9 Fun Outdoor Activities in Salt Lake City, Utah (+ Nearby)

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Salt Lake City is a great jumping off point for adventures all over Utah, but there are plenty of fun outdoor activities in SLC itself and within driving distance.

I visited in mid-April, so I got to experience some of what there is to do in the warmer months, plus a bit of late winter activities in the mountains.

Highlights include: strolling through beautiful botanical gardens, bobsledding on an Olympic track, and hiking to catch panoramic views above the city.

Whether you’re looking to simply get outside to enjoy the weather or you want an adrenaline rush, this list has you covered with both easygoing and more adventurous outdoor activities. Keep reading for some fun ways to get outside in Salt Lake throughout the year (besides skiing).

Disclosure: I was hosted at Red Butte Garden and Olympic Park by Visit Utah and Visit Park City during the Women in Travel Summit. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Outdoor Activities in Salt Lake City

🌷 Visit the Botanical Gardens

Overview: Scenic garden overlooking the city with conservation education, a network of hiking trails, and a summer concert series

The brick entrance sign for Red Butte Garden & Arboretum with greenery and yellow flowers in the foreground.

Located on top of a hill on the outskirts of the city, Red Butte Garden is a beautiful spot to enjoy nature just 10 minutes from downtown.

Not only do you get a great view of the valley, city, Great Salt Lake, and mountains, there are also 21 acres of gardens and five miles of hiking trails. This is the largest botanic garden in Utah and one of the largest in the Intermountain West.

I loved hearing from our guide, Kristin, as we walked through several areas of the garden on a warm spring morning.

A cluster of backlit yellow daffodils in the foreground with a blurred hilly landscape in the background.

Reddish brown stairs with metal railings leading up to a scenic view of green hills and trees in bloom, including a bright yellow flowering bush and a sign reading "Water Conservation Garden."

Close-up of a group of purple hyacinth flowers in bloom, with green foliage and a blurred garden in the background.

At Red Butte, she said they aim to connect people with plants so they understand the importance of conservation and protecting natural areas. There’s even a water conservation garden where they educate visitors about low water use gardening–especially important since Utah is struggling with drought. “We want to show also that it’s beautiful,” she told us as we climbed the rounded staircase. “It’s not just cactus and rocks.”

There are other things you can do at Red Butte apart from exploring the various gardens.

In the summer, they host an outdoor concert series with guests like Blues Traveler, Melissa Etheridge, and Gipsy Kings (don’t mind me while I book a return trip to catch this concert).

Red Butte Garden Info

Hours: 9 AM–9 PM during the summer // Shorter hours on summer concert days and during off season
Cost: $8 children // $14–$16 adults
Tours: Complimentary tram tours // Private tours available with advance booking for a fee
Details: Plan your visit here

Tip: Planning to visit multiple attractions in Salt Lake City? You may be able to save money with the Salt Lake City Specialties Pass or Salt Lake 365 Day Connect Pass!

📷 Hike to Great Views of Salt Lake City

Overview: Short but steep hike to panoramic views of the city

Panoramic view from above of Salt Lake City with a blue sky with a few soft clouds, showing the sprawling urban landscape, surrounding greenery, and snow-covered mountains in the distance.

The views of mountains that surround Salt Lake City are one of the things that make this city so remarkable.

But even cooler? There are elevated spots on the outskirts of the city where you get panoramic views of the valley and the mountains that surround it.

A short but steep hike that’s worth the effort is Ensign Peak.

Tip: If you’re not used to high elevations, remember that Salt Lake City is at more than 4,200 feet above sea level, and this makes hiking more challenging. Remember sunscreen, plenty of water, and rest!

To get there, drive up the hillsides in residential neighborhoods until you reach the Ensign Peak trailhead on Ensign Vista Drive. There’s a sign that says “Ensign Peak Nature Park” and some staircases that you can’t miss. The trail starts off paved and not too steep, and there is an overlook almost immediately into the hike.

But the real views come from hiking up the steep, unpaved trail to the top.

