Fan-Favorite SLC Hiking Areas
Bonneville Shoreline Trail: Five Miles from Downtown
Hiking in Salt Lake is easy, given the miles of the Bonneville Shoreline Trail system (BST) that line the city. This ancient shoreline — which once sat under a vast freshwater lake thousands of years ago — is now a rolling network of trails just minutes from downtown. Several trailheads to BST are accessible within minutes of downtown, including City Creek Canyon, just three blocks from the city center. Hikers, trail runners, mountain bikers and folks with dogs on leashes share the shoreline, either sticking to the benches that run parallel to the valley or taking spurs up nearby trails and mountains, including the popular Ensign Peak or Living Room.
Millcreek Canyon: Accessible Alpine Forests
Millcreek Canyon’s easy accessibility and cooler summer temperatures make it a locals’ favorite for Salt Lake City hiking, mountain biking and trail running. The 5-mile Dog Lake trail is an easy 2.5-hour round trip. Desolation Overlook, with its view down Millcreek Canyon into the Salt Lake Valley, offers a scenic conclusion with views of the valley.
The canyon always welcomes dogs. On odd-numbered days, they may run off-leash under the owner's control. For mountain bikers, even-numbered days in Millcreek Canyon are all about the downhill. Access the Wasatch Crest from Big Cottonwood or Park City and be rewarded with endless alpine views and some excellent single-track into Millcreek.
Cottonwood Canyons: Lakes, Waterfalls and Serious Vert
Thirty minutes from Salt Lake City International Airport and downtown Salt Lake, Little Cottonwood and Big Cottonwood canyons are one-stop destinations for Utah skiing at Alta, Snowbird, Brighton and Solitude. In the summer, the Cottonwood Canyons are safe havens for incredible climbing, bouldering, hiking among wildflowers, trail running, mountain biking and some of the best lake hikes near Salt Lake City. Filled with great vistas, alpine lakes, moose and wildflowers, these canyons hold dozens of hikes among Salt Lake City’s best. Check out a starter option:
- Maybird Lakes (Little Cottonwood Canyon): 7.8 miles. Maybird Lakes (there are three) sit at the top of Maybird Gulch at the base of the Pfeifferhorn, which towers 11,326 feet above. The trail takes you to the middle lake, where you can enjoy the surrounding effects of a steep gulch and a high-mountain lake.
- Mount Raymond (Big Cottonwood Canyon): 7.8 miles. This hike offers lush aspen forests, open views up Big Cottonwood Canyon, fun rock scrambling, 360-degree summit views, and the challenge of a vertical climb combined with strolling through an aspen grove. It’s a winning combination that takes you to a 10,241-foot peak.
- Wasatch Crest Trail (Big Cottonwood Canyon to Millcreek Canyon): 12.5 miles (car shuttle required). The Wasatch Crest trail is a daylong adventure filled with five-star scenery, dizzying heights and unparalleled vantage points. July and into August, wildflowers add color to the alpine trailside, and the path into Millcreek Canyon provides a beautiful, green, packed trail through the trees.
Views from Antelope Island State Park.
Photo: Utah State Parks
Views of the Great Salt Lake
The Great Salt Lake can be seen in the distance of many of these Salt Lake hiking trails, but a visit to Antelope Island State Park or other northern destinations affords some of the best views of this giant remnant of an even more gigantic prehistoric lake.
- Frary Peak (Antelope Island): 6.6 miles. Frary Peak is the highest point on Antelope Island — a thoroughly original state park that sits in the Great Salt Lake (second saltiest body of water in the world) west of Salt Lake City.
- Mueller Park to Elephant Rock (Bountiful): 7 miles. Mueller Park is popular and used by mountain bikers, families, dog walkers, and trail runners as well as hikers. Elephant Rock has a bench perfectly situated for watching the sunset over the Great Salt Lake.
Start planning today to personalize your Utah outdoor adventure with these fantastic hikes near Salt Lake City.
Easy SLC Hikes
Not every Salt Lake City hike requires a full day or thousands of feet of elevation gain. These trails offer big views with a manageable effort, perfect for visitors short on time or hikers just getting started.
