What time is it anyway?

Most guests to BaseCamp 37° ask the same question shortly after arrival, "What time is it here?” Our guests know that they are still in Utah, but their phones keep going back and forth between two different times. So…. what gives?

BaseCamp37° is located just a few hundred meters from the 37th parallel, which divides Utah and Arizona (among other things) and their distinct time zones.

So, here’s the tea in time zones.

Arizona stays on Mountain Standard Time (MST) all year, so come early spring, they effectively join the Pacific Time Zone until late autumn. Here in Utah, we observe Daylight Savings Time, which means from early spring through fall, we are on Mountain Daylight Time (MDT). As confusing as this is, we have some good news. If you are confused about the time zones, first of all, you aren’t alone. We still get confused from time to time. Secondly, if you are planning a kayaking trip in Glen Canyon, taking an Antelope Canyon tour, or rushing back to catch your flight in Las Vegas, you will never be late if you mess up the time. The worst that can happen is you are an hour early for your tour or flight, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing!

Our tip: When you arrive at BaseCamp 37° make a quick adjustment on your phone to NOT automatically change time zones. Usually, these are set, by default, to change time zones automatically. You can put your phone on either Salt Lake City (MDT) or Phoenix (MST) — it’s totally up to you — but making that adjustment will ensure you know what time it is in Utah and Arizona.