Get the Most out of Fall Season in Salt Lake City
As the seasons change and the weather cools down the urge for Fall festivities begins. While Salt Lake City is known for its winters and skiing, the autumnal season in Utah is just as lovely.
With Halloween, and the rest of the Fall holidays approaching, you may be getting that craving for a pumpkin spice latte or start feeling a little witchy. Whichever way you enjoy spending this season, there are plenty of ways to entertain yourself around Utah’s Capital City.
For The Sight Seer or Photo Lover
Utah’s Fall colors are breathtaking and Guardsman Pass is one of the best places to see the Wasatch mountains showing off their reds, oranges, and yellows. You can get to the pass from Big Cottonwood Canyon or Park City until the snow gate closes (usually not until November when the colors are long gone).
If you love hiking, there are quite a few options. The Bloods Lake trail is gorgeous and good for hikers of all levels. If you’re more interested in a photo op, check out the top parking lot of Guardsman Pass near the Church of Dirt.
Keep in mind, the pass is at about 9,700 feet, so the weather can be unpredictable and tumultuous at times.
For The Beer Lover or Social Butterfly
A local Fall-favorite is Snowbird’s Oktoberfest, a beer and food festival with the backdrop of the mountains in Little Cottonwood Canyon. The event runs from late-August to mid-October. Admission is free but you’ll have to pay to park.
On top of the variety of beer and delicious German-inspired food, Oktoberfest features live music, dancing and traditional Alphorn blowing. Oktoberfest is family-friendly, with plenty of typical ski resort activities for kids, like an Alpine Slide and Mountain Coaster.
For The Halloween Lover or Fresh Local Foodie
Salt Lake City and the surrounding area is home to plenty of great places to pick your Halloween pumpkin and snap some cute photos. Fall is also the time of year when local farmers are harvesting some of their best produce in preparation for winter.
Schmidt’s Farm and Pumpkin Patch has a wide selection of plants, flowers, produce and pumpkins. The Kinland’s Farm is both a real farm (with animals!) and a pumpkin patch. They have a farm store and opportunities to educate yourself about living with the land.
A few other pumpkin patches to check out include Cross E Ranch, Mabey Farms and Pack Farms.
For Your Kitschy Night Out With Friends
Want to dress up like a witch and enjoy a silly evening out? Gardner Village’s Witches Night Out series is a great option. If late nights aren’t really your thing, they also do Breakfast With A Witch at Archibald’s, the on-site restaurant.
In addition to these special events, Gardner Village runs WitchFest through the entire Autumn season so you can enjoy the fancy (not so scary) witch decorations with your entire family. With scavenger hunts, 5K runs and a new escape room, you could pack plenty of your Fall activities into one day at the village.
For The Fall Nature & Plant Lover
Red Butte Garden has a busy slate of activities and events this Fall, including a bulb sale, bonsai show, and their annual BOO-tanical event. Red Butte Garden’s plant sales are the best way to prepare for your Spring garden and get information on how to have thriving flowers and plants.
This year’s BOO-tanical theme is Once Upon A Garden, the event runs from October 14-31. The theme is fairy tales and geared toward teaching guests about the ties between plants and classic fairy tales. The goal is to showcase the ties between Halloween and the natural world. Tickets go on sale on September 15 (pre-registration is required).
For The Grateful Volunteer
If the autumn season fills you with gratitude, it might be a great time to volunteer your time, energy or crop to help others. The Waste Less garden share program helps local farmers or hobby gardeners donate their extra harvest to those in need. In some areas, volunteers will even pick it up!
The donations to Waste Less go to local schools, Boys and Girls clubs, emergency pantries, refugee centers and the Utah Food Bank.
Instead of leaving those extra zucchini plants on a neighbor’s doorstep, help a family or child in need.
Happy Autumn! Wishing you a season of rest and abundance.