Ensign Peak: 1.4 miles round-trip. A quick foothill climb above the State Capitol with sweeping views of downtown, the Great Salt Lake and the Oquirrh Mountains.
Living Room: 2.7 miles round-trip. A short, moderately steep trail above the University of Utah that ends at a collection of rock "furniture" with panoramic valley views, especially popular at sunset.
Willow Lake (Big Cottonwood Canyon): 1.5 miles round-trip. A shaded, mostly flat walk through an aspen forest to a quiet lake, best in fall when the leaves turn gold.
Photo: Jay Dash
Photo: Austen Diamond/Visit Salt Lake
Lake Hikes Near SLC
The Wasatch Mountains hide dozens of alpine lakes within an hour of downtown, fed by snowmelt and tucked beneath granite peaks. These hikes trade valley views for high-altitude payoffs.
Lake Blanche (Big Cottonwood Canyon): 7 miles round-trip. A steep, sustained climb rewards hikers with a dramatic alpine lake framed by Sundial Peak and the red rock walls of Twin Peaks Wilderness.
Cecret Lake (Albion Basin): 1.8 miles round-trip. A short, family-friendly hike known for summer wildflowers and the occasional moose sighting. Swimming isn't allowed, as the lake feeds the city's watershed.
Red Pine Lake (Little Cottonwood Canyon): 7.5 miles round-trip. A scenic alpine basin reached by a steady climb, with the option to continue on to the Upper Red Pine Lakes for those craving more.
Dog-Friendly Hikes
Salt Lake City welcomes leashed dogs on most trails, and several canyons offer off-leash days for pups who are ready to roam. From paved urban paths to alpine climbs, there's a dog-friendly option for every energy level.
City Creek Canyon: Up to 6 miles. Just three blocks from downtown, this paved trail follows the creek through a shaded canyon and is an easy way to give a city dog some trail time before heading back to the hotel.
Dog Lake (Big Cottonwood Canyon): 5.2 miles round-trip. The name says it all. A moderate climb through the forest leads to an alpine lake where dogs can cool off, and hikers can soak in the views. Dogs may run off-leash on odd-numbered days.
Ferguson Canyon to Upper Meadow: 4.8 miles. A forested climb past granite cliffs and groves of Gambel oak and aspen, with a creek alongside the trail for thirsty pups.
Featured Salt Lake Hiking Trails
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City Creek to Dry Creek
Information on hiking in Salt Lake City, Utah. Get City Creek to Dry Creek hike trail info, maps and resources.
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Emigration Canyon Road Cycling and Miner's Trail
Information on hiking and road cycling in Salt Lake City, Utah. Get Emigration Canyon Road Cycling and Miner's Trail hike info, maps and resources.
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Ensign Peak
Looking out across the land, it’s easy to see why this was the spot Brigham and his cohort chose to make their early plans. It is possible to see to the valley’s southern terminus, known as Point of the Mountain, and to where the Great Salt Lake and Oquirrh Mountain Range mark the western boundary.
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Hiking City Creek Canyon
When Salt Lakers boast of Utah’s closeness to the mountains, City Creek Canyon is top of mind.
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Millcreek Canyon's Desolation Overlook
Next to City Creek, Millcreek is Salt Lake’s most well-trafficked urban canyon, entrance requires a small fee but the canyon accesses some of Salt Lake’s best trails and is a lovely scenic drive in and of itself. The Desolation Overlook trailhead is easy to find.
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Mount Olympus
If Salt Lake City hikers were all in a college fraternity, Mount Olympus would be considered a hazing ritual. This hike is no joke — a quad-wrenching climb of nearly 4,800 feet in elevation over 3.3 miles.
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Road Cycling City Creek Canyon
One of Utah’s best biking roads runs the length of City Creek Canyon. This moderate road bike trail offers cyclists a scenic SLC ride through a nature preserve.
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The Living Room
This relatively steep but short hike to a perch on the foothills above the Natural History Museum of Utah is uniquely rewarding with both the quick workout and panoramic view of the Salt Lake Valley.
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Snowshoeing the Wasatch
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Hike + Dine: Salt Lake City
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8 Utah Hikes for Leaf Peeping and Natural Splendor
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Digging Salt Lake City for 48 Hours
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