5 Best Hikes Near Salt Lake City Guides for Every Trail Day

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Choosing a guide for Hikes Near Salt Lake City is harder than it should be. Some books focus on classic local routes, while others widen the map to Ogden, Provo, or the Uintas.

Start with the kind of outing you plan to take. A broad hiking collection suits variety seekers, an easy-hike guide fits relaxed day trips, and a newer practical guide may appeal if you want waterfalls, alpine lakes, and canyon adventures in one place.

These five picks were selected from the stated titles, coverage, and intended use. The lineup avoids unrelated Salt Lake City books and separates general trail collections from easy-hike-focused options.

Use the quick comparison to narrow the field, then read the individual picks and buying guidance to choose the guide that best matches your routes and planning style.

Our Top 5 Hikes Near Salt Lake City Picks at a Glance

	Product
	Best Hikes Salt Lake City — Globe Pequot Press Classic local trail coverage	Check Price
	60 Hikes Within 60 Miles — Menasha Ridge Press Regional trail variety	Check Price
	Salt Lake City’s Best 52 Hikes A straightforward local shortlist	Check Price
	Best Easy Day Hikes Salt Lake City — Globe Pequot Relaxed day outings	Check Price
	Easy Day Hikes Salt Lake City 2026–2027 Newer practical route planning	Check Price

Top 5 Hikes Near Salt Lake City: Detailed Reviews

1. Best Hikes Salt Lake City — Globe Pequot Press

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Best Hikes Salt Lake City is a Globe Pequot Press guide covering 46 hikes, with nearly all routes within an hour’s drive of Salt Lake City. That tight geographic focus makes it practical for planning local outings without sorting through distant destinations. The selection ranges from Deseret Peak to Waterfall Canyon and highlights trails offering mountain views, waterfalls, and mountain lakes. If you want a curated starting point for Hikes Near Salt Lake City, this book keeps the scope focused rather than attempting to cover the whole state.

What We Like:

• It covers 46 local hikes in one focused guide.
• Nearly all routes are within an hour of Salt Lake City.
• The selection includes varied scenery, including waterfalls and mountain lakes.
• It includes destinations ranging from Deseret Peak to Waterfall Canyon.
• Its local emphasis suits readers planning nearby trail days.

What Could Be Improved:

• It may feel limited if you want a broad guide to hikes across Utah.
• Because nearly all routes stay within an hour of the city, it offers less help for farther trips.
• The available description does not specify whether entries include difficulty or navigation details.

Buy it if you want a focused shortlist of nearby Salt Lake City hikes and value scenic variety over statewide coverage. Skip it if your plans regularly extend well beyond the area or you need a guide whose listed features clearly include detailed difficulty and navigation information.

2. 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles — Menasha Ridge Press

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60 Hikes Within 60 Miles: Salt Lake City: Including Ogden, Provo, and the Uintas is a regional guide from Menasha Ridge Press for hikers who want more than Hikes Near Salt Lake City itself. Its defining strength is geographic range: you can use one book to consider trails around Salt Lake City, Ogden, Provo, and the Uintas. That broader scope makes it useful for planning varied outings or building a weekend itinerary, though it may feel less focused than a guide devoted exclusively to the city’s nearby trails.

What We Like:

• Covers Salt Lake City, Ogden, Provo, and the Uintas in one guide.
• Offers more regional variety than a strictly local book.
• Helps you compare trail options across several Utah destinations.
• Works well for hikers planning trips beyond the immediate Salt Lake City area.

What Could Be Improved:

• The wider coverage may provide less local focus than a Salt Lake City-only guide.
• It may be more book than you need if you only hike near the city.
• The available product information does not specify included planning features or trail details.

Buy this guide if you want a broader Utah hiking reference that includes Ogden, Provo, and the Uintas alongside Salt Lake City. It suits hikers planning varied outings or regional trips. Skip it if you want a tightly focused local shortlist or prefer a guide centered only on nearby city trails.

3. Salt Lake City’s Best 52 Hikes

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Salt Lake City’s Best 52 Hikes is a focused guide for Hikes Near Salt Lake City. It offers a straightforward local shortlist of 52 hikes rather than broader regional framing. That narrow scope suits you if you want a book centered on local outings and prefer a defined set of choices over a larger regional catalog. Its appeal is its clarity: you can browse a local collection without sorting through coverage beyond the area. The available information does not identify specific route details, maps, difficulty notes, or planning tools, so consider whether you need those before buying.

What We Like:

• It concentrates on 52 hikes instead of presenting a sprawling regional catalog.
• The local focus makes the shortlist easier to approach.
• Its straightforward format suits readers who want a defined set of choices.
• It avoids the broader regional framing found in wider trail guides.

What Could Be Improved:

• A 52-hike scope may feel limiting if you want extensive regional variety.
• The available information does not confirm maps, difficulty ratings, or other route-planning features.

Buy it if you want a concise, locally focused shortlist of 52 hikes and do not need broad regional coverage. Skip it if you prefer a larger collection, detailed planning tools, or confirmed information about maps, difficulty, and route-specific features.

