The sun goes down every night in Salt Lake. Some of these spots are five minutes away. Others take a little planning. All of them give you a clear line to the horizon and a reason to stay a while.
Here are my favorite sunset spots in Salt Lake.
Neffs Canyon
📍 Neffs Canyon Trailhead, 3700 E Parkview Dr, Holladay, UT 84124
🕛 Get there about 30 minutes before sunset if you want the full show. In late summer, that’s around 7:30 PM, but check the actual time because it shifts fast once fall starts.
🎟️ Free. Park at the trailhead and you’re set.
Neffs Canyon is a trailhead spot right at the base of Mount Olympus Wilderness, and you don’t even have to hike to catch the sunset. You can watch it from the parking lot or walk just a few minutes up the trail to get an elevated view of the valley. The light hits the Wasatch peaks behind you while the valley below goes gold, and it’s shaded enough along the trail that you’re not roasting in the evening sun. Dogs are allowed on leash, which is why I end up here with mine more than anywhere else.
The trail loops if you want to keep walking after the sun drops, or you can just sit by the stream that runs through the canyon when there’s water. It’s dog friendly and people bring their dogs here all the time, so if you’ve got one this is the spot. The trail gets steep if you go up, but the first stretch is easy and that’s all you need for the view.
Mount Olympus Trailhead
📍 5789 Wasatch Blvd, Holladay, UT 84121
🕛 Same deal here — about 30 minutes before sunset. In August that’s closer to 8 PM, but the earlier you get there the better the parking situation.
🎟️ Free. Just park and enjoy.
Mount Olympus Trailhead is one of those spots where you literally don’t have to leave your car if you don’t want to. The parking lot faces west over the valley, and the sunset views are unreal. If you do want to walk a bit, the Bonneville Shoreline Trail is right there and it’s one of my favorite places to watch the sky change colors. Couples show up here all the time because it’s an easy romantic spot without the effort of a full hike.
The Bonneville Shoreline Trail runs along the base of the mountain and you can walk it as long as you want without much elevation gain. The full Mount Olympus hike is intense if you’re into that, but for sunset you just need the lower trail or the parking lot. Bring a blanket and sit on the hood of your car if you want to make it easy.
Flat Iron Mesa Park
📍 1150 E 9400 S, Sandy, UT 84094
🕛 Get there 20 to 30 minutes before sunset if you want a good spot on the hill. In late summer that’s around 7:45 PM, but it shifts earlier by mid-September.
🎟️ Free. It’s a city park.
Flat Iron Mesa Park sits on a big hill in Sandy, and the elevation gives you open views in every direction. You get the mountains to the east and the valley spreading out west, so the sunset lights up both at once. People sled here in winter, but in summer it’s just a huge grassy slope where you can spread out and watch the sky go pink and orange. The park has huge old trees for shade during the day, but the hill itself is wide open for sunset.
There are pickleball courts, tennis courts, and baseball fields if you want to stick around and do something after. The playground is good if you’ve got kids with you. Dogs are welcome, and I see people bring picnics and blankets all the time.
Holladay City Hall Park
📍 4580 S 2300 E, Holladay, UT 84117
🕛 Show up about 30 minutes before sunset if you want to settle in. In August that’s around 8 PM, and the park stays open until 10 PM so you’ve got time.
🎟️ Free. It’s a public park.
Holladay City Hall Park is right at the base of Mount Olympus, so you get the peak lit up behind you while the sun drops over the valley in front of you. It’s a city park with baseball fields, a gazebo, and pickleball courts, but the real draw at sunset is just sitting on the grass with Mount Olympus glowing in the background. The park hosts free concerts on Saturday nights in summer, and if you time it right you can catch the sunset during the show.
The free concerts run on Saturdays in July and August at 8 PM, so if you’re there on the right night you’ve got live music and sunset at the same time. There’s a playground next door, zip lines, and swinging benches if you want to hang out after. Dogs are welcome, and the park is big enough that you can spread out and not feel crowded.
Olympus Hills
📍 4015 S Wasatch Blvd, Salt Lake City, UT 84124
🕛 Get there 30 minutes before sunset to grab a good spot on the upper trails. In late summer that’s around 7:30 or 8 PM depending on the week.
🎟️ Free. Park and go.
Olympus Hills is a big park with trails that climb up and give you city views across the valley. The higher you walk, the better the view, and at sunset the whole valley lights up below you. There’s a paved trail around the perimeter and some dirt trails that cut through the park, so you can pick your elevation depending on how much effort you want to put in. It’s right off I-215 so you can see the freeway, but the trails take you high enough that it doesn’t wreck the view.
People bring their dogs here all the time, on and off leash, and nobody gives you a hard time about it. There’s water by the bathrooms if your dog needs it. The loop trail is good if you want to keep walking after sunset, and there are picnic tables and benches scattered around if you just want to sit.
Pick one spot from this list and go catch a sunset this week. You already live here. You might as well use the view.
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