Ensign Peak is pretty popular, but it wasn’t overly crowded when I went around sunset in early April. You should be in decent physical shape for this hike, but it’s not extremely challenging.

Ensign Peak Info

Distance: 1 mile (each way)
Difficulty: Moderate
Hours: 5 AM–10 PM
Cost: Free
Parking: Free on-street (please be respectful of residents as though this were your neighborhood)
Dogs Allowed: Yes, on leash (please clean up!)
Bathrooms: No
Trailhead Location: Ensign Vista Drive
➡️ View trail map and recent reviews on AllTrails

Another popular option is Bonneville Shoreline Trail (BST), which is not a singular hike but a very long trail (100 miles and will eventually be 280 miles).

The BST weaves around the hillsides surrounding the city and beyond. As such, there are numerous BST trailheads and length options. I didn’t get to hike any portions of this myself, but I saw some trailheads and trails as I was exploring the city.

While I was visiting Red Butte Garden, our guide mentioned that there are connection points to the Bonneville Shoreline Trail from the garden, so it’s a good way for people to experience the trail for the first time or if they’re traveling alone.

Find out more about the BST here. For BST trailheads, I recommend searching on Google Maps and AllTrails for locations and reviews.

I created a short AllTrails list with Ensign Peak and a few BST trail options. (Please check difficulty level, details, and recent reviews for trail conditions.) 🥾 Check out the trails on AllTrails here.

🚶🏽‍♀️ Enjoy a Walking Tour

Overview: A fun way to explore Salt Lake City history and food, great for both locals and visitors

The exterior of Tony Caputo's Market & Deli in Salt Lake City, a brick building with a large red sign, blue railings leading up a ramp entrance, and a rainbow flag displayed near the entrance. — *The SLC Bites & Sites Tour kicks off with an overview at Caputo’s*

While this is not a nature-focused activity, it is a good way to get outside year round.

Taking a walking tour gives you a great introduction to Salt Lake City’s history and slows you down to really notice details you may miss otherwise.

On one of the tours I went on, there were a few locals who were familiar with the sights and major storylines of the city, but they were surprised by many of the things our guide shared and all the little details they never noticed before.

If you’re just visiting, I recommend scheduling a small group tour at the beginning of your trip to orient yourself to the city.

I took two walking tours focused on food and drinks and would recommend both: Whiskey and History, and SLC Bites and Sites. Read about these Salt Lake City foodie experiences here.

🏞️ Have a Picnic in the Park

Overview: Beautiful green space and mountain views at Salt Lake City’s largest park

There are a number of beautiful city parks to enjoy a leisurely stroll or even have a picnic.

For 110 acres of sprawling green space and a stunning mountain backdrop, head to Sugar House Park. Located in the Sugar House Neighborhood in the southern part of the city, this is the largest park in Salt Lake City.

Here you can head out for a walk on the pedestrian path, let your kids get their energy out on the playground, or bring takeout lunch from Caputo’s for a picnic under the pavilion.

It was still pretty chilly when I visited in early April, so I didn’t get to explore as much as I would have liked to, but I can definitely recommend it if you’re looking for a beautiful picnic spot.

🎨 Explore Outdoor Art

Overview: Discover vibrant murals and sculptures throughout Salt Lake (three guided maps)

A vibrant mural in Salt Lake City on a building wall depicting diverse women with varying skin tones and hairstyles, set against a colorful backdrop. — *Foreground mural: Still We Rise by Kyeisha Selway Chandanasiri* *(IG @kyeishacreates*)

The murals and art installations around Salt Lake range from the bronze statue Petunia the Pig to colorful portraits in a huge Rock Legends mural to classic books painted on a brick wall (Book Shelf).

Hop on a scooter downtown and search for the coolest murals, meander around on foot, or take a drive to explore more areas of the city and surrounding towns.

You can simply wander to see what you find, but it’s easy to miss some of the best ones! I saw a few awesome murals as I was driving around different parts of the city, and honestly wish I had stopped to photograph them.

