Looking for the best hikes in Salt Lake City? Here are some of the best and most scenic hikes near Salt Lake City, ranging from just 1 mile long, to up to 8 miles long roundtrip.

1. Bloods Lake to Clayton Peak Hike

Even though we didn’t make it to the tip top of Clayton’s Peak (there are some pretty sketchy boulders for the last 500 feet and we hit some bad weather) the view on this hike was breathtaking. There is transit to the Bloods Lake trailhead and a few others since parking fills up early. Visit UtahOpenLands.org to learn more about public transit. We decided to wait in line for parking and it was only about 30 minutes.

Trail Stats:

• Distance: 5.3 miles
• Starting Elevation: 9,219 ft
• Elevation Gain: 1,650 ft

2. Red Pine Lake and Gloria Falls Hike

This out-and-back has a significant elevation gain, but is varied and beautiful. You can even see down to Salt Lake City from portions of the trail. At the top, you’re rewarded with a beautiful and serene lake. In early August we still saw tons of wildflowers. Gloria Falls is only about a quarter mile round trip off the main path and worth seeing. A lot of people just went to Gloria Falls, so the crowd lessened after the Gloria Falls turnoff about a mile in.

Trail Stats:

• Distance: 7.7 miles
• Starting Elevation: 7,714 ft
• Elevation Gain: 2,288 ft

3. Stewart Cascade Trail #056 Hike

About an hour from Salt Lake City is the Stewart Cascade Trail. This is a heavily trafficked out & back which leads you to Stewart Falls, a two-tiered waterfall. When you hit the rock vista (which seems like the end), stand on the rock and turn away from the falls and you’ll see where the trail continues.

Trail Stats:

• Distance: 3.5 Miles
• Starting Elevation: 6,800 ft
• Elevation Gain: 652 ft

4. Ensign Peak Hike

This short hike is best at the end of the day, so you can watch the sunset over the Great Salt Lake, while getting a great view of the city and the Wasatch Mountains. This is a popular place to end the day, so get there early for parking and to give yourself time for the walk up. If you’re not used to the elevation, it might take you a little longer than usual.

Trail Stats:

• Distance: 1 mile
• Starting Elevation: 5,367 ft
• Elevation Gain: 374 ft

Looking for other outdoor activities in Northern Utah? Check out my post on the 12 Best Things to Do in Park City, Utah in the Summer.

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Things to know before you go:

• Free public transit can get you around pretty well in Park City, but for many things on this list, you’ll need a car.
• Drink a lot of water while you adjust to this high elevation!

1. Stop by the Park City Visitor Center

This isn’t normally my first recommendation in a new city, but this was a great Visitor Center. Stop here for the most up-to-date information on local events and things to do while you’re there. I was told about things I would have never found on my own, and if you want to live more like a local while you’re there, here’s your chance.

2. Ride E-Bikes with Summit Ride Share

There are over 200 E-Bikes around the city and miles of beautiful paved trails. With an annual, monthly, or per ride option, there are affordable options for everyone. We visited Park City for two weeks, so if I had a do-over, I would have gotten the month long pass the day we arrived so we could ride bikes whenever we wanted. Learn more at the Summit Bike Share website. If you don’t love the idea of a public ride share, there are tons of e-bike rental places in Park City, all around $70 for a half day per bike. On a sunny day, this is a great thing to do in Park City, Utah.

3. Enjoy Free Music

Park City is full of live music. It is actually impressive how many shows are put on and how many people come out for them. Bring some lawn chairs or a blanket to sit on and enjoy some free music. You can see a full schedule at mountaintownmusic.org.

4. Visit Utah Olympic Park

Whether you’re here for the adrenaline rush, views of Park City from the mountain, or to brush up on your Olympic History, you won’t be disappointed. This was easily one of my favorite things to do in Park City and went up there multiple times in our two weeks there. Park City, Utah was the host of the 2002 Winter Olympics, and have since repurposed the area to include a museum, Olympic training center, and activity park with ziplines, tubing, alpine slides, ropes courses, airbag jumps, and more. We had SO much fun here!

The museum is free and there are usually people training for the Olympic Freestyle which are free to attend. Seeing where the Olympics took place is cool…it was so much larger than I was expecting – watching it on TV will definitely be different in the future.

5. Watch the Flying Ace All-Star Show

Every Friday and Saturday, mid-June through Labor Day Weekend, you can catch the Flying Ace All-Star’s Show (not free) at Utah Olympic Park. Learn More on the Flying Ace Website.

6. Shop at the Outlets

There are endless shopping options in Park City. The best souvenir store I’ve come across is Park City Souvenir Co. on N. Landmark Drive in the Outlets. Reasonable prices and a great selection. But you can get some great shopping done in the Kimball Junction Area, Park City Outlets, or Historic Downtown.

7. Visit Historic Downtown

Visiting Historic Downtown Park City is a nice thing to do. Grab an ice cream from Java Cow, an eclectic desserts shop, head to Dolly’s Bookstore tucked behind Rocky Mountain Java Company, get some great food, and see a play at the Egyptian Theater. The Park City Museum also does Walking Tours June through September, once per day at 2pm (weather permitting).

8. Hike the Wasatch Mountains

I love AllTrails, but had a hard time finding good hiking trails (not nature paths) in the area. Mountain Trails Foundation (mountaintrails.org) had some great recommendations. This is one of the best things to do in the area in my opinion!

Bloods Lake to Clayton Peak: Even though we didn’t make it to the top of this one (there are some pretty sketchy boulders at the top and we hit some bad weather) the view was breathtaking. Check it out on All Trails. There is transit to this trailhead and a few others since parking fills up early. Visit UtahOpenLands.org to learn more.

Red Pine Lake and Gloria Falls: This was a little longer of a hike, but varied and beautiful. You can even see down to Salt Lake City from portions of the trail. Check it out on All Trails

9. Swim in the Utah Crater

In a nearby city called Midway, you can swim in the Utah Crater at Homestead Farm all year long with its 90 degree water. Reservations and tickets are required. Learn more at UtahCrater.com

10. Take a Scenic Drive

I love taking a scenic drive, but that’s not always first on the list for my travel companions. Sneak in a scenic drive by choosing a hike or city to visit that will require you to make this drive! We ended up on Guardsman Pass by chance and it was a happy and breathtaking accident. Here’s a guide from The City of Park City to all of the Scenic Drives.

11. Visit Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City has so much to offer! Only 20-45 minutes away from Park City (depending on where you’re staying and where you’re going), a day in Salt Lake City is a must-do. Sunset spots, tons of religious history, prohibition-era bars, great food, an indoor-outdoor mall, and more.

12. Make the Drive to Wyoming

I love checking a state off the list. Evanston, WY is only an hour away and you pass through some amazing red rocks in the Henefer-Echo Wildlife Management Area. I’m not going to tell you that Evanston was the most amazing place I have ever visited, but cool to see a little bit of this state if you’re looking for something to do and want a picture in front of a Wyoming sign.

Other Notes

I’m from California, so am always surprised to learn about the different alcohol restrictions in each state. In Utah (at least this part) you can buy only buy beer and non-alcoholic wine from the grocery store. Beer with an ABV of 5% or less can be purchased to-go from local breweries. If the brewery brewed it onsite, you can get full-strength IPAs. Wine and hard liquor need to be purchased from a DABS Utah State Liquor Store. Otherwise, most restaurants and bars can sell alcohol for you to consume onsite.

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