Urban Living in the Fall: Our Favorite Ways to Spend the Season in Salt Lake City

Have you ever walked through a city or neighborhood and had the overwhelming feeling that you’re experiencing something special? Maybe it’s the combination of attractive trees and interesting architectural design. Maybe it’s that the streets are full of people and activity. Or maybe it’s the unique local eateries and shops that you can’t find anywhere else. Whatever the reasons, every community has its own personality—each different than the next. And when a particular community speaks to you, you remember the feeling and you can’t wait to come back. That’s the feeling we get with our newest development, theLUCY, and its surrounding Salt Lake City Ballpark neighborhood.

Salt Lake City is one of the hidden gems of the Intermountain West. All the good things you’ve heard about living in Salt Lake are true—the majestic mountains, the amazing outdoor recreation, and the eclectic collection of urban neighborhoods. Those who have visited or lived in Salt Lake understand the city’s undeniable appeal. And Salt Lake in autumn? All the good gets amplified. Here are a few of our favorite ways to spend the fall season in Salt Lake City.

The Fall Foliage 

Every fall, the Salt Lake City area becomes a veritable canvas of color. The early settlers of Salt Lake made the desert landscape blossom by planting trees just about everywhere you look. And in the fall, the green leaves transform into bright yellows, oranges, and reds all over the valley. As beautiful as Salt Lake City proper can be during fall, the real sites aren’t far away in the foothills and mountains immediately surrounding to the city. 

In fact, one of the can’t-miss activities of the entire year involves taking a short drive up one of Salt Lake City’s many canyons during fall. Parley’s Canyon, Big Cottonwood Canyon, Little Cottonwood Canyon, Emigration Canyon, Millcreek Canyon, City Creek Canyon, and the scenic Alpine Loop are all just minutes away from Salt Lake. The dramatic change of elevation and temperature compared to the city make the colors pop all over the mountainside. While this view can be enjoyed closer to home, as the entire Wasatch range transforms in preparation for winter, it’s best to view the colors up close and in person. It’s an unforgettable experience you can’t find this close to a major city anywhere else.

Hike, Bike, and Walk the City

Salt Lake City is well known for its outdoor recreation, including some of the most immediately accessible and scenic mountain biking and hiking trails found anywhere. Ensign Peak—a small mountain on Salt Lake’s north side—is a popular local hiking spot that offers an unbeatable view of the city below and a stunning glimpse of the changing colors of the Wasatch Mountains above. And the Bonneville Shoreline Trail on the east bench of Salt Lake City is a great beginner-to-intermediate mountain biking option for those hoping to take in similar sights of the city and surrounding mountains.

As great as the hiking and biking can be, Salt Lake is also an amazing place to step outside your front door and go for a walk. As you might have guessed, fall is one of the most pleasant times of the year to walk Salt Lake City. Wherever you live in Salt Lake, you’re never far away from something interesting. Whether your destination is a local hangout, bar, eatery, or event, Salt Lake City has it all during the fall. 

Lights on Temple Square

One of the modern wonders of the world (and one of the most stunning sights Salt Lake City has to offer) is the light display on Temple Square. Every November, millions of tiny lights illuminate the center of downtown Salt Lake, ushering in the holiday season and giving locals and visitors alike millions of little reasons to love Salt Lake in the fall. The lights turn on every day at sundown beginning the day after Thanksgiving.

The Temple Square area also offers plenty of free concerts and performances in fall, including rehearsals of the world-renowned Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square that are open to the public. The downtown area itself also has a variety of places to eat and hang out if you’re hoping to make a night of it. Just dress warmly, be ready for some walking, and enjoy the sights and lights of Salt Lake City during the fall season.

Fall Sports in Salt Lake

Like many urban areas, sports in Salt Lake City are at their best in the fall. The beginning of the college football and NBA season, and the end of the Major League Soccer season provide plenty of excitement and drama around town. On any given Saturday in autumn, you can see the Utes play host to perennial Pacific Coast powerhouse football teams like USC, UCLA, Stanford, and University of Oregon at Rice Eccles Stadium. At the same time, the Utah Jazz tip off their season in mid-to-late October, with preseason games and free meet-the-team events scheduled during training camp earlier in the month.

There are plenty of reasons to love Salt Lake City in the winter and summer months, but those in the know understand that this hidden gem of a city sparkles brightest during fall. Whether you’re new to the area or a lifelong resident who can’t imagine living anywhere else, get out and enjoy the cool, crisp weather and the many attractions of autumn in Salt Lake.