Park City, Utah is a beautiful destination any time of year, but we especially love visiting in the fall. You’ll be able to experience the beauty of the changing leaves and a fresh crispness in the air. Visiting in the shoulder season also means fewer crowds and more affordable prices. Keep reading to discover the best things to do in Park City in the fall!
The Best Things to Do in and Around Park City in the Fall
Table of Contents
- Stay at Black Rock Mountain Resort
- Ride the Heber Valley Railroad
- Hike the Bloods Lake Trail
- Drive the Alpine Loop
- Visit the Town of Midway
- Visit the Shops on Park City’s Historic Main Street
- Enjoy Fall Activities at the Ski Resorts
Stay at Black Rock Mountain Resort
We’ve been visiting Park City for years and have stayed at quite a few different resorts. We recently stayed at Black Rock Mountain Resort, and it is our new favorite place to stay in Park City!
We stayed in the St. Moritz Penthouse Suite, and it is the dreamiest place we’ve ever stayed!
The living room has a two-story window, and there are fireplaces in every bedroom for cozy fall nights. We absolutely fell in love with the space and had a hard time leaving!
The spacious modern suite sleeps up to 10 people with a full kitchen, a large loft, a game room, and a sprawling outdoor deck with a fire pit.
The suite is large enough that you can split the cost with a few families, couples, or friends for an unforgettable weekend getaway.
Black Rock Mountain Resort is a condo hotel that fits every family’s size and budget. From cozy guest rooms that sleep up to 4 people, to luxury suites that sleep up to 14.
As an added bonus, if you click this link to make your reservation, you’ll receive a 30% discount on your entire stay, as well as a $30 nightly credit that can be used at the onsite Overlook Restaurant or market. This is such a fantastic deal!
The amenities at the resort include a heated outdoor pool and hot tub, as well as a sauna and steam room. It’s the perfect spot to relax and unwind after spending a day outdoors.
One of my favorite memories from our trip was soaking in the hot tub while snow was falling all around us. It was so magical!
If you’re traveling with kids, they’ll especially love the resort’s large game room with ping pong tables, pool tables, board games, and 7 different televisions to watch sports games.
Switchback Sports is located at the resort and offers seasonal bike and ski rentals for year-round fun. It’s so convenient to grab your equipment and go, without dealing with the hassle and lines at the ski resort.
The suites all include a fully-equipped kitchen so you can save money by cooking your own meals. However, I highly recommend eating at least one meal at the resort’s Overlook Restaurant.
We ordered dishes from their breakfast, brunch, lunch, dinner, and dessert menu and everything we ate was phenomenal!
The food is delicious, the presentation is gorgeous, the portions are generous, and the price is reasonable for what you get.
Black Rock Mountain Resort is situated between Park City and Heber City and is the perfect home base. It offers easy access to the ski resorts, downtown Park City, hiking trails, and other local attractions and activities.
The resort even offers a complimentary shuttle bus to Park City and Deer Valley Resorts.
Black Rock Mountain Resort opened in 2021 and is continuing to expand with an indoor ice hockey rink currently under construction. In addition to the 1,500-seat ice rink, the venue will also include an event space, a 10,000-square-foot fitness center, an arcade, and restaurants.
We’re excited to come back and check out the new additions!
Ride the Heber Valley Railroad
The Heber Valley Railroad, nicknamed the “Heber Creeper”, is a beloved historic attraction about 25 minutes from Park City. The railroad was completed in 1899 and served as a passenger and freight line between Provo and Heber.
Today, guests can climb aboard a vintage 100-year-old train car to experience the nostalgia of what train travel was like over a century ago.
A variety of train rides are offered throughout the year, including special holiday-themed rides like The Pumpkin Train and The Polar Express.
We booked tickets for the Lakeside Limited, a narrated scenic 2-hour ride that follows along the shore of Deer Creek Reservoir.
This train ride is especially beautiful in the fall with pops of colorful leaves and a dusting of snow on the surrounding mountains.
If you’re traveling with kids, they’ll love the Pumpkin Train which includes on-board entertainment, pumpkin cookies, and you’ll even be able to pick out your own pumpkin to take home.
Hike the Bloods Lake Trail
There are several hiking trails in the area that are especially beautiful in the fall.
Bloods Lake Trail is a 2.8-mile out-and-back trail in the Bonanza Flat area, about 15 minutes from Park City. The trail is rated moderate with an elevation gain of 462 feet.
The trail leads through groves of golden aspens and pine trees before reaching Bloods Lake.
The trail is fairly flat with most of the elevation gained in the final ascent to the lake. Once you reach the lake, you’ll find a thick forest of pine trees reflected in the water.
