Best 7 Hidden Hiking Trails in Salt Lake City (2025 Guide)
Not every trail needs to be famous to be worth the steps. Around Salt Lake City, you’ll find tucked-away hikes that don’t show up in glossy guides or get blasted all over social media—and that’s the best part. These hidden hiking trails in Salt Lake City are the kind you hear about from a friend of a friend, or stumble onto by accident, and never forget. They’ve got quiet views, soft dirt under your boots, and just enough space to breathe.
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Why Look for Hidden Trails?
Because sometimes, the best hikes are the ones no one’s talking about. The ones without hashtags or trailhead crowds. The ones where the only sound is your boots on dirt and the occasional bird reminding you you’re not alone.
Hidden trails offer something different. They’re not trying to impress—they just are. Quiet, steady, and waiting. You might find a view that stops you mid-step, or a meadow that feels like it’s never been touched. These are the places where you can breathe a little deeper, think a little clearer, and maybe even forget what day it is.
🥾 Quick Trail Snapshot: 7 Hidden Gem Hikes Near Salt Lake City:
| Trail Name | Location | Best Time to Visit | Distance from Salt Lake City |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bowman Fork Trail | Millcreek Canyon (East) | Mid-May to September | ~10 miles |
| City Creek Canyon (Upper) | Downtown/North | Spring & Early Fall Mornings | ~2 miles |
| Neff’s Canyon Trail | East Bench | Spring to Fall | ~9 miles |
| Desolation Trail to Overlook | Millcreek Canyon | May to October | ~9 miles |
| Red Pine Lake Trail | Little Cottonwood Canyon | Late June to September | ~25 miles |
| North Fork Canyon Trail | Near North Ogden | May to October | ~45 miles |
| Lake Blanche Trail | Big Cottonwood Canyon | Mid-June to Mid-October | ~15 miles |
Best Hidden Hiking Trails in Salt Lake City
1. City Creek Canyon (Upper Trails) (North – Downtown Escape)
It’s wild how fast you can go from city noise to canyon quiet. City Creek starts just above downtown Salt Lake—close enough to hear the hum of traffic if you’re listening for it, but far enough that you don’t. Most people stick to the paved path below, but head a little higher, and the trails thin out, the trees get thicker, and the world gets quieter in the best kind of way.
These upper trails don’t make a big fuss. They climb slowly, weave through pine and brush, and every now and then open up to little pockets of light or a view that makes you forget how close you are to everything. It’s the kind of place you go when you’ve only got an hour, but need that hour to feel like more.
You might hear birds, maybe a squirrel scolding you for passing through. Otherwise, it’s just footsteps and breeze. One of the quiet trails near SLC.
Why it’s worth it: It’s quiet, close, and still feels like a secret—even if it’s not. A trail you can hit on a weekday lunch break and still come back feeling like you went somewhere.
Best time to go to City Creek Canyon:
Spring mornings when the leaves are fresh, or early fall when the air starts to crisp and the light hits just right.
2. Lake Blanche via Big Cottonwood Canyon (East – Popular but Peaceful)
This one doesn’t play. It’s steep, rocky, and your calves will feel it by halfway up. But there’s something about climbing through aspen and pine, switching back and forth, until you pop out above it all and see Lake Blanche sitting there like it’s always been waiting.
The lake itself—mirror still when the wind dies down, with Sundial Peak rising like a painting behind it. You’ll want to sit for a while. Eat something. Breathe slower. It’s quiet up there in a way that feels real. Local’s favorite hiking trails near SLC.
Why it’s special: It makes you work for it, but that just makes the view hit harder. And once you’re up there, you won’t want to come down.
Best Time to Visit Lake Blanche:
Mid-June to mid-October. Before the snow comes, while the trail’s dry and the lake still catches the sky just right.
3. Bowman Fork Trail (Millcreek Canyon – East)
Millcreek Canyon doesn’t always shout for attention, which is probably why Bowman Fork still feels like a local thing. It’s tucked back a bit—no signs begging you in, just a small trailhead and a path that pulls you gently uphill, through pine, aspen, and the kind of silence you only notice once you’re deep in it.
There’s no big finish. No lookout deck or summit sign. But somewhere in the middle—right where the light starts slipping through the trees—you’ll stop just to breathe it in. Moss on rocks, birds doing their thing, and that slow-down feeling that settles in your chest.
Why it’s worth it: You get the kind of quiet that sticks with you. And no one’s rushing. You can turn around whenever, and it still feels like enough.
Best Time to Visit The Bowman Fork Trail:
Mid-May through September. The trail’s clear, the forest is full, and the air smells like trees and dirt in the best way.
4. Neff’s Canyon Trail (East Bench – Semi-Secret)
If you’re looking for a trail that feels like it belongs to you for a day, Neff’s Canyon delivers. It’s tucked behind a neighborhood, barely marked, and somehow still right at the edge of Salt Lake. The kind of place you almost don’t want to tell anyone about.
