The Ski Utah Yeti loves hiking to catch the summer sunsets of Utah. There’s something special about the final hours of the day here in this state because the fiery colors of the sky mixed with the mountainous backdrop is truly a unique sight. Here are a few places the Yeti likes to adventure to during the last hours of the daylight. These Wasatch destinations are short and sweet making them the perfect way to end a day at work. In addition, these hikes are meant to be short enough to make it back down to your car while it’s still light out — make sure to bring a headlamp just in case the last few minutes of the walk down gets dark.
1. Big Beacon Mount Wire Trail via The Living Room
The Living Room, one of SLC’s most popular short hikes, marks the halfway point to the top of Mount Wire. It’s called Big Beacon Mount Wire Trail because an old airplane beacon that stands at the top of the mountain marking the ending point of the hike. The Yeti says this is his favorite sunset hike of all time because you can see everything from The Great Salt Lake and Antelope Island to most of The Greater Salt Lake City Area including downtown and the capital to various mountain peaks. Wildflowers are extremely prominent on this hike which is an added bonus.
The hike is about 5 miles round-trip. If you want to make it more of a leisurely adventure, the Yeti suggests bringing a light dinner or snack to enjoy halfway up at The Living Room. There’s usually a bunch of people at this point listening to music and catching up with friends — once you pass The Living Room the hike is much more secluded and peaceful. Put this hike on your summer bucket list because the views are simply surreal. To get full directions for this hike click here.
2. Ferguson Canyon
Hit this adventure when it’s hot out because the entire hike is shaded and you follow a creek with beautiful waterfalls on the way up. This hike is short (about 3.5 miles round-trip) but pretty steep, and it can be confusing because the trailhead requires you to walk across the creek here and there. If the trail splits, always follow the path closest to the water because that’s the correct way. The Yeti claims it’s well worth the adventure because the top offers an outstanding view of Salt Lake City and The Great Salt Lake. Ferguson Canyon is also a popular climbing spot, and the beginning is a fun place to take a break to watch some amazing climbers of all levels. Click here for all the details on this hike.
3. Bonneville Shoreline in Ogden
Bonneville Shoreline runs along the Wasatch front and connect Salt Lake City to Provo and Ogden. Not only is it a popular hike, it’s a very popular bike trail. The Yeti’s favorite section of the trail is in Ogden because it looks out over the city and gives you the perfect panoramic view of the The Great Salt Lake and Antelope Island. This hike is easy and simply breathtaking. There are multiple spots to get on the trail, but the Yeti recommends starting on Beaus 4600 South. This is a perfect end of the day hike to go on with people of all fitness levels because once you find the trail, it’s a nice flat stroll along the mountainside. Another great factor about this hike is that you can make it as long as you want by hiking only a couple of miles or up to six miles. For those of you who are photographers, this is great trail to snap some sunset pictures over the city of Ogden. Click here to get the full details of this hike.
4. PC Hill
PC Hill may be the one of the best post work hikes whether you live in Park City or in Salt Lake City. What makes this hike so great is that you can get a great mini work out in a 1.5 mile loop. It takes about 20 minutes to get to the top, which provides a killer 360 degree view where you can see Deer Valley and Park City Mountain Resort. In addition, nothing is better than looking down at Park City with a blood orange sunset behind the town and the Wasatch Mountains. Thanks to Park City Mountain Resort, here is everything you need to know about this hike.
5. Antelope Island State Park
If you have a little bit more time on your hands, Antelope Island is a spectacular adventure in many ways. It’s about a 40 minute drive from SLC, so make sure to give yourself some time to get there. Depending on what mood you are in, there are two great hiking options — Frary Peak or Buffalo Point. Frary Peak is the hardest hike on the island being 6.1 mile loop to the its highest peak. This may be one of the top views in The Greater Salt Lake City Area.
The Yeti also enjoys the short .8 mile hike to Buffalo Point. One of his favorite things to do before this hike is to explore the Fielding Garr Ranch where you can find Bison and Owls, and learn about its history. He then likes to end the day with a hike and a picnic on Buffalo Point during sunset. Make sure to bring bug spray if you’re going in June or July because the bugs can get bad around this time of the summer. To get more details on Antelope Islands best hikes, click here.
Utah has endless trails with spectacular sunset views awaiting at the top. Be sure to share you sunset adventures with us by using #SkiUtah on your social accounts. If you’re looking for some more summer fun ideas, check out the Yeti’s 2016 Summer Bucket List.