Mural of large, painted book spines on a brick wall, featuring the titles "Gravity's Rainbow," "Roughing It," "The Wizard of Oz," "Winnie the Pooh," "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone," "The Cat in the Hat," "A Gentle Madness," and "Cage: Silence."

Mural of large, painted book spines on a brick wall, the the titles "The Blessing Way," "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac, "The Grapes of Wrath," "The Giant Joshua," "Refuge" by Terry Tempest Williams, "The Invention of Solitude" by Paul Aster, and "Howl" by Allen Ginsberg.

Book Shelf mural by Paul Heath

If you’re looking for a guided way to explore the murals, here are three helpful resources:

Visit Salt Lake has a map of nine murals around Salt Lake (which includes surrounding towns in the valley) on their “West of Conventional” Mural Tour. Note: one of the murals had an incorrect location on their map. Renewed Spring is actually located at The Shops at Southtown in Sandy, Utah.
And THE BLOCKS, an organization dedicated to promoting the arts in Salt Lake City, has many art and mural locations mapped out with artist backgrounds, behind-the-scenes videos, and more. Note: I couldn’t get the Liiingo app to work on my phone, but I was able to access the Salt Lake City mural map on the website.
If you want to know where ALL the murals are, check out the SLC Mural Map on Google Maps created by Bryant Heath. And follow along on his IG account (@slsees) for more unusual SLC sights.

Bonus: Stop by Gilgal Sculpture Garden for a cozy retreat where you can admire sculptures, or International Peace Gardens for a quiet park to wander.

🌸 See the Cherry Blossoms at Capitol Hill (April)

Overview: Hundreds of cherry trees surround the Capitol building, picturesque and uncrowded at sunrise

The Utah State Capitol building surrounded by blossoming cherry trees under a clear blue sky.

The cherry trees surrounding the state Capitol building burst into a beautiful display of soft pink blooms in early- to mid-April.

This is an easy and free outdoor activity in Salt Lake City if you happen to be there at the right time of year.

There are a fair amount of parking spots around the perimeter of the grounds.

Cherry blossoms in full bloom on a branch with a background of more blossoms and a clear blue sky.

If you want to avoid crowds, I recommend visiting around sunrise. Not only is the morning glow beautiful for photos, there are far less people than during the day. (I drove by numerous times throughout my trip and saw quite a lot of people at other times of day.)

If crowds don’t bother you, go anytime! You could even take a picnic and hang out on the lawn if the weather is nice.

Aerial view looking straight down at a cherry blossom-lined pathway in Salt Lake City, showing people walking and the long shadows of trees on the ground.

A gravel pathway lined with light pink cherry blossom trees in full bloom.

Outdoor Activities near Salt Lake City

🏔️ Capture Golden Hour Photos at the Bonneville Salt Flats

Overview: Stunning photography location just 1.5 hours from Salt Lake City

Panoramic view of the glassy surface at Bonneville Salt Flats with mountains and puffy clouds in the distance and the sky reflecting on the flat surface.

The main highlight of driving out to the Bonneville Salt Flats is capturing gorgeous photos. While visiting the salt flats isn’t really an outdoor adventure, it’s a nice way to experience a sliver of Utah’s awe-inspiring nature.

The drive itself is beautiful, as you escape the city on a wide open highway—a vast landscape ever-changing around you and mountains in practically every direction.

It’s worth the trip, especially if (like myself) you haven’t been to salt flats before.

While this isn’t an all-out guide to visiting the salt flats, I’ll add a few tips and notes of my own.

Basic info on visiting the salt flats:

It’s a 1.5-hour drive from Salt Lake City.
Best time to go is sunrise or sunset (I went at sunset).
Your destination is a rest area off I-80 (Salt Flats Rest Area Westbound*).
The flats may be totally dry, or they could have some water on them like they did when I visited. See my tips below for visiting when there’s water.

People and horses on the Bonneville Salt Flats at sunset, with the sky displaying hues of orange and purple.

Two salt-encrusted rocks on the reflective surface of the Bonneville Salt Flats with a blue sky and clouds in the background.

