Best outdoor activities near SLC.
Five ski resorts within 40 minutes. World-class hiking from city limits. The Great Salt Lake in your backyard. SLC is an outdoor lover's paradise.
Top outdoor activities near SLC
6 picksHiking the Bonneville Shoreline Trail
A network of trails running along the ancient shoreline of Lake Bonneville, offering sweeping views of the Salt Lake Valley with trailheads accessible right from the city.
Views of the valley right from the citySkiing at Alta Ski Area
Alta is a skier-only resort (no snowboarders) beloved for its legendary powder and old-school mountain culture. The Greatest Snow on Earth falls consistently here.
World-famous Utah powderGreat Salt Lake State Park
The Great Salt Lake is one of the largest saltwater lakes in the Western Hemisphere. Visit for birdwatching, sunset views, and the surreal experience of floating effortlessly in hypersaline water.
Float in hypersaline waterRed Butte Garden
A 100-acre botanical garden on the University of Utah campus with manicured gardens, wild hillside trails, and a beloved summer concert series.
Gardens + summer concertsMillcreek Canyon
One of the most accessible canyons from the city, Millcreek offers excellent hiking and mountain biking from spring through fall, plus cross-country skiing in winter.
Year-round access from the cityJordan River Parkway
A 40-mile trail running the length of the Salt Lake Valley along the Jordan River, ideal for cycling, jogging, birding, and family outings.
45-mile urban trail systemSalt Lake City: outdoor capital of the West
Salt Lake City's location at the foot of the Wasatch Range creates a rare combination: a sophisticated, growing city with world-class outdoor recreation literally minutes from downtown. The city's unofficial motto, "5 ski resorts, 5 months of summer," undersells the reality — there's genuinely something to do outside year-round.
The Bonneville Shoreline Trail, which follows the ancient shoreline of prehistoric Lake Bonneville at elevations of 4,500–5,000 feet, gives urban hikers and trail runners miles of quality terrain accessible from dozens of city trailheads. No car required from most SLC neighborhoods.
For visitors, the sweet spot is combining a city hotel stay with easy day trips to the ski resorts or canyons. UDOT's free UTA ski bus service eliminates the parking headache on powder days. On summer weekdays, the canyon roads and trailheads are remarkably uncrowded compared to similar access in Vail or Aspen.
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