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Are you itching to get out of the city for a bit of outdoor adventure and fun? We’ve got you covered. As much as we absolutely love to spend time in Salt Lake, there’s nothing quite like an outdoor getaway to help you feel refreshed and renewed. Whether you’re a solo traveler, couple or are out for a day of outdoor fun with the family, these day trips from Salt Lake City are sure to keep everyone happy.
Best Outdoor Salt Lake City Day Trips
One of the best ways to enjoy all that the area has to offer is with a simple day trip in Utah. All of these day trips from Salt Lake are kid friendly, and are great day trips for families. If you’re looking to get away for a little longer, check out our best weekend trips from Salt Lake City.
Day Trips Within An Hour Of Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City is one of the best located cities in the Watern United States. It has easy access to rivers, mountains, deserts, and more, all within a day. If you’re looking for a Utah day trip within an hour of Salt Lake City, there are so many options. Here are some of the top picks for a one hour travel time Salt Lake day trip:
Park City Day Trip from Salt Lake
Just a short 25 minute drive from Salt Lake City and you’ll find yourself in the mountains of Park City. If you’re looking for outdoor fun, you’re certain to find it here. Whether you want to go for a nice hike or bike ride, cruise down the alpine slide at Park City Mountain Resort, or for the challenge of a high ropes course at the Utah Olympic Park, you’ll find it in Park City.
For simple trips where you won’t have to spend a thing, hiking and biking are both abundant in Park City. If you’re looking to go for a hike, the Iron Canyon Trail will give you great views of the valley and is only 2 miles long. If you’re wanting to go for a bike ride check out Round Valley for some simple mountain biking trails, or head out for a longer ride down the pathway of the Park City Rail Trail. Park City is also the best Salt Lake City day trip in the winter, since there is so much to do there once the snow starts falling. Park City feels like a fun Utah day trip, but you only need to drive 30 minutes from Salt Lake to get to this mountain paradise.
You can also easily use Park City as a great local getaway and take make day trips from Park City as well. If you’re looking for variety and lots of great places to eat and outdoor adventure, this is one of the best trips in Utah.
Looking for the best Park City tours? Check out these great options:
3 Hour Park City ATV Tour
History and Urban Bike Tour of Park City
Antelope Island Day Trip
Antelope Island State Park is less than an hour away from Salt Lake City, but it’s a place that most locals have never been to. Out at the island you can check out the bison, bighorn sheep, and pronghorn. You’re right along the shores of the Great Salt Lake, so there’s really no better time or place to take a dip into this fabulously salty body of water. Tip: If you go in the summer, the bugs can get quite bad, so make sure to take bug spray with you. This makes an easy day trip from Ogden Utah.
Looking for the best Antelope Island tours? Check out this great option:
Great Salt Lake Wildlife Tour
Midway Day Trip From Salt Lake
Tucked into a corner in the Heber Valley, Midway is one of the most charming towns in Utah and makes a great day tour from Salt Lake City. With its Swiss themed houses and decor, and mountain setting, you’ll find no shortage of ways to spend your time. In the winter, make sure to check out the town ice skating rink, as well as the Ice Castles. Year round, you can enjoy swimming in the hot spring crater at the Homestead Resort.
While you’re in Midway, make sure to stop by the Midway Bakery for amazing breads, Judy’s Donuts for amazing donuts and coffee, and our personal family favorite – cookies at Suus! Mostly, make sure to enjoy that you’re on one of the most beautiful places near Salt Lake City.
Just outside of Midway, you’ll find Wasatch Mountain State Park which is great for hiking and mountain biking. The pond right by the visitors center is regularly stocked with fish, so it’s a great place for family fishing. Visiting Heber Valley is an easy day trip from Provo Utah.
Looking for the best Midway Utah tours? Check out these great options:
One day Guided Fly Fishing Trip
Hike in American Fork Canyon
American Fork Canyon is located just outside of the city of American Fork in Utah County. While American Fork Canyon can get busy on the weekends, it’s an incredible place to explore while staying in Salt Lake City, as well as get access to some great trails and wilderness areas. If you’re feeling like you’re up for a major challenge, hike up to the top of Mt Timpanogos. The 12 mile hike covers some serious altitude, but guarantees some of the best views in the Wasatch Front.
If you’re hoping to cool down, you’ll enjoy visiting Tibble Fork Reservoir up AF Canyon. If you sign up in advance, you can also get a tour of Timpanogos Caves National Monument. This is one of the best Utah county day trips!
Bridal Veil Falls Day Trip
Located up Provo Canyon, Bridal Veil Falls flows year round. Just a short drive up the canyon from Orem (about 5 miles), you’ll find the falls on the south side of the road. This area is popular with picnicers, and adventurers alike. If you’re looking to get up high, the upper falls trail is a great option, or you can just scramble up the rocks to the middle of the falls.