Visiting the salt flats when there is water

When I showed up and there was water on the salt flats, I was disappointed but determined to get beautiful photos. Snapping away, I just kept wishing I could get out onto the salt flats to capture those epic shots I had in my head.

A photographer showed up with girls on horses. I didn’t really see where they crossed, but they had clearly walked across onto the dry area, so I decided to suck it up and do it as well.

I ended up taking my shoes and socks off and walking through the shallow water (a few inches deep) to get farther out onto the flats. This was not only painful on my feet, but then I had to put my salty wet feet into my sneakers.

(The photos and footage were worth it!)

I also very carefully set my heavy duty camera bag down on the salt flats, but this was not ideal and it thoroughly stressed me out that salty moisture might be getting onto my bag and potentially my gear. (Seriously, don’t do this.)

The reflective white surface of the Bonneville Salt Flats stretching into the distance and mountains in the background under a bright blue sky with puffy clouds.

Items to take to the salt flats

All that being said, I wish I had a few extra items with me:

Large towels, rain jacket, or something to set my camera bag onto
Large bottle of water to moisten cloths for cleaning gear and to rinse my feet
Cleaning cloths to gently wipe my camera gear and small towels for drying
Teva strap-on sandals, flip flops, or at least extra socks

I ended up keeping my socks dry, then driving to the gas station afterwards to get more water for rinsing.

Interestingly, I talked with some people who went to the flats just five days after I did, and they said it was dry. I recommend being prepared either way!

Sign that reads "Welcome to the Bonneville Salt Flats and Utah's famed measured mile – site of world land-speed record runs" with mountains and salt flats with a cloudy sky in the background.

Cement rest area pavilion with picnic tables, parked cars, and an 18-wheeler, against a backdrop of blue sky and clouds.

*The Salt Flats Rest Area Westbound has covered picnic tables and restrooms, but those were out of order when I visited in April 2024, and recent Google reviews mention the same. There may be porta-potties available. You can also continue on the highway to a gas station in Wendover (there is one in Sinclair but reviews mention that the bathrooms are sketchy).

❄️ Go Bobsledding at Olympic Park

Overview: Heart-pumping adrenaline rush with a bobsled ride down an Olympic track at 60+ MPH

Bobsled team racing down the track at Utah Olympic Park, with a sign above the track that reads "XIX Olympic Winter Games" against a clear blue sky.

Utah Olympic Park in nearby Park City has been maintained since the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and is still very much in use. As visitors, you can take part in adventurous activities such as extreme ziplining, bobsledding, and alpine slide, depending on the time of year.

If you enjoy adventure, the winter bobsledding experience is sure to make your stomach do somersaults as you load up and give you that post-experience adrenaline high.

You can also enjoy a guided tour around the park. If you’re lucky, your guide might be former member of the USA Luge Team and well-known Olympic announcer, Carl Roepke.

Tour guide at Utah Olympic Park wearing a colorful jacket and a cap, standing in front of a snowy mountain landscape, speaking and gesturing. — *Our guide, Carl Roepke, had us cracking up at his one-liners and fascinated by his very personal Olympics stories*

Plus, the Olympic Park is an active and official US Olympic training site, so you might catch Olympic hopefuls in action (ski jumping into a huge swimming pool in the summer!).

This is officially going to be the site of the 2034 Winter Olympic Games—how cool is it to participate in one of the sports on the former and future Olympic track?

And while anyone that fits the physical restrictions can partake, I know my fellow elder Millennials and young Gen X will have a special place in their hearts for the bobsledding experience, thanks to a certain early 90s movie about our favorite Jamaican bobsled team.

In the summer, you can get a Gold Pass for various activities, but guided tours and summer bobsledding are booked separately. Get details and book direct here.

Tip: Planning to visit multiple attractions in Salt Lake City? 🎟️ Save money with the Salt Lake City Specialties Pass or Salt Lake 365 Day Connect Pass! A limited selection of Olympic Park summer activities are available with these passes.

