Big Cottonwood Canyon
Big Cottonwood Canyon
5
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Located in the Wasactch Mountains, this wilderness region offers a limitless range of recreation for outdoor enthusiasts.
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17 within 6 miles
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Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
5.0
1,173 reviews
Excellent
965
Very good
188
Average
11
Poor
3
Terrible
6
diana
Hilton Head, SC21 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
The drive through the canyon itself is beautiful. The hike up to Donut Falls was beautiful but a moderate hike. For an easier walk, head to Silver Lake. There is an easy walk around the lake where you can see moose and beavers. They also allow fishing there. There is a market where you can buy soft serve ice cream and plenty of other snacks and drinks.
Written July 6, 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RM R
Dubai, United Arab Emirates94 contributions
Nov 2021
Great canyon to ride a bike up. I’m a mamil and cycle regularly but there’s nothing close to this scale near me. About 1000m vertical ascent with a near constant uphill for over 20km or 13 miles. It’s a tough climb but I found plenty of places to stop and I did that quite a lot. My Garmin showed up to 13% gradient and on my not friendly hire bike gearing it was very tough. Good news there’s plenty places to stop, take a drink and take in the beautiful scenery.
You can get up over 8000 feet or 2500m and I was there in November. There was snow around and plenty on the high mountains and it’s cool towards the top of course, but I was warm enough for a short sleeve jersey. On the way down I put everything on! Keep the windchill out and make sure you have decent brakes!
You can get up over 8000 feet or 2500m and I was there in November. There was snow around and plenty on the high mountains and it’s cool towards the top of course, but I was warm enough for a short sleeve jersey. On the way down I put everything on! Keep the windchill out and make sure you have decent brakes!
Written November 14, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sanj2561
North Huntingdon, PA302 contributions
Oct 2021
What a beautiful drive up the Wasatch mountains! The trees were a brilliant yellow and the other plant life were green and orange, making for a patchwork of color. We continued onto Park City, which was a scary ride in the early morning...very high elevation with lots of low hanging clouds made for a white knuckle trip down the mountains!
Written October 9, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Krissy C
12 contributions
May 2021
We started to drive in. We wanted to pull over to have a meal and then continue driving through, but every single pull out required a fee, and the signage made a person believe they rather you just leave. No swimming, no dogs, picnic areas with $129 price tags. All we wanted to do was have lunch. Federal Govt park rules were a nuisance for our road trip. I bet it was beautiful.
Written May 27, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
ANDREW J
4 contributions
Sep 2020
Awesome. There is Mtn and Road Biking, hikes, including some with boardwalks, campsites, fishing, skiing and snowboarding and more. You can often see wildlife such as deer or moose, especially if you know the right trails and go early in the morning or in the evening.
As a local, I visit here every week. Just note that no dogs are allowed. (Even in the car) If you don't have a dog, or can leave yours at a hotel or house, you must visit! There is something for everyone -Thrill Seekers, Families, Large groups, Solo visitors, and more.
The views are incredible, and you will not recommend visiting, weather just on a drive or getting out and doing something.
As a local, I visit here every week. Just note that no dogs are allowed. (Even in the car) If you don't have a dog, or can leave yours at a hotel or house, you must visit! There is something for everyone -Thrill Seekers, Families, Large groups, Solo visitors, and more.
The views are incredible, and you will not recommend visiting, weather just on a drive or getting out and doing something.
Written September 24, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
MKTBE
Topeka, KS4,159 contributions
May 2021 • Family
The beautiful Big Cottonwood Canyon affords children of all ages the opportunity for numerous recreational opportunities. The drive alone is a visual treat. A meandering creek accompanies the road, with many turnouts to view, and photograph, the natural beauty. For the adventurer hiking, rock climbing, camping, and skiing are all available. The drive leads to Silver Lake and Brighton Ski Resort. In summer and fall there are hikes that lead to picturesque Lake Mary, Lake Catherine, Clayton Peak, and many more. Big Cottonwood Canyon is absolutely stunning, and provides outdoor activities for all ages!
