Fall in Park City is nothing short of spectacular. The hills are painted with incredible hues of red, orange, yellow as the leaves lose their summer greens and transition to fall. Mornings and nights are cool with winter whispers of chilled air, calling for cozy sweaters and light jackets. But one of the best things to do in the fall in Park City is hiking and exploring the labyrinth of trails that cross through incredible forests of aspen, oak, choke cherries among others. Below are a few of our favorite fall hikes in Park City. Be sure to link up your adventure with a stop at a cafe or a restaurant with an outdoor patio to soak of the views!

Timing is Everything

Fall is the shortest season in Park City. So, it's ideal to get out on the trail to experience the foliage as soon as they start popping. Early autumn reds and oranges pop up first in mid- to late-September. By the second or third week in October, the leaves have fully transformed to their brilliant colors. For the best fall foliage, try to time your visit to early October. 

The Best Fall Hikes in Park City

The Best Fall Hikes in Park City

Bloods Lake

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Brilliant colors at high elevation on the way to Bloods Lake!
  • Distance: 2.8 miles round trip
  • Elevation Gain: 465 feet
  • Trail Use: Hiking Only
  • Loop or Out and Back: Out and Back
  • Dog-Friendly: No
  • Access: Trails to Transit

With the town of Park City purchasing the Bonanza Flat Conservation Area, approximately 1,350 acres of undeveloped backcountry majesty nestled in the upper elevations of the Wasatch Mountains, a new Bloods Lake Trailhead was created. Tucked on the side of a 10,000-foot mountain, Bloods Lake is a local favorite, you can’t beat a pristine high alpine lake perfect for swimming. The trail is fairly easy, but it does have some moderately steep areas.

The new trail is more environmentally friendly as it helps visitors to leave less of an impact on this natural setting by creating a distinctive path that helps alleviate the amount of erosion that has been happening to the hillside on the original trail.

To get to the Bloods Lake Trailhead, you need to go up Guardsman Pass, one of the 58 Scenic Backways designated by the State of Utah, where epic mountain views are abundant. Note: Guardsman Pass is only open from May to October. There is a paid parking lot. However, the Bloods Lake trail is quite popular and the lot can be difficult to get a spot, especially on the weekend. Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, Transit to Trails provides free shuttles to the trailhead from the Park City Transit Center.

Deer Valley - Mid Mountain Trail - Silver Lake Lodge to Empire Lodge & Montage Hotel

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This section of Mid Mountain is a great option for families!
  • Distance: 1.7 miles 
  • Elevation Gain: ~150 ft
  • Trail Use: Hiking
  • Out and Back or Loop: Out and Back
  • Dog-Friendly: Yes
  • Parking: If hiking from Silverlake, park at Snowpark lodge and take the Silverlake Express lift to access Mid Mountain. If hiking from the Montage, there is limited parking at the Mid Mountain trailhead on Marsac Ave. Transit to Trails and the Purple or Orange bus lines access this section of trail for free as well.

This short section of Mid Mountain is incredibly scenic as it wraps and winds through Deer Valley, connecting Silverlake Lodge to the Montage Hotel. Down canyon views, dense woods, huge open meadows, and ski run crossings all make for a unique hike. The Mid Mountain trail hovers around 8,000 feet, requiring you to hike up to it or get a ride. But one of the best parts of this section is the access via public transit. The Orange bus line accesses Silverlake, and the Purple line accesses Montage. Or you could book Transit to Trails for an even faster trip up the hill. 

Family friendly and even a great run, hiking Mid Mountain is always a treat. Plus you can reward yourself at either end with treats and meals at the Montage or Silverlake lodge.

Park City Mountain - Jennis Trail

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The views of Park City Mountain from Jennis are a sight to behold in the Fall!
  • Distance: 3 miles 
  • Elevation Gain: 195 ft
  • Trail Use: Hiking and Biking
  • Out and Back or Loop: Out and Back or Loop
  • Dog-friendly: No
  • Parking: Large lot at the base of Park City Mountain Resort, easy-to-find parking

Lift access on Park City Mountain is limited in the fall, and the only option to get involved in some golden Aspens at the resort is to hike up! From the base of the First Time Lift, signage for Jenni’s Trail makes it clear where your adventure starts. Follow the meandering, gentle uphill trail through gorgeous Aspen groves with smooth switchbacks that crossed numerous ski runs until it opened up to some beautiful views of Park City Mountain. The trails are a bit of a choose-your-own hiking adventure, as you can go as long or as short as you want, try an out and back or a loop, by hooking up with a couple of other trails. 

Partway up Jenni's Trail, there’s an intersection to head down the lower portion of Crescent Mine Grade (CMG) that will allow you to cut back to the base for a shorter loop hike. To complete Jenni's trail in its entirety, ignore the CMG turn-off and keep going up until you get to Mid-Mountain trail, where you can turn around and head back down Jenni’s or for a longer hike head across Mid-Mountain Trail till it connects with CMG on the right to take you back down to the base. All along the way, you’ll be inspired by the autumn glow.

Deer Valley - Silverlake Trail

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The views from the Silver Lake trail are endless and magnificent.
  • Distance: 4.7 miles 
  • Elevation Gain: 1,433 feet
  • Trail Use: Hiking/Running Only
  • Out and Back or Loop: Out and Back
  • Dog-friendly: No
  • Parking: Silver Lake Village has limited parking but the Orange bus line from the Park City Transit center free!

Deer Valley’s Silver Lake Trail is designated as a foot-traffic-only trail, so you're guaranteed more tranquility as you hike through the peaceful landscape. The trail is nicely marked beginning at the base of the Silver Lake chairlift. This is an absolutely gorgeous hike that ends at Silver Lake with picturesque cliffs on one side and a bird’s eye view of the Heber Valley on the other.

Navigating through a narrow trail of dense trees that makes you feel like you're in another world. Climbing higher, you pop in and out of golden aspen groves and cross ski runs and meadows. The scenery on display is fantastic as it opens up to panoramic views of the Jordanelle Reservoir and the surrounding foliage. The last 600 feet of elevation is a steep push, but once at the top of of Bald Mountain and the top of Deer Valley, you've earned 360 degree views of Summit County, the Wasatch Back, and the misty Uinta mountains.

 

Tips & Advice for Hiking in Park City

  • Set realistic goals and research the trail ahead of time  - pay attention to the total distance and the total elevation gain. Have an idea in mind of how far you can comfortably hike in a day and how much elevation gain is too much, and get an idea of how long the hike will take so you don’t get stuck on the trail in the dark. Check out the Park City trail map to explore and build routes.
  • Bring enough water and snacks for twice the time you think you’ll be on the trail.
  • Tell a friend where you are headed in case of an emergency.
  • Bring layers and rain gear - the weather can be fickle this time of year.
  • Wear comfortable sneakers or hiking shoes.
  • Keep in mind the altitude if you are coming from a lower elevation - stop as many times as you need to catch your breath, stretch your legs, and hydrate.
  • Wear sunscreen - even on cloudy days, at our elevation, sun exposure is a year-round concern.
  • Leave No Trace - Pack out all trash, including dog waste, and stay on the trail.
  • Make sure your phone and camera are charged to take all the photos of the beautiful foliage.
  • Practice proper trail etiquette - downhill hikers always yield to uphill hikers. All hikers yield to horses. 
  • If you are on a shared multi-use trail, stay alert and be aware of your surroundings. Mountain bikers should always yield to hikers. 

More Adventures in Park City

For even more inspiration and stories from Park City—view our year-round visitor guide or request one in the mail.

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