal supports a community center with a county library branch and maintains volunteer fire protection. City utilities are not available in La Sal; each property owner maintains a well and a septic tank.