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Salt Lake City Travel Guide
Salt Lake City's advantage is geography: seven ski resorts within an hour of the airport, and city lodging that prices far below any of the resort towns. That makes it the standard budget base for a Utah ski trip, and the ski bus up Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons removes the rental car and the parking reservation problem entirely. Outside winter, it's the gateway to the Mighty Five national parks — Arches and Moab are about four hours south. Temple Square, the Great Salt Lake shoreline, and the foothill trails are free. This guide covers ski logistics, seasons, and what's free in the city.
Quick tips
- Base in Salt Lake and ski the Cottonwood canyons — an hour from the airport at city lodging rates.
- The UTA ski bus runs up both canyons and avoids parking reservations entirely.
- Temple Square and the foothill trails above the city are free.
- Spring and fall are the cheapest seasons in town.
- Moab and Arches are about four hours south for a national parks add-on.
Frequently asked
Is Salt Lake City a good base for skiing?
It's the best value base in Utah — seven resorts within about an hour, at city hotel rates rather than resort-town rates.
How do you get from Salt Lake City to the ski resorts?
The UTA ski bus serves Big and Little Cottonwood Canyons, avoiding both a rental car and canyon parking reservations.
When is Salt Lake City cheapest to visit?
Spring and fall, between ski season and the summer national-parks travel season.