Outdoors Brighton, Big Cottonwood Canyon
Silver Lake
An outdoor spot in Brighton, Big Cottonwood Canyon, budget-friendly ($) and worth about 1.5 hours. Best time to go: Midday Jan 1.
Why go
Small frozen lake at the canyon's top, with a flat boardwalk loop and groomed trails from the Nordic center.
It is one of 6 curated places we feature in Big Cottonwood Canyon, alongside 2 activities, 1 place to eat and 1 outdoor spot. The closest of our other picks is Brighton Resort, 0.5 mi away as the crow flies.
- Type
- Outdoors · Nature
- Neighborhood
- Brighton
- Price
- $
- Time needed
- 1.5 hr
- Best time
- Midday Jan 1
Nearby
Our closest curated picks, including 2 beyond Big Cottonwood Canyon. Distances are straight-line, not walking or driving.
- 1Brighton Resort
Ski area at the top of the canyon, open since 1936, with night skiing on lit runs most evenings.
Activity · 0.5 mi straight-line - 2Solitude Mountain Resort
Quieter ski area just below Brighton, with a small village at the base and long tree runs.
Activity · 0.8 mi straight-line - 3Silver Fork Lodge
Old wooden canyon lodge with a restaurant known for sourdough pancakes and a fire on cold days.
Food · 2.4 mi straight-line - 4Donut Falls
Short trail to a waterfall that drops through a hole in the rock, popular for snowshoeing in winter.
Outdoors · 4.1 mi straight-line - 5Stein Eriksen Lodge
Ski-in, ski-out lodge high on Deer Valley's Silver Lake, named for the Norwegian Olympic champion who led skiing at Deer Valley.
Stay · Park City · 5.3 mi straight-line - 6Park City Mountain
One of the largest ski resorts in the US, reached from Old Town by the Town Lift and linked to Canyons Village by gondola.
Activity · Park City · 5.4 mi straight-line
On these curated routes
Silver Lake is a stop on our Salt Lake City New Year's Eve route. Open it to see the full day-by-day plan.
More to do in Big Cottonwood Canyon
Silver Lake is our only outdoors pick in Big Cottonwood Canyon; here is what else we recommend there. See the full Big Cottonwood Canyon guide.
When to go: weather by month, based on Park City
Our climate figures for Big Cottonwood Canyon come from nearby Park City. Average daily highs in Park City run from 30°F in January to 84°F in July; December is usually the wettest month. For Silver Lake itself, we suggest: Midday Jan 1.
Modelled monthly averages for Park City from NASA POWER, not a forecast. Park City weather by month (covers Big Cottonwood Canyon).
Getting there
Map links open a live search for Silver Lake, so hours and directions come straight from the map app.
- Coordinates
- 40.60389, -111.58893
- Destination
- Big Cottonwood Canyon, Utah
Silver Lake: quick answers
How much time do you need at Silver Lake?
Plan on about 1.5 hours at Silver Lake. That is our curated estimate for a typical visit; groups that linger will want more.
When is the best time to visit Silver Lake?
Our pick: Midday Jan 1. Insider tip: Rent snowshoes at the Solitude Nordic Center by the lake.
Which TripsCircle routes include Silver Lake?
Silver Lake appears on Salt Lake City New Year's Eve, a curated route you can open on TripsCircle and plan with your group.
Add Silver Lake to your crew's plan
Save it to a shared TripsCircle itinerary, settle the timing with a quick poll, and split the costs with everyone going to Big Cottonwood Canyon.
Plan Big Cottonwood Canyon
- Big Cottonwood Canyon travel guide 6 places
- Park City weather (covers Big Cottonwood Canyon) weather by month
- Downtown Salt Lake City to Big Cottonwood Canyon 20 mi straight-line
Lists & regions
Also in Big Cottonwood Canyon
Curated recommendation, not live listing data. Confirm hours, prices, bookings and access before you go.