Things to Do in Salt Lake City, UT: Red Butte Garden

By VI Staff on April 28, 2020 - Updated

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Red Butte Garden is an official year-round arboretum located on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. Located on over 100 acres of pristine landscapes, the botanical garden is the largest of its kind in the Intermountain West and features more than 21 acres of beautifully manicured and maintained gardens and horticultural habitats, as well as five miles of hiking tracks and paths in an extensive area of outstanding beauty. Renowned for its numerous and impressive plant collections, an award-winning collection of daffodils and springtime blooming bulbs, display gardens, notable fauna-focused educational programs, and outdoor summer concert series, the Red Butte Garden is the official arboretum of the state of Utah and has been welcoming guests since 1985. CDC information for travelers. Hours/availability may have changed.

1.Overview

The mission of the Red Butte Garden is to connect people with the earth’s biospheres and ecosystems, the fauna and flora that live in them, and the beauty of the living landscapes around us. The vision of the Arboretum is to become a community where people are inspired to educate themselves about the value of our natural ecosystems and one that protects, values and understands the world that is enriched by plants.

2.The Red Butte Garden

The Red Butte Garden is a museum of living plants that features several types of plant collections, including an arboretum in both the Red Butte Garden and on the University of Utah campus, an ecological selection of plants endemic to Utah, and an ethnic-botanic collection with plants that have a history of use by humans. There is also a geographic collection of plants that have a horticultural value from other countries or states that thrive in the Utah climate, a research/conservation collection of threatened, rare, and endangered species and a taxonomic collection, representing a variety of species, and cultivars of select taxa.

The Red Butte Garden is open year-round and offers an array of stuff to do in every season. Every Spring the garden blooms with more than 450,000 spring bulbs to create a tapestry of bright summer flowers, daffodils, lilac bushes and a beautiful crab apple tree collection. The garden’s Floral Walk and Rose Garden are flooded with spectacular color and fragrances, while autumn and winter see the miles of hiking trails shoveled and clean for walking and hiking. Things to do in the Gardens throughout the year include wandering around and exploring the gardens, private and group tours, have fun with the kids in the Children’s Garden, catch a film or a concert on warm summer nights, hike one of the five miles of trails in and around the gardens, picnic in the Secret Garden or relax in the Four Seasons Courtyard, which features chairs, tables, and umbrellas.

The Red Butte Garden Amphitheatre hosts an array of outdoor performances from May through September, ranging from Sundance Film Institute screenings to Outdoor Concert Series. The 3,000 capacity venue is located in the foothills of the Wasatch Mountains and offers beautiful views of the surrounding landscapes as a backdrop for the shows. The Amphitheatre offers lawn seating, which is ideal for picnics, and there are areas for food vendors and merchandise.

3.Education

The Red Butte Garden provides a variety of educational programs and community outreach initiatives for all ages, including classes, lectures, and events. Adult Education Programs include garden practice and nature study classes and workshops, continuing education and horticultural programs in partnership with the University of Utah Continuing Education Lifelong Learning, summer bulb container and holiday wreath-making workshops, and a variety of lectures throughout the year.

Youth and family programs include Garden Adventures and Saturday classes that focus on arts and crafts, and demonstrations that children can take home. Programs include Lil' Buds for children ages 3-4, Sprout House Workshops for children ages 5-12, and Summer Camps for all ages.

4.Location

Red Butte Garden is located 300 Wakara Way in Salt Lake City and is open to the public from January through March. The Garden offers a beautiful setting for weddings, receptions, and other special occasions, providing a stunning backdrop for photographs. The Richard K. Hemingway Orangerie is open year-round and provides a gorgeous indoor setting for weddings, formal dinners, and open-house events.

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300 Wakara Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, Phone: 801-585-0556, website