Our personal favorite way to see Bridal Veil Falls is from the Provo River bike trail that runs beside it. The section from Canyon View Park to Vivian Park will take you right by the falls along a nice paved trail. As a bonus, large portions of the trail are shaded so it’s a suitable ride even on hot summer days.
Snowbasin Day Trip Plans
Snowbasin Resort is another great gem for a day trip in Utah that’s only about an hour from Salt Lake City. Obviously, you can go skiing here in the winter, making this one of the best day trips from Salt Lake City in winter, but in the summer there are lots of great trails to enjoy as well. During the weekends in the summer, you can take the gondola up to the top and hike around the upper portion of the mountain. The views in all directions are simply stunning.
While you’re at Snowbasin, make sure to stop in the lodge for a trip to the bathroom. Yes, the bathrooms in the basement of the lodge are absolutely gorgeous! Another trail that we love that’s near Snowbasin is the Green Pond Trail. Access is easy and the hike is short and simple so it’s a perfect little escape on your Utah day trip. Snowbasin is also a great starting point for mountain bike trails. We’ve enjoyed several of the trails both at the Snowbasin Resort and on the National Forest Land just north of the resort parking lot.
Little Cottonwood Canyon Day Trip Ideas
Little Cottonwood Canyon is right outside of Salt Lake, but you’ll be completely escaping the city life once you get into the canyon, making it one of the easiest Salt Lake City trips. Little Cottonwood is well known as being the home to Snowbird and Alta, but there is really so much more than just winter day trips from Salt Lake City.
If you’re wanting to give rock climbing a try, this is the perfect place to go. In the summers the hiking is fantastic here as well and there are so many options for hikes on one of your day trips from SLC. Our favorite Little Cottonwood hike is up at Alta to Cecret Lake. If you’re visiting from out of town and only have one day in Salt Lake City, heading up to Little Cottonwood Canyon is one of our top suggestions.
Looking for the best Little Cottonwood Canyon tours? Check out this great option:
Cottonwood Canyons Backcountry Ski Resort Tour
Big Cottonwood Canyon Day Trip Ideas
Even though Big Cottonwood and Little Cottonwood are right next to each other, the canyons are very different. Big Cottonwood Canyon is more open and wider, making the terrain less jagged and steep. Home to both Solitude ski area and Brighton Resort, snow sports abound in the winter. In the summer, hiking and biking are the most popular activities here. If you’re looking for an amazing Big Cottonwood Canyon hike, we absolutely love going to Donut Falls, since the trail is pretty easy and the falls are incredibly impressive. Big Cottonwood Canyon is home to some of the best easy day hikes in Salt Lake City, and where we always recommend people go if they want to spend one day in Salt Lake City mountain areas.
If you’re looking to take a scenic drive, during the summer, the roads are open and connect into Midway and Park City, so you can take a giant loop drive.
Looking for the best Big Cottonwood Canyon tours? Check out this great option:
Cottonwood Canyons Backcountry Ski Resort Tour
Bonneville Shoreline Trail
If you’re looking for a great spot for mountain biking, check out the Bonneville Shoreline Trail. Going along what would have been the shores of the ancient lake Bonneville, this dirt trail will give you some amazing views of the city below. There are several trailheads in Salt Lake City, Davis and Weber counties for access, so you can really stay as close to home (or not) as you want. Escaping to the Bonneville Shoreline trail for a quick hike or bike rides is one of the best things to do with kids in Salt Lake City.
Heber City Day Trip From Salt Lake City
Heber City is a great little escape from Salt Lake City with plenty to keep you busy for the day. If you’ve got kids, they’ll absolutely love a ride on the Heber Valley Historic Railroad (the 90 minute ride suits most kids well without taking your whole day). Heber Valley Artisan Cheese offers tours of their farm as well as some of the most delicious cheeses in their shop as well (if you need lunch, their grille cheese sandwich is amazing).
There are so many hikes to do in the area, that we wrote a whole article just about hikes in the Heber City area. If you want a great view in a quick walk, the Overlook at Dutch Hollow packs a lot of bang for your buck (but there isn’t shade, so don’t plan on doing this hike in the middle of a summer day).
If you’re interested in boating, head to Deer Creek or Jordanelle Reservoirs, both just outside out town.
While you’re in town, make sure to stop for a milkshake too. Between Granny’s and Dairy Keen, which are both delicious, there’s no reason to leave town hungry. The town of Midway is right next door, so it’s easy to visit both in one day. Heber Valley in winter is also tons of fun and a great place to visit with kids, making it one of the best day trips from Salt Lake City in winter. If you want to keep things simple, this Salt Lake City road trip is less than an hour away, but it feels like you’re in a totally different place!
