Paragliding & Hang Gliding

What Draws Visitors To Flight Park State Recreation Area at the Point of the Mountain

After drawing pilots for training during World War I, the steep pitch of the hill was discovered by motorcyclists. Between 1963 and 1988, bikers gathered from around the world to compete in The Widowmaker Hill Climb. At the event, motorcyclists competed to climb Steep Mountain as thousands of spectators watched. Over the years, the event grew too large, and was eventually cancelled due to developmental pressures and environmental concerns.

In the fall of 1988, a hang glider brought some paragliding gear from England and showed interested pilots how to use it, and then left his gear with Terry Hawkins, a local hang glider pilot. When the wind wasn’t blowing just right for hang gliding, Hawkins and his friends would play with the “parapanties.” 

As the population in the area grew, the gravel pit near the flight area expanded to meet demand, and pressure from developers threatened the south side of Point of the Mountain. About half a dozen land owners worked with state and Salt Lake County officials to swap land and resources so that the south side could be managed by one owner. After more than three years of negotiations, in 2006 the south side of the mountain was designated as a state park, while the north side became a Salt Lake County park.