It starts mellow—dirt path, tree cover, a little creek running alongside. Birds, breeze, and nothing loud. And then it opens up. Big meadows. Wildflowers in late spring. Ridge views if you push far enough. And quiet—real quiet. No bikes, no crowds, just wind and your boots on the trail.
The incline kicks in slowly, then sticks around. It’s not brutal, just enough to make you stop, breathe, and pretend you’re admiring the view (you are, but also, you need a break). It’s one of those climbs that feels good after—after-the kind that makes sitting at the top feel earned.
Why go: It’s peaceful without being boring. Wild but still close to home. And if you time it right—early morning or golden hour—you’ll wonder why everyone else picked the busier trails.
5. Desolation Trail to Salt Lake Overlook
If you hit this one early, like just-after-sunrise early, it feels like the canyon is still waking up. The Desolation Trail to Salt Lake Overlook is a slow, gentle climb through shaded pine and aspen groves, perfect if you’re not trying to sweat through your shirt in the first mile.
The trail curls and climbs, never steep enough to hurt, and the air smells like dirt and pine needles. No crowds, no rush. Just trail and sky. And when you get to the overlook, there’s this perfect little bench carved into the rock, facing the city. Sit there for a while. Talk if you want, or don’t. Just watch the way the light moves across the valley.
Why it’s worth it: Sometimes the best views don’t come with crowds. They come with stillness and space to breathe.
Best Time to Visit The Desolation Trail:
May through October. Catch it just after a rain for that extra pine-scented air.
6. Red Pine Lake – Big Pines, Bigger Views, and That Quiet You Didn’t Know You Needed
This one makes you earn it, but in the best kind of way. You start up the trail near Little Cottonwood, tucked in under tall trees with the creek running beside you. First part’s mellow—cool shade, a few roots to step over, nothing wild. Then it picks up. Steeper. A little sweatier. But every turn opens something up—peeks of cliffs, the sound of water falling somewhere close, and that feeling like the air’s getting cleaner the higher you climb.
About halfway in, there’s a fork—go right, and that’s where Red Pine really starts to show off. Granite ridges, alpine meadows, and wildflowers, if you time it right. And then the lake just appears—still, glassy, tucked beneath the peaks like it’s been waiting for you all along.
Why it’s worth it: It’s one of those hikes where the work fades fast once you sit down by the lake. Boots off, snacks out, legs in the water. Nothing to prove, just a place that gives back everything you put in.
Best Time to Visit The Red Pine Lake:
Late June through September. Snow lingers up high, so give it time to melt out unless you’re into postholing.
7. North Fork Canyon Trail – Pines, Solitude
If you’re the kind of couple that prefers fewer crowds and more quiet, North Fork’s your kind of hike. Tucked away near North Ogden, this one doesn’t make a big fuss about itself. It just starts under a canopy of tall pines, soft dirt trail underfoot, birds doing their thing overhead. Really peaceful. Real simple.
The climb’s steady but not brutal—just enough to remind your legs they’re working. You get views early on, too. Rolling hills, open sky, and that first glimpse of the canyon that makes you stop and say, “Yeah, this is good.”
As you wind deeper in, it gets quieter. Fewer voices, more breeze. If you time it right—maybe a weekday, maybe early morning—you might not see a single other person out there. Just you two, moving at your own pace, no rush.
Why it’s worth it: Some trails are loud with look-at-me views. North Fork whispers. It’s the kind of place that makes you feel smaller in a comforting way. And by the time you head back down, things feel lighter than when you started.
Best Time to Visit North Fork Canyon Trail:
May through October. Earlier in the season, it’s fresh and green. Later on, the colors shift and the light gets softer.
What to Pack for a Hidden Hike near SLC
- Water (a full bottle and then some)
- Good trail shoes or Hiking boots.
- Light layers (even in summer)
- Hat + sunscreen
- Snacks (the kind that don’t melt)
- Phone with a trail map
- Small first-aid kit
- Optional: Trekking Poles
FAQ – Hidden Hikes Around Salt Lake
When’s the best time to go?
Spring to mid-fall is your window. Early mornings feel calm, and evenings catch the light just right. Summer midday? Not so much.
Can beginners handle these trails?
Yeah, most of ’em. Take your time, stop when you need to, and don’t treat it like a race. The point’s to enjoy it, not crush it.
Do I need to pay or get a permit?
Some spots ask for a small fee or a day pass. Nothing wild—just check online or at the trailhead signs so you’re not caught off guard.
Wrap It Up – Hidden Falls, Slow Trails, Big Views, and Breathing
You don’t have to go far to feel far. These trails around Salt Lake aren’t packed with people or polished with signs. They’re quieter, a little rough around the edges, and better for it. Good for walking slowly, talking less, and letting the noise fade out for a while. Whether it’s a mellow canyon stroll or a lake you earn after a long climb, these are the kinds of places that stick with you.
Bring water, take your time, and leave better than you came. And if one of these trails speaks to you, lace up, get out there, and see what happens. The quiet’s waiting.
