Why go
City Creek Canyon and Red Butte Garden make outdoor time easy to combine with a city visit. The Great Salt Lake and Antelope Island shift the focus to open water, birds and bison. Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons offer a mountain alternative, especially for skiing when conditions allow.
The full story
Salt Lake City sits between the Great Salt Lake to the northwest and the Wasatch Mountains to the east. That geography changes the kind of outing you can choose. City Creek Canyon offers a canyon walk near the urban center, while Red Butte Garden has cultivated paths for a more contained visit. At the lake, Antelope Island brings bird habitat and bison into view; it works better as a separate excursion than as a quick stop between downtown sights. In the mountains, Brighton and Solitude are in Big Cottonwood Canyon, while Snowbird and Alta are in Little Cottonwood Canyon. Park City lies beyond Parley’s Canyon and was a major skiing and snowboarding venue during the 2002 Winter Olympics. Choose the landscape first, then check current access and conditions for the specific place.
Useful to know
- Fit City Creek Canyon or Red Butte Garden into a city day; allow a separate outing for the Great Salt Lake and Antelope Island.
- Before a canyon ski trip, check current resort, road and weather conditions.
- Check current trail and entry information for City Creek Canyon, Red Butte Garden or Antelope Island before setting out.