Things to do in Boulder, Utah: Part II

The other day I told you about my trip to Boulder, Utah, and I told you that there were three things to do in Boulder. The first was to experience the amazing natural surroundings.

The second and third things to do are stay at the Boulder Mountain Lodge and eat (as many meals as you possibly can) at Hell's Backbone Grill.

There's no doubting why Outside Traveler magazine named Boulder Mountain Lodge one of the top ten adventure lodges in the world. It's gorgeous. From the red stucco and sandstone blocks and pitched rusted metal roofs of the lodge, to the 15-acre bird sanctuary and gorgeous grounds, this place is just fantastic.

And the restaurant. Oh, man. The restaurant. Hell's Backbone Grill takes this whole "farm-to-table" thing pretty seriously. They grow their produce--all 6,000 pounds annually--in their own organic garden, and they get all of their grass-fed and finished beef and lamb from ranchers in their immediate area. If it ain't local, it ain't on the menu.

And the menu. Oh, man. The menu. There's a reason the restaurant has one of the highest Zagat ratings in Utah. The menu changes based on what's available, but everything is amazing. Like their "dark magic gingerbread," a brownie like concoction with the perfect amount of ginger served warm with caramel sauce and whipped cream. I bought their cookbook, With a Measure of Grace, so once I have time to cook again, I'll share some recipes with you. In the meantime, check out their website for a few sample recipes.

(I was a dork and didn't take any of my own photos, so the ones shown here are from the lodge website.)