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Winter loosened its grip early this year, and the trails closest to town are already calling. Before the Wasatch high country has shed its snowpack, the lower-elevation corridors ringing the Salt Lake Valley are dry, hikeable, and ready. If you know where to look, you can be out the door and on dirt in under 20 minutes from downtown. This guide covers trails in key areas (Wasatch Front, Millcreek Canyon, Mount Olympus, Big Cottonwood Canyon, & Little Cottonwood Canyon) close to the city.

Wasatch Front

The Wasatach Front is the closest trail-filled area to Salt Lake City's downtown, and it's the first to open up post-winter. It stays below 5,500 feet for most of its accessible stretches, which means it sheds snow and dries out weeks ahead of anything higher. By mid-March, sections are already dusty underfoot.

Bonneville Shoreline Trail — Dry Creek to Rattlesnake Gulch

Distance: ~5 miles out-and-back  |  Difficulty: Easy–Moderate  |  Sun/Shade: Full Sun  |  Dogs: Friendly (On Leash)

The stretch between Dry Creek and Rattlesnake Gulch gives you rolling, south-facing terrain with panoramic city views and consistent footing from the moment the snow drops. Expect near-full sun exposure all day, and bring more water than you think you need this time of year. Dogs are welcome on leash, and the wide tread makes it easy to share with trail runners and mountain bikers. This one fills up fast on weekends, so a weekday start beats the parking chaos at the 1300 East trailhead.

The Living Room

Distance: 3.5 miles out-and-back  |  Difficulty: Moderate  |  Sun/Shade: Full Sun  |  Dogs: Friendly (On Leash)

Named for the collection of sandstone "furniture" locals have assembled at the top, the Living Room is the BST's most iconic short objective, and one of the first trails in the entire valley to go snow-free. The south-facing slope bakes dry by early March most years, making it a reliable early-season option when everything else is still a mud pit. The climb is steady and exposed, gaining about 1,100 feet over 1.75 miles, with the city spread out below you the whole way up. It's a high-traffic trail by SLC standards, especially on evenings and weekends, but the view from the top at golden hour is hard to argue with. The 1825 Devonshire Drive trailhead fills quickly. Arrive before 8am or plan to park a few blocks down and walk in.

Millcreek Canyon

Millcreek is a smaller, overlooked canyon of Salt Lake Valley. It's accessible, well-maintained, and complete with riverside picnics perfect for post-hike stretches. By April, the lower trails are fully open and the middle elevations are melting fast. These two routes deliver the biggest views per mile of anything this close to the city.

Grandeur Peak — Church Fork Approach

Distance: 6.6 miles out-and-back  |  Difficulty: Strenuous  |  Sun/Shade: Mixed Sun / Shade  |  Dogs: Odd-Numbered Days Only

At 8,299 feet, Grandeur is the spring objective for SLC locals who want a real summit without driving deep into the mountains. The Church Fork approach climbs through oak brush and maple, with shaded switchbacks keeping it manageable even when temperatures start climbing. Expect some lingering snow on the upper quarter through mid-April. Note Millcreek's odd/even dog policy: dogs are allowed on odd-numbered calendar days only, and this is actively enforced.

Salt Lake Overlook

Distance: 3.6 miles out-and-back  |  Difficulty: Moderate  |  Sun/Shade: Partial Shade  |  Dogs: Odd-Numbered Days Only

For a shorter morning hit with above-average payoff, the Salt Lake Overlook delivers sweeping valley views without demanding a full summit push. The trail climbs steadily but never brutally, making it a smart choice for early-season shakeout hikes or when you're breaking in new boots. Same dog policy as Grandeur applies.

Mount Olympus

The twin limestone peaks of Mount Olympus are visible from half the valley, and in spring, the lower flanks are among the first objectives to clear. Whether you want a full-day summit push or a quick canyon ramble, this zone earns its rep.

Mount Olympus Trail

Distance: 7.8 miles out-and-back  |  Difficulty: Strenuous  |  Sun/Shade: Mostly Sun  |  Dogs: Leashed

Don't let the trailhead elevation fool you. Olympus asks for nearly 4,000 feet of gain in under 4 miles one-way, and the upper section involves Class 2–3 scrambling over quartzite slabs that can hold ice well into April. Traction devices earn their weight on the summit approach until the snowpack fully settles. The views from the top: Jordan Valley to the west, Cottonwood drainages to the south... make every foot of it worth the effort.