🥾 Enjoy a Day at Antelope Island State Park

Overview: Serene state park escape with hiking trails, bison, and birdwatching just 40 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City

An entrance sign for Antelope Island State Park, featuring a stone base and a painted bison statue, with hills in the background.

A view of the hilly, mountainous terrain of Antelope Island in the distance across the vast dry shores of Great Salt Lake with a clear sky overhead. — *Looking across Great Salt Lake towards Antelope Island*

While it’s only about 40 minutes from Salt Lake City, it feels like you’re a world away once you drive over the causeway onto Antelope Island State Park.

The wide open space and unique landscape feels vast and almost desolate–it’s a breath of fresh air as you escape the city.

Perhaps it’s those places that take us by surprise in our travels that have the most impact, but I was absolutely enchanted by Antelope Island as I took in the panoramic views around the park. If it hadn’t been for rain on my last day in Salt Lake, I would have gone back a second time for sunrise.

A scenic trail in Antelope Island State Park with blooming wildflowers, rocks, and shrubs, leading to a rocky hill overlooking Great Salt Lake under a clear sky.

A brown signpost in Antelope Island State Park with directional signs for campgrounds, a historic ranch, and Rhodes Valley Outfitters, with a black bird perched on top and singing, set against a backdrop of fields and hills.

A vast, sandy shoreline with sparse vegetation leading to Great Salt Lake and distant mountains, under a blue sky with a few clouds.

A single bison stands in a grassy field with snow-capped mountains in the distant background, under a clear blue sky.

On your visit, you can drive around looking for bison in the wide open fields or head out on a hike to get spectacular views of Great Salt Lake and the surrounding mountains. I recommend Buffalo Point Trail if you only have time for one hike.

The park also has a campground, seasonal food stand, e-bike rentals, and even some night programs for stargazing.

If you enjoy nature, I highly recommend spending at least a few hours at Antelope Island State Park during your trip to SLC.

Antelope Island State Park Info

Hours: 6 AM–10 PM daily
Cost: $15 per vehicle up to 8 people
Dogs Allowed: Yes, in most areas on a six-foot leash // Only service dogs are allowed inside buildings
Places to Eat: Island Buffalo Grill (seasonal) // Check their Facebook page for updates
➡️ View park details here

While I visited independently (and this is what I most recommend), there are a number of tours leaving from Salt Lake City if you prefer a guided experience.

Other Outdoor Activities in Salt Lake

I came across a handful of other outdoor experiences in and near Salt Lake City in my research. I didn’t have the opportunity to enjoy them myself but thought it would be helpful to share these as “honorable mentions” here to save you some research time.

🐦 Birdwatch at Great Salt Lake Shoreland Preserve. This is not far out of the way on a trip to Antelope Island State Park. Note: I tried visiting during their posted hours, but unfortunately the gate was closed. I called the listed phone number, and the gentleman I spoke with said they were having some issues with the gate attendant, but I could stop by again and it should be open. The timing didn’t work out for me, but just a note that you may be able to get ahold of someone if there are any issues.

Wooden arched entrance with a hanging sign that says "Great Salt Lake Shorelands Preserve" and a closed metal gate on the road with a sign stating "Preserve Closed No Trespassing" and mountains visible in the background under a clear blue sky.

🧘🏾‍♀️ Enjoy Snowshoeing or Hiking and Yoga (near Heber City). There are options for yoga in a yurt, or on a paddleboard in a crater (with year-round 95 F / 35 C water). This experience was high on my list, but I unfortunately wasn’t able to make timing work. Next time!

🛒 Stroll through the downtown Farmer’s Market in Pioneer Park from June through mid-October.

Map of Things to Do Outdoors Around SLC

Feel free to open up this Google My Map and make a copy into your own Google account. Access it on the web to edit your copy or simply view it on the Google Maps app on Android or iPhone. Never used Google My Maps? Check out my guide to planning a trip with Google My Maps for more info!

I hope you found this roundup of outdoorsy-ish activities in Salt Lake City helpful! Have you been to any of these spots? Any other places you’d add to the list? Let me know in the comments!