Big Cottonwood Canyon
Big Cottonwood Canyon
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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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  • ANDREW J
    4 contributions
    Awesome!
    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.
    Visited September 2020
    Written September 24, 2020
  • RM R
    Dubai, United Arab Emirates95 contributions
    Bike ride up and down
    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!
    Visited November 2021
    Written November 14, 2021
  • Robert N
    Welkom, South Africa177 contributions
    Up Close & Personal
    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.
    Visited September 2020
    Traveled as a couple
    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.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions

5.0
1,168 reviews
Excellent
960
Very good
188
Average
11
Poor
3
Terrible
6

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.

MKTBE
Topeka, KS3,000 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.

Sanj2561
North Huntingdon, PA303 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.

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.

diana
Hilton Head, SC11 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.

Utah John
Salt Lake City, UT15 contributions
Sep 2020
Big Cottonwood Canyon is a great treat any time of the year and the fall foliage adds an extra plus. The canyon is great for hiking, biking and just sight seeing. An of course in winter there is the best skiing on earth!
Written September 27, 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, MO10 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.

Heidi g
Traverse City, MI256 contributions
Jan 2023
Hubby and I hiked here just recently in winter with several feet of snow as well as this past summer. Loved both times of the year! Many hikes ranging from easy to difficult but all are beautiful. Be sure to check on avalanche risk before you head out in the winter. Limited parking in winter. Highly recommend even if just a drive up the canyon and back to SLC.
Written January 19, 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.

Annabell O
California415 contributions
Sep 2020
The Spruces Campground in Big Cottonwood is stunning. Our site (#36) was on a small creek, and we loved the beauty and serenity of the setting. Bathrooms were very clean. We would have loved to stay longer and explore the area more, but we were on a long road trip. This stopover was a very pleasant surprise!
Written September 12, 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.

Joseph Robba
Charlotte, NC2,198 contributions
Apr 2022 • Friends
Just 20 minutes from downtown SLC, it’s definitely worth coming out here to get on a trail. We did part of the Lake Blanche Trail, and some of the surrounding trails, and got lots of great views of the mountains. Would love to spend more time here, we only had a few hours in between work and travel.
Written April 24, 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.

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Big Cottonwood Canyon - All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

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Very Good Reviews

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