This is a very popular trail, especially in the fall, and parking is limited. Be sure to arrive early in the morning or later in the afternoon.
The best time to do this hike is in late September or the beginning of October when the fall leaves are at their peak.
We hiked this trail after the first snowfall of the season and the trail was slippery and muddy, so you’ll want to bring hiking poles and spikes if there has been rain or snow.
Other popular hiking trails in the area include the Bonanza Loop Trail, Donut Falls Trail, Cascade Springs, and the Cecret Lake Trail.
Drive the Alpine Loop
The Alpine Loop is one of the most popular scenic fall drives, and for good reason!
The 20-mile paved road winds through colorful golden aspens, red maple and oaks, and forests of evergreens and mixed conifers.
The drive offers breathtaking views of Mount Timpanogos and the surrounding mountain peaks as you make your way from Provo Canyon to American Fork Canyon.
While in Provo Canyon, I also recommend driving the 2-mile Kyhv Peak Road (formerly Squaw Peak) to a beautiful lookout point over Utah Valley.
We also love the Stewart Falls Trail and riding bikes along the Provo River Parkway Trail to Bridal Veil Falls. For more information and recommendations, see our guide 15 Fun Things to Do in Utah County.
The beginning of the Alpine Loop road is about 40 minutes from Park City. Other scenic drives closer to Park City include Guardsman Pass, Big Cottonwood Canyon, Millcreek Canyon, and the drive from Kamas to Mirror Lake.
If you’re looking to rent a car for your trip, we used Discover Cars and love how they compare prices across all the different rental car companies so that you can get the best deal.
Visit the Town of Midway
Midway is a charming Swiss-inspired town about 25 minutes from Park City.
The town was settled in the late 1800s by Swiss immigrants who felt right at home in the verdant green valley surrounded by snowcapped mountains.
You can still find evidence of Swiss architecture throughout the town of Midway, which has been dubbed the “Little Switzerland of Utah”. After visiting Switzerland this past summer, I can definitely see why it has earned this nickname!
Fall is a great time to visit where you can enjoy a meal in a cozy alpenglobe at Café Galleria or pick up holiday gifts from the local shops.
It’s also magical in the winter, see our guide 10 Fun Things to Do in Park City in the Winter for more recommendations!
We also love visiting the Homestead Crater in Midway. This unique geothermal pool is located inside of a 55-foot natural limestone dome. The water temperature is 95 degrees year-round, and it is the perfect spot to warm up on a chilly fall day.
For more information and recommendations, see our guide 6 of the Best Hot Springs in Utah.
Visit the Shops on Park City’s Historic Main Street
Park City wasn’t always an upscale resort town. Its early roots began in the 1860s as a prosperous silver mining town.
Today, the historic Main Street is lined with restored Victorian-era buildings that have been converted into charming shops, restaurants, and galleries.
You’ll find everything from big retailers like Lululemon to small local boutiques like Olive & Tweed.
One of our favorite shops is the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory for their homemade fudge, chocolates, and gourmet caramel apples.
We also enjoy browsing the books at Dolly’s Book Store, a cute little independent bookshop located in the same building.
It’s worth popping into the Park City Museum to get an overview of the town’s history. The Egyptian Theater is also a historic landmark and the home of the first Sundance Film Festival.
If you are hungry, Davanza’s Pizza is one of our favorite casual spots to grab a bite to eat. A few other popular restaurants include Baan Thai, Handle, Purple Sage, Harvest, Riverhorse on Main, and High West Saloon.
Our favorite restaurants in Park City that aren’t on Main Street, include Five5eeds and Nosh.
For more recommendations, see our guide 10 Best Things to Do in Park City.
Enjoy Fall Activities at the Ski Resorts
While Park City’s ski resorts are usually associated with winter skiing, they are surprisingly a year-round destination!
We love the summer mountain coaster and Alpine Slide at Park City Mountain Resort, but they are even more epic in the fall. From mid-September to the beginning of October, the track is surrounded by vibrant fall leaves.
The mountain coaster, alpine slide, and scenic lift ride are open through the first week of October, check the calendar for dates.
Snowbird Resort also has a mountain coaster and similar activities. It is open through the beginning of October as well.
If you are visiting later in October, you can still catch the Halloween Lift Ride at Sundance Resort.
Brighton Resort has a scenic lift ride that is open seasonally. I also recommend taking the 0.9-mile loop around Silver Lake at Brighton Resort.
It is easy to access right from the parking lot and is our favorite short hike where you can find beautiful views with little effort.
I hope I’ve convinced you to visit Park City in the Fall, it is bound to be a memorable trip!
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