The Best Park City Day Hikes

• Distance: 3.3 miles 
• Elevation Gain: 754 feet
• Trail Use: Hiking/ Mountain Biking
• Out and Back or Loop: Loop
• Dog-friendly: Yes (on leash)

I love this trail in the Fall, as it is an excellent hike amongst the golden aspens. Take the 2-Green bus to Silver Star, located on Three Kings Road. From here, begin hiking on the Silver Spur trail for a half mile until you reach to get to the base of the Silver Star lift and head uphill, meandering through shady aspen groves. Armstorng is the most approachable trail in this list. While it does have a few steep sections, it is very manageable. Take a break once you get to the King Con lift. I love sitting here for a moment dreaming about winter. You continue past the lift and back uphill. At this point, you’ve probably had a handful of mountain bikers pass you as this is a popular biking trail as well. Once you reach Dawns Trail, you’ll start heading downhill with sensational views of Park City. Dogs can use this trail but must be kept on a leash. 

• Distance: 5.5 miles one way
• Elevation Gain: 482 feet
• Trail Use: Hiking, trail running, and biking
• Loop or Out and Back: Out and ack or connect to trails for extended loops
• Dog-Friendly: Yes
• Access: Transit to Trails is a great option for these hikes!

Charlie's 9k is longer, meandering trail that hovers right around 9,000 foot elevation, working its way west from Empire Pass in Park City. It's a stunning hike with huge alpine views of the Wasatch mountains and protected areas like Bonanza Flat. As you walk, you'll meander through dense old growth forest and huge alpine meadows, home to flowers like Indian Paintbrush and Oxeye Daisy among others. Because the trail stays at a consistent elevation, it's rolling, and never gaining or losing more than a couple hundred feet of elevation at a time. Due to the length and options for additional loops, you'll likely want to bring a backpack with a couple liters of water and hiking poles. But the trail is machine built and is quite wide and smooth. Heads up as there are mountain bikers on this trail connecting to bike-specific descents. You may even see a moose if you're lucky. Remember though to give them lots of space!

Charlie's 9k was named for Charlie Sturgis, one of the founders of the Mountain Trails Foundation and a long time singletrack advocate and builder. This trail is a true testament to his legacy. 

• 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
• Access: Visitors can take free public transit to the Silver Lake Village.

Deer Valley’s Silver Lake Trail is an intermediate hiking trail that is designated as a foot-traffic only, so you’re guaranteed more tranquility as you hike through the peaceful landscape. This trail is perfect during the summer when wildflowers bloom and in the Fall when the aspens begin to turn their golden hue. This is an absolutely gorgeous hike that is well marked and starts at the bottom of the Silver Lake chairlift and ends at the top of Bald Mountain with picturesque cliffs on one side and a bird’s eye view of the Heber Valley on the other.

As I started my hike up, I navigated through a narrow trail of dense trees that made me feel like I was in another world. Climbing higher, I popped in and out of aspen groves, and as I crossed over ski runs and under lift lines, the scenery was on display as it opened up to panoramic views of the Jordanelle Reservoir, my favorite part! The last 600 feet of elevation is a steep push, but once at the top, I continued to enjoy the 360-degree views of Park City and beyond.

• Distance: 4.4 miles 
• Elevation Gain: 962 feet
• Trail Use: Hiking/Running Only
• Out and Back or Loop: Loop
• Dog-friendly: Yes
• Parking: Pass Lake Trailhead.

The Uintas are a magical mountain range close to Park City with quite an array of high alpine lakes. The Lofty Lakes Loop really showcases some beautiful scenery along with blooming wildflowers if you happen to head there during peak bloom, usually mid-July through early August. This hike starts at the Pass Lake Trailhead just off Mirror Lake Highway near Pass Lake. There are two trailheads for this hike - one in the NW corner of the parking lot and one in the southern area. We hiked this route in a counter-clockwise direction, so we started from the NW corner TH. If you want to hike this in a clockwise direction, start from the trailhead in the southern end.

The trail is slightly rocky but very gradual and well defined. The first lake you come across is small yet quite picturesque - no wonder it’s called Picturesque Lake! Continuing on, Scout Lake comes into view, and it’s a spectacular spot with droves of wildflowers blooming. A perfect place to set up a picnic. The trail then starts to gain more elevation as you hike towards a small pass between Scout and Lofty Lakes. We encountered a small snow patch which just added to the joy of the day. As you make your way over the small pass, you get beautiful views of not only Lofty Lake but the many peaks surrounding you.

Past Lofty Lake, you will start to descend a few switchbacks and have another excellent view, this time of Cutthroat Lake. Stay left at a faint trail split, and you should be hiking directly south where you will come to Kamas Lake. As you head back to the parking lot, you’ll see a lot of great signage that will direct you where you need to go. Day hikes like this area are pure magic. You feel like you’ve gotten away from it all and are rewarded with all the views that add up to a great day out in nature. 

Advice: There is no permit, but there is a $6 fee (good for three days) for accessing the Mirror Lake Highway and trails. You can purchase the pass at the ranger station in Kamas, UT, or any self-serve stations along the highway. If you have an annual National Park Pass or yearly American Fork Canyon Pass, you can use either to park free.

• Distance: 5.4 miles 
• Elevation Gain: 547 feet
• Trail Use: Hiking/Running/Backpacking
• Out and Back or Loop: Loop
• Dog-friendly: Yes
• Parking: Crystal Lake Trailhead

In addition to the Lofty Lakes Loop, The Three Divide Lakes Trail is another spectacular hike full of high alpine lakes for swimming, relaxing, and enjoying life outside. The trail is very well maintained, not very difficult, and mostly flat, so you can meander as fast or as slow as you want. You pass by several lakes with great views around every corner. To get to the Three Divide Lakes, when you reach Clyde Lake, make sure you actually go over the small ridge to the south (perhaps 100-150m). Although the trail is named after them, it does not actually go to them. If you don’t walk over the ridge from about the middle or even western end of Clyde Lake, you will miss them completely. There is no sign indicating they are there, just hidden a very short distance away. That’s why this hike is favorite - a perfect jaunt to find your own little slice of heaven.