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Spend three hours hiking the Wasatch above Salt Lake City with a guide, snacks and a charcuterie break. Trails are customized to your group’s pace and conditions, making this a good choice for mixed-ability adventurers.
Spend three hours hiking the Wasatch above Salt Lake City with a guide, snacks and a charcuterie break. Trails are customized to your group’s pace and conditions, making this a good choice for mixed-ability adventurers.
You step out of the car at the Big Cottonwood Canyon EAST Park & Ride and the canyon exhales—pines brushing the road, a cool current of air sliding down from higher ridgelines. Over the next three hours a guide will lead a small group along a chosen route that climbs through open meadows, alder thickets and rocky benches, pausing for a charcuterie spread where the view gives way to a long sweep of the Wasatch Range.
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Salt Lake City's Top Guided Hiking Tour - Hiking in the Rockies · Salt Lake City, Utah
You step out of the car at the Big Cottonwood Canyon EAST Park & Ride and the canyon exhales—pines brushing the road, a cool current of air sliding down from higher ridgelines. Over the next three hours a guide will lead a small group along a chosen route that climbs through open meadows, alder thickets and rocky benches, pausing for a charcuterie spread where the view gives way to a long sweep of the Wasatch Range.
Big Cottonwood is a canyon formed by Pleistocene glaciers and ongoing uplift; the walls still show steep scars and talus fields where winter avalanches and spring runoff shape the terrain. The area has long been a local recreation hub—ski lifts and summer trails share the same ridgelines that trappers and miners used in the 19th century—so culture here blends mountain recreation, conservation and small-town Salt Lake hospitality.
Expect variable surfaces: packed dirt, exposed roots and occasional rocky steps; elevation during guided hikes ranges between about 6,000 and 12,000 feet, so the air thins and effort feels different than at valley level. Guides tailor distance and grade to the group, making this a good outing for newcomers and regular hikers alike.
Practical guidance: wear supportive footwear with some tread, carry layers for wind and sun, hydrate well before and during the hike, and allow time to acclimate if you’re coming from lower elevation. Arrive at the East Park & Ride 10–15 minutes early; pack out or dispose of charcuterie waste responsibly. With a steady pace, light stops for snacks and photos, you’ll leave with mountain views, a satisfied appetite, and sharper lungs.
moderate.
3 hours.
Should be comfortable walking 2–5 miles with sustained uphill sections at altitude; basic hiking fitness recommended.
Meet at the Big Cottonwood Canyon EAST Park & Ride at the canyon mouth, about 15 minutes from downtown Salt Lake City—arrive 10–15 minutes early.
Guides tailor routes to the group; this tour welcomes ages 10+ and is suitable for beginners who can handle a few miles of walking and short elevation gain.
Guests are encouraged to provide their own transportation; hosts may assist with carpooling on request but it’s not guaranteed.
Tours may be canceled for unsafe weather; check cancellation policies and dress in layers so you can adapt to wind, rain or cooler temperatures.
Big Cottonwood Canyon’s routes cross land used historically for grazing, mining and later recreational development—modern trails follow paths shaped by glacial carving and early access roads.
Stay on established trails, pack out all food waste from charcuterie spreads, and follow Leave No Trace principles to reduce erosion and wildlife impacts.
Salt Lake City's Top Guided Hiking Tour - Hiking in the Rockies operates guided outdoor trips and adventures with an emphasis on safety, stewardship, and memorable experiences.
You step out of the car at the Big Cottonwood Canyon EAST Park & Ride and the canyon exhales—pines brushing the road, a cool current of air sliding down from higher ridgelines. Over the next three hours a guide will lead a small group along a chosen route that climbs through open meadows, alder thickets and rocky benches, pausing for a charcuterie spread where the view gives way to a long sweep of the Wasatch Range.
You step out of the car at the Big Cottonwood Canyon EAST Park & Ride and the canyon exhales—pines brushing the road, a cool current of air sliding down from higher ridgelines. Over the next three hours a guide will lead a small group along a chosen route that climbs through open meadows, alder thickets and rocky benches, pausing for a charcuterie spread where the view gives way to a long sweep of the Wasatch Range.
Big Cottonwood is a canyon formed by Pleistocene glaciers and ongoing uplift; the walls still show steep scars and talus fields where winter avalanches and spring runoff shape the terrain. The area has long been a local recreation hub—ski lifts and summer trails share the same ridgelines that trappers and miners used in the 19th century—so culture here blends mountain recreation, conservation and small-town Salt Lake hospitality.
Expect variable surfaces: packed dirt, exposed roots and occasional rocky steps; elevation during guided hikes ranges between about 6,000 and 12,000 feet, so the air thins and effort feels different than at valley level. Guides tailor distance and grade to the group, making this a good outing for newcomers and regular hikers alike.
Practical guidance: wear supportive footwear with some tread, carry layers for wind and sun, hydrate well before and during the hike, and allow time to acclimate if you’re coming from lower elevation. Arrive at the East Park & Ride 10–15 minutes early; pack out or dispose of charcuterie waste responsibly. With a steady pace, light stops for snacks and photos, you’ll leave with mountain views, a satisfied appetite, and sharper lungs.