2 Perfect Utah Photo Locations For The In Between Season

Winter self portrait at layton Bird refuge

This article was written in February 2026 and DANG it has been a weird winter! 

I love photoshoots in the beautiful snowy months of Utah but it has been hard to find snow this year anywhere but on a ski slope. The photoshoots don’t stop though! These are two of my favorite northern Utah photo spots that look great year round. These locations are perfect for when the mountains are grey and dead, before the vibrance of spring and summer. Enjoy!

Deer Creek Reservoir

Location 1

Deer Creek Reservoir

A favorite for Summer boating and swimming in Utah County, Deer creek is empty in the winter.

With great views of the lake and Mt. Timpanogos in the background, the shores of deer creek offer great photo opportunities

Where it is:
Deer Creek Reservoir sits just outside Heber City, about 45 minutes from Salt Lake City, along Highway 189 toward Provo Canyon.

Why it works when nothing else does:

Water is interesting no matter what! A beautiful reflection does not need green trees to look pretty. Also the rocky shores of the lake with the mountain backdrop create depth. The depth does not rely on any season specific conditions to work!

Location 2

Layton bird refuge

I love this spot! Especially in the winter! This is one of the few locations which actually look better dead. Let me explain. 

This spot revolves around board walks winding through tall grasses by the Great Salt Lake. In spring and early summer, the grasses are a bright green. They are beautiful but can lead the eye away from your subject in a photo. 

During the winter, the grasses are brown, providing an understated backdrop to help your subject shine. If you get lucky you can even catch the fields frosted over.

Where it is:
Layton Bird Refuge is located in Layton, just west of I-15 near the Great Salt Lake wetlands.

Good Luck

Winter photoshoots are so underrated, especially in northern Utah. Hopefully you can use these 2 spots next time you bring your camera out in the colder months!