Written May 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Heidi D
Scarborough, ME313 contributions
Jun 2024 • Family
We took the entire day to drive though the canyon as well as stop at the pull-offs and take pictures and take in the spectacular scenery. There are many hikes along the way- some long, some short as well as a variety of difficulties. Take your own food and lots of water as there are not many places to eat. The altitude is around7-8 thousand feet so be prepared. Its cool when it is very hot in Salt Lake City. We drove from Salt Lake City through the Canyon to Midway then to Provo and back to SLC which was a terrific day.
Written June 30, 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Robert N
Welkom, South Africa173 contributions
Sep 2020 • Couples
Big Cottonwood Canyon is one of the world’s most beautiful drives. There are places you could roll your window down and almost touch the mountain cliffs. Unlimited hiking and camping are just a few of the activities you’ll find. Make sure to drive to the top and enjoy the vast Aspen groves. They will put on a spectacular color show later in September.
Written September 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Amy J
Saint Louis, MO12 contributions
Aug 2022 • Friends
The views on the Mt Wolverine Cirque were stunning! Challenging and very rewarding hike. With the exception of the areas around Lake Mary and Catherine Pass, there were very few hikers on the more challenging routes. Would definitely visit this area again.
Written August 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jacob B
West Jordan, UT9 contributions
Jun 2019
Big Cottonwood Canyon is a beautiful place, and it is just a couple of minutes away from Salt Lake City. There are countless hikes, campgrounds, and places to explore in both this canyon and Little Cottonwood Canyon, which is nearby. Definitely a must-see.
Written April 22, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We’re headed here first weekend of October for a long weekend - we want to photograph the cottonwood canyons in fall colors for some pieces to hang in our house. We we will have our 2 kids (3 year old and 1 month old) So unfortunately strenuous hikes and high elevations are out, but would love some recommendations on plan to get some good photos and do some light hikes? Thanks in advance!
Written September 25, 2021
Will be in the area mid-March. Will the roads/hikes still likely be snow covered at that time?
Written February 6, 2021
The terrain is pretty rough. There might be places where there is cross country skiing that have a steep enough pitch and a flat base. The best spots for sledding are probably city parks along the benches that have hills.
Written October 25, 2020
Any bike paths here? Is one able to ride a bicycle around the area?
Written September 12, 2020
Hello! We’re a family of 3 with a 20 month old and we’re new here in SLC. I am wondering when is the best time for us to go here? Can I bring my toddler with us?
Written February 19, 2020
Summer is best for the wild flowers! Mid-July boasts beautiful mountain scenes with many wildflowers and there are places you can get out and walk around with your kids- be sure to check out the Silver Lake boardwalk - it is super easy to walk around the lake with kids and often you can see wildlife like moose. Be sure to keep an eye on your kids and their activity level, this is at a higher elevation than some people realize and depending on where you live it can cause altitude sickness in youth and the elderly more easily than healthy adults, especially when hiking.
Written February 19, 2020
We are headed to Solitude for 4 days of skiing in January. We are taking the shuttle from the airport to solitude. Is there uber service once we are in the town of solitude?
Written December 13, 2019
Hi there. Solitude isn't a town, it is just the ski resort. You should be able to get to everything walking. Big Cottonwood also has Brighton Ski resort, just up the canyon another mile or so. I think you can get a Sol-Bright pass to ski both resorts.
Just FYI, Alta resort and Snowbird are in Little Cottonwood Canyon, the next canyon over.
You should have a great time. Solitude doesn't have as much moderate ability skiing as Brighton, but it does have a lot of diamond, double diamond, and beginner slopes.
Written December 13, 2019
We are headed to solitude in January. We are taking the Utah Mountain Shuttle and wanted to know if there is Uber service in the town of Solitude?
Written December 13, 2019
Solitude isn’t really a town, but a ski resort. It is located in a canyon that can occasionally be closed to traffic or have restricted access to traffic due to snow.
Written December 14, 2019
Hi! Ill be here at the end of February/beginning of March, I would like to do the scenic drive. Any winter conditions I should take into account during that time?
Written November 10, 2019
Consider taking a shuttle or a ski bus up the canyon at that time of year. Depending on the weather and conditions the roads can be hazardous and if you are not used to driving in that kind of weather that's not a good place to start! It is a stunningly beautiful time of year and most days are sunny so if you time it right it will be more enjoyable than you can imagine! You just don't want to go off the road and be called a flatlander which would be the least of your problems!
Written November 16, 2019
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