Big Cottonwood Canyon

Big Cottonwood Canyon is Salt Lake's alpine anchor. The Solitude and Brighton resort corridor is what most locals think of first when the snow flies. But spring shifts the focus to the canyon mouth and its lower drainages, which open up weeks before the high terrain does. A heads-up: the Cottonwood Canyon watershed protects Salt Lake City's primary drinking water supply, so dogs are prohibited throughout the entire drainage. No exceptions.

Big Cottonwood Canyon Trail

Distance: ~5 miles out-and-back  |  Difficulty: Easy–Moderate  |  Sun/Shade: Mixed Sun / Shade  |  Dogs: Not Permitted (Watershed)

The lower canyon trail follows the creek through cottonwood and maple forest, with the snowmelt-fed creek running full-tilt by April. It's a mellow, high-reward route early in the season. Shaded sections keep temperatures reasonable, and the sound of rushing water makes it feel more remote than the trailhead proximity suggests. Excellent for trail runners doing long moderate miles before the high-country trails open.

Ferguson Canyon

Distance: 3.4 miles out-and-back  |  Difficulty: Moderate  |  Sun/Shade: Shaded, North-Facing  |  Dogs: Leashed

Ferguson is the sleeper pick in this zone. A north-facing drainage that packs surprising technical character: a few rocky scramble sections, creek crossings that can be wet through May, and dramatic quartzite walls that block out any sense you're still in the suburbs. The trail dead-ends at the canyon headwall, which makes it naturally self-limiting and keeps crowds manageable even on spring weekends. Start early if you want solitude; this one's been getting out more lately. Since Ferguson sits right outside Big, dogs are allowed in this non-watershed area.

Watershed Note: Both Big Cottonwood and Little Cottonwood Canyons sit within Salt Lake City's primary drinking water watershed. Dogs, swimming, and wading are prohibited throughout both drainages. This isn't a soft guideline. Rangers enforce it, and the fines are real. Leave your dog home for any Cottonwood Canyon objective.

Little Cottonwood Canyon

Little Cottonwood is tighter, steeper, and more dramatic than its sister canyon. Granite walls that drop straight to the canyon floor, a road that narrows to a single lane, and snowpack that lingers at elevation well into May. But the lower trail opens reliably by early April, and Bell Canyon, which is technically off the LCC floor, and it is one of the best moderate spring objectives in the whole valley.

Temple Quarry & Little Cottonwood Trail

Distance: ~6 miles out-and-back  |  Difficulty: Moderate  |  Sun/Shade: Morning Shade / Afternoon Sun  |  Dogs: Not Permitted (Watershed)

The lower LCC trail tracks the stream through spectacular granite terrain, with the canyon walls throwing shade until midmorning before the sun angles in from the south. The spring wildflower display along the lower two miles is legitimately excellent. Glacier lily and balsamroot come in fast after snowmelt. Trail runners who do this as a tempo workout before the ski season ends are doing something right.

Bell Canyon Trail (Lower & Upper Reservoir)

Distance: 5 miles out-and-back (Lower) / 8 miles (Upper)  |  Difficulty: Moderate–Strenuous  |  Sun/Shade: Mixed, Mostly Sun Upper  |  Dogs: Friendly (On Leash)

Bell Canyon is the one to bookmark for the dog. Accessed off the Granite Trailhead just east of the LCC corridor, the trail climbs past two reservoir tiers with big views and manageable grade. The lower reservoir is achievable for most fitness levels, and the upper pushes into serious spring-summit territory. The upper basin holds snow into May, so poles and traction are smart after heavy winters. The Bell Canyon area has seen increased trail traffic lately. Weekday starts or pre-8am arrivals are your best bet for parking and quiet.

Spring Trail Essentials

Lower-elevation trails dry out fast, but conditions change day-to-day in April. Trail runners and approach shoes with sticky rubber outsoles are the right call for canyon trails. And bring layers! Mornings in the canyons can run 20°F colder than the valley floor.

Not sure what to put on your feet this spring? Shop hiking footwear at Campman — we carry everything from light trail runners to approach shoes built for Wasatch terrain, and you can even come into our store to try them on before buying!

About the Author

Derek Newman

Born in the Wasatch, Derek has had an affinity for mountain life since day one. He was on skis the year he learned to walk, and as a high school graduation present he gifted himself rock climbing lessons. Nearly two decades later, Derek spends most of his time climbing up and/or skiing down most of the mountains around Salt Lake City, and he's traveled around the world multiple times for the sole purpose of peak exploration. When he isn't a man about camp, he's working in Campman's content marketing crew writing up blogs about backcountry skiing or rock climbing as well as describing products that he's used personally. He's climbed in most climbing shoes, toured on most backcountry skis, and ridden the resort on skis, snowboards, and even some evac sleds.