Outdoors · Salt Lake City · United States
7 best outdoor things to do in Salt Lake City
Parks, viewpoints and open-air sights for the dry, bright days.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Bobjgalindo, CC BY-SA 4.0
Quick answer
Start with Little Cottonwood Canyon: Snowbird and Alta, Natural History Museum of Utah and Red Butte Garden. Together the 7 picks below take roughly 17–22 hours across 4 areas; 1 is free.
Key facts
- Places in this guide
- 7
- Free entry
- 1
- Time to see them all
- 17–22 hours
- Areas
- Cottonwood Canyons, University and East Bench and 9th and 9th
Outdoors in Salt Lake City
Nature · Cottonwood Canyons
1.Little Cottonwood Canyon: Snowbird and Alta
In winter, check road conditions before driving; the canyon road can close for avalanche control and requires suitable tyres in storms. Ski buses run from the valley.
- Time needed
- Full day
- Cost
- Expensive
- Iconic
- Active
- Views
- Outdoors
- Nature
Museum · University and East Bench
2.Natural History Museum of Utah
Combine it with Red Butte Garden next door; both have hillside views.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Rainy day
- Nature
- History
Garden · University and East Bench
3.Red Butte Garden
Visit in April or May for bulbs and wildflowers, and walk the upper natural-area trails for valley views.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Outdoors
- Couples
- Nature
- Kids
Historic site · University and East Bench
4.This Is the Place Heritage Park
Visit in summer when the village is most active; the monument area alone is a quick stop.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- History
- Outdoors
Zoo · 9th and 9th
5.Tracy Aviary
Combine it with a picnic in Liberty Park and a walk to 9th and 9th for coffee.
- Time needed
- 1.5–2 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Zoo · University and East Bench
6.Utah's Hogle Zoo
Visit in the morning in summer, when animals are more active and the hillside is cooler.
- Time needed
- 3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Kids
- Nature
- Outdoors
Garden · Central City
7.Gilgal Sculpture Garden
The entrance is a narrow walkway off 500 South between 700 East and 800 East; it is easy to miss.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Free
- Free
- Art
- Off the beaten path
- Outdoors
Grouped by area
| Area | Places | Time needed |
|---|---|---|
| Cottonwood Canyons | Little Cottonwood Canyon: Snowbird and Alta | Full day |
| University and East Bench | Natural History Museum of Utah, Red Butte Garden, This Is the Place Heritage Park and Utah's Hogle Zoo | 2–3 hours + 1.5–2 hours + 2–3 hours + 3 hours |
| 9th and 9th | Tracy Aviary | 1.5–2 hours |
| Central City | Gilgal Sculpture Garden | 30 minutes |
Booking and timing
Of these 7, 1 free, 5 mid-priced, 1 expensive. None needs booking far in advance. The longest visit is Little Cottonwood Canyon: Snowbird and Alta; group the rest by area to save travel time.
How to fit them into 5 half-days
Grouped by area and kept to about four hours each, so you walk more than you ride.
- Half-day 1 (Cottonwood Canyons): Little Cottonwood Canyon: Snowbird and Alta, at least 6 hours.
- Half-day 2 (University and East Bench): Natural History Museum of Utah → Red Butte Garden, at least 4 hours.
- Half-day 3 (University and East Bench): This Is the Place Heritage Park, at least 2 hours.
- Half-day 4 (University and East Bench): Utah's Hogle Zoo, at least 3 hours.
- Half-day 5 (9th and 9th and Central City): Tracy Aviary → Gilgal Sculpture Garden, at least 2 hours.
The best months to be outside
- September: highs of 27°C (81°F), about 5 rainy days, moderate crowds. Warm days and cooler nights; canyon aspens begin to turn late in the month.
- June: highs of 29°C (84°F), about 5 rainy days, busy crowds. Warm and dry; festivals begin and mountain trails start to open.
- May: highs of 22°C (72°F), about 8 rainy days, moderate crowds. Green foothills, gardens in bloom and pleasant hiking weather; higher trails are still snowy.
The neighbourhoods they are in
- 9th and 9th — Small neighbourhood crossroads of cafés, bookshops and boutiques
- University and East Bench — University of Utah campus and foothill museums with valley views
- Cottonwood Canyons — Ski villages of Alta, Snowbird, Brighton and Solitude in the Wasatch
More of Salt Lake City
All things to do in Salt Lake City · Where to stay · When to go.
Questions travellers ask
+Where should I start in Salt Lake City?
Little Cottonwood Canyon: Snowbird and Alta. A glacier-carved canyon about 40 minutes from downtown with two of the country's best-known ski areas: Snowbird, whose aerial tram climbs to Hidden Peak at about 3,350 metres, and Alta, open to skiers only.
+Which of these are free in Salt Lake City?
Gilgal Sculpture Garden.