4. Best Easy Day Hikes Salt Lake City — Globe Pequot

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Best Easy Day Hikes Salt Lake City is a Globe Pequot Press guide in the Best Easy Day Hikes Series, built for readers who want approachable outings rather than a mix of strenuous and relaxed routes. If you are comparing Hikes Near Salt Lake City, its narrow focus makes the title easy to understand: it is aimed at straightforward day-trip planning. The available product information does not list maps, mileage, difficulty notes, or other included features, so verify whether those details meet your planning needs before buying. It is a focused alternative to broader local trail guides.

What We Like:

• It focuses on easy day hikes, so you do not have to sort demanding routes from relaxed options.
• The local scope keeps your planning centered on Salt Lake City.
• The series name clearly signals its intended use for casual day outings.
• Its straightforward focus may suit newer hikers who want a less intimidating starting point.
• Globe Pequot Press gives the guide an established outdoor-publishing identity.

What Could Be Improved:

• The available information does not confirm whether it includes maps, mileage, elevation details, or route directions.
• Its narrow focus may disappoint hikers seeking challenging trails or wider regional coverage.
• No edition or update information is provided, so check the listing carefully before purchasing.

Buy it if you want a clearly focused guide for easy day hikes around Salt Lake City and prefer a dedicated shortlist over a broad regional book. Skip it if you need demanding routes, extensive planning details, or confirmed maps and specifications before buying.

5. Easy Day Hikes Salt Lake City 2026–2027

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Easy Day Hikes Salt Lake City 2026–2027 is a practical guide for planning approachable outings around Salt Lake City and Utah’s surrounding landscapes. Its coverage centers on waterfalls, alpine lakes, scenic trails, and canyon adventures, giving you a focused way to choose a day outside rather than a broad regional catalog. The title’s emphasis on easy hikes makes it most relevant for relaxed walks and moderate day plans. The 2026–2027 edition adds a current-planning angle, though the available details do not specify maps, mileage, difficulty notes, or other navigation features.

What We Like:

• The easy-hike focus suits relaxed day outings and less ambitious trail plans.
• Waterfall coverage gives you a clear theme for choosing scenic destinations.
• Alpine lakes add variety beyond ordinary valley and canyon walks.
• Scenic trails and canyon adventures cover several types of outdoor experience.
• The 2026–2027 edition is positioned as a newer planning resource.

What Could Be Improved:

• Experienced hikers may find its easy-outing focus too limited for longer or more technical routes.
• The available listing does not confirm maps, mileage, difficulty details, or other navigation tools.
• Its Salt Lake City focus may not suit readers seeking a broad statewide hiking guide.

Buy it if you want a newer, focused guide for accessible outings featuring waterfalls, alpine lakes, scenic trails, and canyons. Skip it if you need advanced routes, extensive statewide coverage, or confirmed navigation details such as maps and mileage.

How to Choose Among Hikes Near Salt Lake City Guides

Hikes Near Salt Lake City guides can serve different kinds of trail days, so start by deciding what you want the book to do. A broad regional guide may help you compare more destinations, while a local shortlist may make the choice faster. The right purchase depends less on having the biggest selection than on matching the guide’s scope to your plans.

Choose the right geographic scope

Check whether you want trails centered on Salt Lake City or a wider regional collection. A local guide keeps the focus close to the city and may suit readers who want a straightforward starting point. A guide built around trails within a broader mileage range can offer more variety, but that wider coverage may be less useful if you mainly want nearby outings.

Match the guide to your preferred hike

Think about the kinds of days you expect to plan. A general guide makes more sense if you want a mix of local trail options, while an easy-hike guide is a better fit for relaxed day outings. If you already know that shorter, less demanding walks are your priority, a focused guide can be more practical than a broader book.

Consider how much selection you need

Some readers want a concise shortlist that reduces decision-making. Others prefer regional variety so they can choose among more types of outings over time. Decide whether you value quick browsing or a larger pool of possibilities, then favor the guide whose stated focus supports that preference.

Look at recency and planning needs

A newer edition may appeal to you if current route planning is a priority, especially when you want a practical resource for upcoming outings. An established guide can still be the better choice if you value classic local trail coverage. Compare the guide’s age and stated purpose with how often you plan to hike and whether you want a familiar reference or a newer planning aid.

Finally, consider buying one guide or combining complementary types. A local shortlist paired with a regional variety guide can cover different trail-day moods, while an easy-hike title may be enough if relaxed outings are your main goal. Keep the purchase focused on your actual use rather than choosing a book only because it covers the most ground.

Which Hikes Near Salt Lake City Guide Should You Choose?

Best overall: Best Hikes Salt Lake City offers classic local trail coverage, making it the clearest all-purpose choice for readers focused on the city. Best alternative: 60 Hikes Within 60 Miles suits you better if regional trail variety matters more than a strictly local focus. Choose one of the easy-day guides instead if relaxed outings or newer practical route planning better match the way you intend to use your guide.