Day Trips Within 100 Miles of Salt Lake City
If you’re looking for things to do within 100 miles of Salt Lake City, here are a few great options for day trips Utah. They’re still close enough to visit for the day, but have the added bonus of fewer crowds since they’re just a little bit more remote.
Bonneville Salt Flats Day Trip from Salt Lake
Ever feel like you just want to escape to another world? Well, then a visit to the Bonneville Salt Flats is just about as close as you can get to feeling like you’ve been sent off to another planet, which still being a convenient Utah day trip. The salt flats are absolutely desolate, and while there’s not much to do, it’s a place you really need to visit. Run around, take some pictures, and make sure to pack a picnic. If you want to plan a fun road trip from Salt Lake for the day, this is the place to go!
The Salt Flats has an area where vehicle racing is very popular, so if you’re interested in that, you can get a chance to see some racing as well. Salt Lake City to the Bonneville Salt Flats is just over 100 miles.
Uintah Mountains Day Trip
Whether you’re looking for a nice scenic drive out of Salt Lake City or you are wanting to go hiking or fishing to really get away from it all on your Utah day trip, the Uintah Mountains are the perfect place to go. Located about an hour outside of Salt Lake, access to the Uintah forest and wilderness areas is most easily found through the town of Kamas making this one of the easiest Utah day trips.
If you’re looking for a great fishing spot in the Uintah’s, Mirror Lake is a great place to start, but you’ll quickly learn there is no shortage of small ponds and lakes in the area that can easily be accessed on a Salt Lake City day trip.
If you want to go hiking in the Uintahs, the Lofty Lakes hike is a great loop that will take you past several different lakes in this high alpine area. The easiest hike in the Uintahs that’s really kid friendly is the trail up to Ruth Lake which is one of our favorite Utah day trips. If you’re looking for a Salt Lake day trip to escape into nature, the Uintahs is the place to go.
Geode Hunting at the Dugway Geode Beds
Did you know that there’s a place near Salt Lake where you can go and collect your own geodes? It’s seriously amazing and hands down one of the best Utah day trips. The Dugway Geode beds are about 2 hours west of Salt Lake in the middle of nowhere, but still easy enough to get to in an easy day trip. You’ll want to take plenty of food and water with you since there is really nothing around. We carried our own shovels and hammers and found dozens of geodes when we went there. We all felt like we were treasure hunters and came home with a pile of sparkly geodes, and covered in dirt and dust. This Utah day trip from Salt Lake City is one of the most unique local experiences that you can have in one day from Salt Lake City. If you want family day trips from Salt Lake that are totally unique and really memorable, this is the place to go!
Overnight trips from Salt Lake City
If you are looking to get away for more than a Utah day trip, make sure to check out our article on the best weekend trips from Salt Lake City. There we highlight the best 2-3 days trips to take from Salt Lake City as well as some of the best family road trips from Salt Lake City.
How Long Should I Spend on a Trip to Salt Lake City?
If you want to see the city and do some of the best day trips from Salt Lake City, you’ll want to spend at least 5 days visiting. This will give you enough time to see the area and some of the best nature experiences nearby Salt Lake City.
How To Get From Salt Lake City to Park City?
The easiest way to get from Salt Lake City to Park City is by driving. The drive is about 30 minutes and unless you’re in a snowstorm, there’s rarely traffic. If you don’t have a car, there are plenty of UBER cras and shuttles avilable to get to Park City from Salt Lake City. If you want to take public transportation, UTA does have a bus that connects Salt Lake City to Park City. Once you’re in Park City, you can easily get around with the Free Park City Transit Buses.
While Utah’s famous national parks like Zion, Bryce Canyon, and Arches are a bit far for a day trip, closer options include the Timpanogos Cave National Monument and the Golden Spike National Historic Site.
The Bonneville Salt Flats are approximately 1.5 hours west of Salt Lake City via I-80. It’s a unique landscape ideal for photography and sightseeing.
Dinosaur National Monument is about 3.5 hours’ drive from Salt Lake City, so it’s possible as a long day trip. You can see dinosaur fossils, petroglyphs, and enjoy outdoor activities.
There are lots of great places for a hiing day trip from Salt Lake City, but we recommend staying in a nearby canyon to maximize your time on the trail. Check out our top recommendations for Big Cottonwood Canyon hikes and easy Little Cottonwood Canyon hikes. Rocky Mouth Falls is a great easy trail, and if you’ve got kids, check out the Bear Canyon suspension bridge hike.
Yes, in fact, a National Forest day trip is one of the easiest Salt Lake day trips. For quick access, go up Little or Big Cottonwood Canyons, but for more space and options, head up to Park CIty or up American Fork Canyon.
