10 of the Best Peak Climbs near Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, Utah, boasts the best mountain access of any major city in the United States.

There, I said it.

That's a bold statement, but the facts back it up. While other so-called "mountain cities," such as Denver, are situated a long way from true mountains, the Wasatch Range rises straight from the outskirts of Salt Lake City, climbing from 4,300 feet above sea level to a sky-scraping 11,752 feet at the top of Mount Timpanogos. (Mount Nebo is the highest peak in the range at 11,928 feet, but it's located many miles to the south of Salt Lake.)

With foothills overlooking downtown, soaring mountain summits directly on the edge of the Salt Lake Valley, and lofty peaks further back in the Wasatch Range, you don't need to go far from downtown Salt Lake to find a worthy mountain to climb. In this guidebook, I've rounded up 10 of the best peak climbs, ranging from short to long and easy(er) to challenging.

Outstanding summits in this guidebook include Mount Timpanogos mentioned above, mapped here as a lollipop loop. Mount Superior is also widely regarded as one of the most famous peaks in the Wasatch.

Mount Ogden soars above the valley floor, visually dominating the Wasatch Front. The Twin Peaks and Mount Olympus also hold a commanding presence in SLC's mountain view.

The peaks called out here are just the highlights. Dig deep into this guidebook, and you're guaranteed to find the perfect summit hike for your next foray into the mountains!