This USA City Will Host the Winter Olympics a Second Time – And You Can Bobsled There Before the Games Return
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It’s finally official: the International Olympic Committee announced today that Salt Lake City, Utah will host the 2034 Winter Olympic Games. But what’s so remarkable about this Olympics host location?
You can actually visit! While there, you might catch Olympic hopefuls practicing or see performances from ski jumpers (even in the summer).
And the coolest part: you can take part in an Olympic activity on the same track the athletes use.
While you won’t be careening 60 feet into the air from a ski jump or anything, you can hop into a bobsled and speed down the track at 60+ miles per hour for a minute of adrenaline.
Keep reading to find out more!
Disclosure: I was hosted at Utah Olympic Park by Visit Utah and Visit Park City during the Women in Travel Summit. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Winter Olympics Locations in Utah That Fans Can Visit 🏅
Salt Lake City was the host city of the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, and the Winter Games will return in 2034. As a repeat USA host, Salt Lake City is on its way to claiming the title of the winter sports capital. Notably, most of the original facilities have been maintained for 20+ years.
The Olympic venues are all located within one hour of Salt Lake City. These facilities are not only training grounds for Olympic hopefuls, they also offer adventure activities for visitors–including taking part in an Olympic sport!
Utah Olympic Park
Located in Park City, the Utah Olympic Park has been well maintained since the 2002 Olympic Winter Games and is still very much in use.
As an official U.S. Olympic Training Site, the multi-use facility at Utah Olympic Park is home to:
- A sliding track
- Six Nordic ski jumps
- Two museums: Alf Engen Ski Museum and 2002 Olympic Winter Games Museum
Visitors can take part in adventure activities like extreme ziplining, bobsledding, ropes courses, and alpine slide, depending on the time of year. In the summer, you can catch elite skiers and snowboarders perform in the Flying Ace All-Stars Freestyle Show.
Utah Olympic Oval
Located in Kearns, this ice sports venue is home to:
- A speed skating oval
- Two international-sized ice sheets
- A four-lane indoor track
Experience another Olympic sport here by taking part in the Learn to Curl classes! Or if you just want to enjoy the ice on your own, check out the public skating schedule.
Soldier Hollow Nordic Center
Located in Midway at at Wasatch Mountain State Park, the Soldier Hollow Nordic Center is home to:
- A lodge
- A Competition Center for cross country skiing
Visitors can enjoy cross country skiing and tubing in the winter, and biathlon and e-biking in the warmer months.
SLC isn’t just about winter sports! Check out our guide with outdoor activities in Salt Lake City for fun things to do outside all year.
Bobsledding Experience at Utah Olympic Park ❄️
Overview: Heart-pumping adrenaline rush with a bobsled ride down an Olympic track at 60+ MPH
If you enjoy adventure, the bobsledding experience will make your stomach do somersaults as you load up the sled, followed by that post-experience adrenaline high.
This track not only served as the bobsled track for the Winter Games in 2002, but also the skeleton and luge events. And it’s one of only two places in the U.S. where visitors can bobsled!
The ride lasts for less than a minute, and the bobsled typically reaches speeds of 60 miles per hour. It generates up to 4-5 times the force of gravity, so it’s very physical.
As our guide jokingly told us, “If you have something wrong physically…this isn’t going to fix it.” In other words, you should be in good physical condition. (Specific requirements and more details are listed on their website.)
Safety information: Everyone wears a helmet, and a trained professional pilot will sit in the front of the bobsled to steer. You’ll be given instructions beforehand about how to keep yourself from bouncing around too much. There are employees who help you safely load into the sled, and then push you onto the track when the all clear is given from the bottom.
I found this experience super exhilarating! But also…super bumpy. It wasn’t easy on my neck, but I felt okay by the next day. Two things to note: everyone in the sled needs to keep themselves firmly upright, and if that doesn’t happen, your helmets may bump up against each other a lot. And second, I was in the back of the sled (they place you based on height). Even though I knew it had to be safe, psychologically I needed to hang onto the inner handles for dear life–which caused my knuckles to bump against the metal inside the sled the whole time.
But despite that, I found it really fun and would do it again on a return trip.
🇯🇲 And of course, to my fellow elder Millennials and young Gen X: feel free to sing about our favorite Jamaican bobsled team at any point throughout the adventure.
For a more in-depth experience, pair bobsledding with a tour of the park so you can get a feel for everything that goes on here.
If you’re lucky, your guide might be former member of the USA Luge Team and well-known Olympic announcer, Carl Roepke. Hearing his personal stories added a special connection to everything our group saw–from how he’s worked numerous Olympic Games to the fact that his teenage sons now train at the park. (He shared this tidbit as we peered straight down the ski jump!)
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.
Salt Lake City Olympics FAQs
Where are the Winter Olympics locations in Salt Lake City? (Map)
Find out more about all locations at the Utah Olympic Legacy site.
What can you do at Utah’s Olympic Park?
Summer activities include: Summer Bobsledding, Alpine Slide, Extreme Tubing, Extreme Zip, Freestyle Zip, Discovery Course, Canyon Course, Summit Course, Drop Tower, Airbag Jumps, Action Tower, Scenic Chair Lifts, Guided Tours, and Freestyle Shows.
Winter activities include: Winter Bobsledding and Guided Tours
I hope you found this overview of visiting Salt Lake City’s Olympic venues helpful! Did you know you could go bobsledding here? Which activities are you most interested in? Let me know in the comments!